Re: VDB

[david drake <daviddrakephoto@sympatico.ca>]

My FAC is from a chemical company called BDH (I don't  believe they still exist). Anyway, I have the same experience as Loris as far as sludge. I  filter it out with an unbleached coffee filter after a couple of days and it doesn't come back. I do use distilled water. The label says it contains 'about 16% Fe'. Is this typical?

david

On 4-Nov-07, at 3:34 PM, Loris Medici wrote:

Sandy, who's green Ammonium Iron(III) Citrate do you use? Not B&S's I presume - because mine from B&S does indeed cause sludge formation right after mixing the sensitizer. I leave it there for two days ripening period (occasionally shaking the bottle, 2 - 3 times a day) then filter it out before using the sensitizer. A little more sludge precipitates even after that but since the amnt. is not important (a mm or so precipitation in the bottom of the 250ml bottle) I leave it there and take the sensitizer with a plastic pipette w/o disturbing it.

I'm happy with my single coat Vandykes as long as I tone them with thiourea-gold toner. I'm not happy with my untoned Vandykes unless I double coat.

Regards,

Loris.

Quoting Sandy King <sanking@clemson.edu>:

I never get any sludge!! Not after 24 hours, not after 24 days.

After several months the silver coats the side of the bottle, but the

solution remains clear.

Are you mixing with distilled water?

Sandy

At 2:44 PM -0500 11/4/07, Weber, Scott B wrote:

Speaking with a friend who also makes Van Dyke prints I mentioned that I

filter the "sludge" that forms at the bottom of the bottle after 24 hours

when mixing a new batch of solution. He said that he never does this. Are

there any VDB printers out there with opinions on this? Filter or no filter?

Scott B. Weber

Associate Professor of Photography

Department of Fine Arts

Barry University

11300 NE 2nd Avenue

Miami Shores, Florida 33161

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