Grade 3 AZO Exposure

[Digidurst]

Congrats Digidurst and keep at it.

If you're not ready to make the jump to Amidol yet, another developer you can try is Agfa Neutol WA. Several of us, including myself, use it for proofing Azo. Some use it exlusively. It has some waterbath capability, although not as strong in that regard as amidol.

I dry my prints face down on screens. I squeegee them most of the time, but not always. Why not advertise in the APUG classifieds for a dry mount press? It makes the flattening and mounting a whole lot less work. Does a better job at it too.

Thanks Alex! I appreciate the tip about Agfa Neutol. It will be interesting to see what it'll do. In the meantime, I'm going to order the AZO kit from Photographer's Formulary as it will be a real cheap way to see if Amidol is something I want to pursue.

[User Removed]

MAKE SURE it is the Michael Smith formula for AZO. Do not buy the "Weston" or other amidol kit.

Also, the kit is a good idea to try it out...but is not cost effective when you start using it more. It is ALOT cheeper to buy the chemicals and mix it yourself. Very simple too, you just need a gram scale.

[Alex Hawley]

They don't wash out as easily as pure hypo. Use a two bath sodium thiosulfate fixer regimen for maximum permanence. When processed in Permawash, selenium toned, thoroughly washed and dry mounted to Artcare Alpharag board the prints should last for many centuries.

Not wanting to quibble Jim, but if there is some test data available, I'd be interested in seeing it. I would also be interested in how this stuff is tested for anyway. All I have to go by is my own simple silver nitrate test which tells me my prints are coming out clean.

[Donald Miller]

Speaking of tests for prints, there are actually two tests that are used. The solution incorporating silver nitrate test for adequate washing while the ST1 test is used to determine complete fixing. The silver nitrate test may show a print that is washed properly but could also be improperly fixed.

Improper fixing will prevent an archival print as effectively as improper washing.

[Digidurst]

MAKE SURE it is the Michael Smith formula for AZO. Do not buy the "Weston" or other amidol kit.

Also, the kit is a good idea to try it out...but is not cost effective when you start using it more. It is ALOT cheeper to buy the chemicals and mix it yourself. Very simple too, you just need a gram scale.

Don't worry, I did make sure to get the right kit. And yes, if I dig the stuff, I will mix it myself. I've got all the goodies to do that because of my experiments with other alt. processes. But hey, thanks for looking out for me!