Harman Selenium Toner...

[Resoman]

I thought I'd try the Harman Selenium Toner, instead of the Kodak Rapid Selenium Toner I've always used. The instructions seem straightforward enough except for the part which reads:

"...place the prints in a holding tray of water, approximately 4 C/39 F warmer than the temperature of your working strength solution of Harman Selenium Toner."

I'm not particularly anxious to submit my FB prints to a 110 F bath unless there's a very good reason for this.

Can anyone shed light on this issue?

Thanks,

Gary.
East Snook, TX

[Sanjay Sen]

I am not sure why they say that, but I don't follow it. My prints go from the wash to the toner, which I use primarily for color change. The wash water temperature is around 60 F. This seems to work just fine for me. YMMV.

[Michel Hardy-Vallée]

39F warmer? That would be a typo. Normal processing temperature is 20C / 68F, so 4C warmer is 24C is 75,2F.

It's quite normal to put prints in a slightly warmer bath before selenium toning, as it prevents some of the selenium to be cleared in the wash water.

[Bob F.]

I thought I'd try the Harman Selenium Toner, instead of the Kodak Rapid Selenium Toner I've always used. The instructions seem straightforward enough except for the part which reads:

"...place the prints in a holding tray of water, approximately 4 C/39 F warmer than the temperature of your working strength solution of Harman Selenium Toner."

I'm not particularly anxious to submit my FB prints to a 110 F bath unless there's a very good reason for this.

Can anyone shed light on this issue?

Thanks,

Gary.
East Snook, TX

It's a typo. It should (probably) say "approximately 4C/7F warmer" - a 4 degrees C change is approx equal to a 7 degree F change so if you are used to using Fahrenheit, the water batch should be 7 degrees warmer. No idea why you would bother with such a small temperature increase though unless you were using the toner above room temp.

Bob.

[Resoman]

Thanks, everyone -

I went ahead and toned with all baths at room temperature and it went fine. The Forte Polywarmtone really reacted to the toner - the 1:3 dilution was much too much but I think I'll like the prints I got at 1:20. They're on the drying screens now; I'll get a look at them tomorrow...

Thanks,

Gary

[Les McLean]

It's a typo. It should (probably) say "approximately 4C/7F warmer" - a 4 degrees C change is approx equal to a 7 degree F change so if you are used to using Fahrenheit, the water batch should be 7 degrees warmer. No idea why you would bother with such a small temperature increase though unless you were using the toner above room temp.

Bob.

Perhaps the reason for the batch water to be slightly warmer than the toning solution is to prevent carry over of cooler water and help hold the toner at a consistent temperature. I've done this for years when selenium and gold toning.

[Simon R Galley]

Dear All,

Looks like a typo I will have it checked

Simon. ILFORD Photo / HARMAN technology Limited :

[Ole]

looks like a "brain fart" to me...

A temperature of 4C is 39F, but a difference of 4C is only 7F since 0C is 32F...

[Sanjay Sen]

Perhaps the reason for the batch water to be slightly warmer than the toning solution is to prevent carry over of cooler water and help hold the toner at a consistent temperature. I've done this for years when selenium and gold toning.

Hi Les,

I recall reading that somewhere in Ilford's literature. What is the reason for holding a consistent temperature? Is the toner's activity temperature dependent?


Thanks,
Sanjay

[Les McLean]

Hi Les,

I recall reading that somewhere in Ilford's literature. What is the reason for holding a consistent temperature? Is the toner's activity temperature dependent?


Thanks,
Sanjay

Good question Sanjay, my thinking when I first did this was that we are told to be consistent with temperature when developing films and prints so I just continued in that vein. I also selenium tone sometimes at quite high temperatures partly to speed up the process and partly to experiment to see if higher temperatures bring anything different to selenium toning, colour change that may not be obtainable at lower temperatures. I would point out to anyone doing thisthat it is wise to use a mask and work in very well ventilated places.