Re: polymer plate drying time
Oh Susan (O'Flaherty O'Daly), Yes, I have been getting the same dark patterns if I don't use baby powder or spray and maintain a long drawdown time (image only, not screen). I'm building a little drying box today and will be at the studio this afternoon to see if that helps more. Jon On 3/17/2007, "SusanV" <susanvoss3@gmail.com> wrote: >Jon and Keith, > >Thanks for this discussion. Lots of helpful information. > >I rigged a striplight under my exposure head so that now I can really >watch the positive as it gets sucked down against the plate. What I >see are lots of little irregular shaped areas that move and change >shape, and they're colors are rainbow-like and change... I think it's >a Newton's rings kind of thing. (and no I haven't been smoking >anything :P ) The shapes are larger in the beginning, then get >smaller but more numerous as the vacuum continues. This is SO hard to >describe, haha. Do you all see anything like that happening? > >I'm snowed in here and happy as a clam to be heading to my studio for >a day of printing! Will definitely be drying my OHP now. I'm going >to find one of those bonnet hairdryers this week and try out using it >to rig a drying box. > >Happy St Patrick's Day!!! > >Susan O'Flaherty O'Daly (my real family names 2 generations back :o) ) > >On 3/17/07, Jon Lybrook <jon@terabear.com> wrote: >> More questions and responses below... >> >> Keith Taylor wrote: >> > Jon, >> > >> > I remove the Mylar and dust with talc (screen and positive). >> Do you use actual talc, or baby powder? I've found that real talcum >> powder is difficult to find - though I used some in Florence. Much more >> chalky and coarse than baby powder -- at least the batch I had access to. >> >> > I have a 33x43" vacuum frame with glass, get 22in Hg and I leave it >> > for at least 3 minutes before exposure. I have a ribbed bed to the >> > frame which causes problems with platinum prints, so I have a sheet of >> > black plastic 1/32" thick. >> The Kreene makes it so I can only get about 12 in the vacuum frame. >> Images are generally pretty sharp except for the patches though. >> > >> > You use an anti-static spray regularly don't you? >> Yes, due to the Kreene plastic. >> >> > I clean the glass with a non-ammonia, non-alcohol based cleaner, but >> > no anti-static spray. I also use Pictorico on a roll (never sheets) >> > with an Epson 4000. I do have a 2200 that I use infrequently with >> > sheet Pictorico, but not for gravure - usually small platinums. >> > I dry the OHP in the film drying cabinet for 20-30mins low heat prior >> > to use. >> Drying the OHP seems to be the biggest difference, since I used to have >> glass in my vacuum frame, and do basically everything similarly to >> you....but I've never bothered to try drying the OHP with heat for 20-30 >> minutes. I did use to dry my plates with a hair drier until I was told >> by an instructor that it was a waste of electricity...NOT. >> >> > >> > I'm just throwing out things here that you may recognise as being >> > different from your setup. >> >> Thanks Keith. I'm very eager to dry some OHP and try dusting again, >> both the plate and positive and will report back. >> >> Best regards, >> Jon >> >> > > >-- >susan >gravure blog at www.susanvossgravures.blogspot.com >website www.dalyvoss.com > >
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