High Precision Hand Coating Blades

[Photo Engineer]

This is not intended to be spam. That said, here goes...

I have just accepted delivery of 3 high precision stainless steel coating blades that allow near production quality coating in sizes of 4x5, 5x7 and 8x10. The coating thickness can be a very large range limited mainly by the 'feeler' gauges that you use to set the blade gap.

These blades are based on equipment that we used in research at Eastman Kodak with some modifications to improve yield of usable prints in a home darkroom. They are intended for making paper prints. I am working on a similar set of film coating blades. They use no proprietary technology.

I have no idea what they will cost in quantity, but the ones I have cost me a bundle.

Right now, the yields of good prints are about 90% with the smaller blades, and due to a design error, only about 30% with the large blade. I am having it redesigned (it wasn't heavy enough and the end cap was not thick enough), and another one made that will coat 11x14 sheets.

The reason for this post is to find out if there is any interest in such equipment. Not spam, but a poll to see if there is anyone else out there who wants to give up the old paintbrush or foam brush and go with professional quality. I am not taking orders.

Anyhow, in the future, there may be a professional style coating block and a professional drying cabinet.

Am I barking up the wrong tree? Is anyone or no-one interested?

Your comments would be very appreciated. Thanks very much.

PE

[Jorge]

This is not intended to be spam. That said, here goes...

I have just accepted delivery of 3 high precision stainless steel coating blades that allow near production quality coating in sizes of 4x5, 5x7 and 8x10. The coating thickness can be a very large range limited mainly by the 'feeler' gauges that you use to set the blade gap.

These blades are based on equipment that we used in research at Eastman Kodak with some modifications to improve yield of usable prints in a home darkroom. They are intended for making paper prints. I am working on a similar set of film coating blades. They use no proprietary technology.

I have no idea what they will cost in quantity, but the ones I have cost me a bundle.

Right now, the yields of good prints are about 90% with the smaller blades, and due to a design error, only about 30% with the large blade. I am having it redesigned (it wasn't heavy enough and the end cap was not thick enough), and another one made that will coat 11x14 sheets.

The reason for this post is to find out if there is any interest in such equipment. Not spam, but a poll to see if there is anyone else out there who wants to give up the old paintbrush or foam brush and go with professional quality. I am not taking orders.

Anyhow, in the future, there may be a professional style coating block and a professional drying cabinet.

Am I barking up the wrong tree? Is anyone or no-one interested?

Your comments would be very appreciated. Thanks very much.

PE

I would be interested in the film blades. I figure I have plenty on crappy negatives that I can remove the emulsion and re use the acetate to re coat if film is stop being made. Since I am working on 8x10 and 12x20 I figure a 13 inch blade would be good enough. What do you say?

[Ole]

Interesting--- VERY interesting. I'll have to start selling prints one of these days, with the expenses I'm willing to take to get them just a little bit better (or weirder).

So tell me: Would these blades be usable for coating glass plates?

[David A. Goldfarb]

Interested if the cost isn't outrageous.

[magic823]

Definately interested in both the paper and the film blades.


Steve

[Kerik]

Need more info before I can say one way or the other.

[Photo Engineer]

Thanks for the feedback.

A few answers are in order. Customs sizes will skyrocket costs. These are hand tooled and will cost enough in quantity already without getting custome sizes, so your suggestions on 'standards' will help.

The blades are actually oversize by 1/4" for each smaller dimension (4, 5 and 8 inches) to allow for the bad portion at the edge to be trimmed off. Any length can be coated that the individual can handle. I coat a bead 4.25" wide on 5.5" x 14" sheets and can cut 2 4x5" sheets from that. Coating that uses 6 ml of melt or about 125 mg of silver. An 8x10 is coated on an 11x14 sheet and requires about 12 ml of melt or about 250 mg of silver.

I am working on finding good subbed paper (see the other threads and my posts on this elsewhere), and finding good subbed film. Your comments on this are also welcome.

Until I can check it out, I hesitate to use the same method to coat film and paper, but with a finely machined blade it may be possible. Stay tuned for the answer to this one.

But, as of now, film and paper blades will probably not have the same design due to the physical properties of film and paper.

RC paper behaves more like film. FB paper is in a class of its own. You can use the same blades for FB and RC, but will not be able to use film blades for FB. You might be able to film blades for RC. Paper blades might be used on film if things work out.

PE

[Donald Qualls]

Umm.

Interest, yes.

Money and time and equipment and workspace, no.

[argentic]

Depending on cost I'm very interested.

[donbga]

This is not intended to be spam. That said, here goes...

PE

Okay you've got my interest. I'll stay tuned.

Don Bryant