RE: polymer plate drying time
I buy a lot of this type of equipment at my local Goodwill. I've seen these type of hair dryers for around $3.00. -----Original Message----- From: SusanV [mailto:susanvoss3@gmail.com] Sent: Friday, March 16, 2007 8:38 AM To: alt-photo-process-l@usask.ca Subject: Re: polymer plate drying time Jon, Economical, forced air print dryer = cardboard box with a "bonnet" type hair dryer hose attached :o) Hair dryer is about $25-30. Susan the Frugal :o) On 3/16/07, Jon Lybrook <jon@terabear.com> wrote: > Polymer pizza...yumm. :-P > > Keith -- didn't you say using a hairdryer for 5-10 minutes would > suffice? Or what about a professional heat gun like what's used for > doing shrinkwrapping and other crafty things? > > I looked into a forced air print drier, which would be more convenient, > but it will be a while before I could justify buying one. $$$! > > Jon > > SusanV wrote: > > Keith and Jon, > > > > After all this talk about drying time and such, this morning I exposed > > and developed a test strip then skipped the hairdryer stage and went > > straight to the oven set at 100 degrees. I figured a few minutes at > > 100 to dry it, then bump the temp up for a few more minutes as per > > Keith's Toyobo instructions. Well........... after 10 minutes I > > checked it, and it had bubbled and kind of melted in all the darkest > > areas! There are also larger (pencil diameter), flat bubbles in the > > mid to light tones that appear to be the polymer detaching from the > > plate base. The plate didn't get that warm... when I took it out of > > the oven it was just a little warm in my hand, not hot at all. SO.... > > it appears that the moisture in the polymer needs to escape more > > slowly than the 100 degree oven allowed. Also I would speculate that > > since those deep bubbles occurred, separating the polymer from the > > base, there was moisture down at that level that became trapped when > > the top layer dried more quickly. > > So as usual, haste makes waste :o) we need to be sure they have > > sufficient drying time before any heat curing, and I'd suggest testing > > the heat thing before trying it on something important. I'm going to > > go re-do this now and I'll report back. > > > > Susan > > > > > > > > On 3/15/07, Jon Lybrook <jon@terabear.com> wrote: > >> This is best piece of info I think I've gotten since starting the use > >> the KM73s. Thank you so much for pointing this out Keith. > >> > >> Do you suppose drying the plate after post-exposure would have the same > >> effect? I'm thinking about plates I've already got but haven't printed > >> yet.. > >> > >> I'm probably overdoing the post-exposure. 5-10 minutes was generally > >> recommended for Solarplate -- which is why I was doing that. I was > >> post-exposing for 20 minutes in the hopes of eliminating those > >> scratches. It didn't though. I can't see doing a post-exposure for the > >> the time of my screen/image plus some like you do though Keith. That > >> would only be less than 30 seconds for me! I think once the plate > >> becomes the nice blue-green hue as opposed to the light green it's > >> probably good to go though, don't you? > >> > >> The new Toyobo plate sounds like something I should certainly try as > >> well...especially with the finer dot screen I use. > >> > >> Between the new plates, the new 4800 printer I'm considering, and the > >> subsequent ability to start using rolls of new Pictorico Ultra film > >> there's a ton of changes and improvements in store for my process > >> this year. > >> > >> This list rocks!!! Thank you all for being there. > >> > >> Jon > >> > >> Keith Taylor wrote: > >> > > >> > On Mar 15, 2007, at 11:50 AM, SusanV wrote: > >> >> Keith... > >> >> > >> >> you said, "Toyobo even recommend 5-15 minutes at 122-140 degrees > >> > > >> > > >> > Susan, > >> > > >> > I have a sheet from Toyobo that came packed with the plates ages ago. > >> > I tried to find it on both Anderson and Vreeland and Toyobo's > >> > websites, but the AV link was bad. > >> > > >> > I did notice however that Toyobo have a "new" plate out designated > >> > Printight DF. It's apparently capable of resolving 200lpi > >> > (KM73=150lpi) and detail in the 1-95% range (KM73=3-95%). The Shore D > >> > hardness is 55 whereas the KM73s are 67, which means the DF slightly > >> > softer. > >> > > >> > > >> > On Mar 15, 2007, at 1:24 PM, Jon Lybrook wrote: > >> >> Wow. This is really good info Keith. Maybe this is why I have issue > >> >> with scratches, eh? Didn't you say scratches weren't a huge problem > >> >> for you at one point? > >> >> So you dry before post exposing? When post-exposing for 5-10 minutes > >> >> under my Olec unit, it actually gets quite hot...so maybe that's why > >> >> I haven't had more major issues. Perhaps the post-exposure also > >> >> functions as what you and Susan are calling 'dry time'. What do you > >> >> think? Should I bake my plates in the oven after processing before > >> >> post-exposure? > >> > > >> > Jon, > >> > > >> > I'd certainly dry it longer, even if it's just with a hairdryer and > >> > no, I've never had a problem with scratches. I can (and usually do) > >> > wipe quite hard with tarlatans. I have a 5KW lamp that also gets > >> > quite hot but noticed recently that you post expose way longer than I > >> > do - this is probably why! > >> > > >> > My workflow is to expose the plate, dry with newsprint immediately, > >> > then dry for 2-3mins with a hairdryer. Next, I dry it for a further > >> > 5-10mins in a drying cabinet on high heat. The post-exposure is > >> > normally a little longer than my combined screen+image exposures. > >> > > >> > Of all the problems I've had, scratches have never been one of them. > >> > So I think you'd only benefit from drying a little longer. > >> > > >> > Keith. > >> > > >> > > >> > >> > > > > > > -- susan gravure blog at www.susanvossgravures.blogspot.com website www.dalyvoss.com
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