Re: Vandyke Question
----- Original Message -----
From: "Judy Seigel" <jseigel@panix.com>
To: <alt-photo-process-l@usask.ca>
Sent: Sunday, February 24, 2008 7:32 PM
Subject: RE: Vandyke Question
On Sun, 24 Feb 2008, joachim oppenheimer wrote:
... I would
expect that, for the water to be the problem it would
have to be so grossly
contaminated that you would smell it down the corridor.
Whatever the ultimate problem (or problems) may be, and
whether or not Scott manages to pinpoint them, I can
ASSURE you that the above sentence is 100% wrong (tho if
you're talking bets, I never bet less than a million
dollars).
The episode I mention was some years ago, but it was so
startling it's etched well in mind. We'd already done VDB
with no problem, then had to mix more. When we combined
the solutions the silver precipitated out. Instantly,
dramatically. The only change from the previous operation
was a new gallon of "distilled" water, bought at the
neighborhood hardware store where we'd bought it before...
a sealed jug, official "distilled" label, etc.
It was odorless, colorless, and utterly did I say
odorless? You wouldn't have hesitated to drink it. But
with suspicions thus aroused, I brought it to the chem
department, which tested and found it to be tap water.
Tap water from where, I have no idea... but there was
NOTHING patently noxious. The shock was getting it from
our friendly neighborhood hardware store, but we figured
the culprit was a rogue supplier. We got the next gallon
from the supermarket and all was fine (tho a longer walk).
PS. I have as it happens done some testing of distilled
vs. tap water in processes involving commercial photo
paper, such as toning and bleaching. Also long ago, and
less dramatic so not perfectly recalled. However, there
were often distinct differences, often the tap water had
better results... we figured the impurities from the NYC
sewer system gave it an added complexity, like wine.
Judy
Totally off topic. There was a story in the Associated
Press site today that some group has awarded Los Angeles the
prize for the best tasting tap water in the country. We used
to have a reputation for having hot and cold running swill
here. No more I guess. There was considerable controversey
about the quality of the water some years ago and I have
gotten yearly assays from the L.A. Department of Water and
Power ever since. Actually, it does taste pretty good so I
suppose they are doing something right.
As I suppose everyone knows we steal our water from the
Owens Valley by means of a couple of long aqueducts operated
by something called the Metropolitan Water District. If this
hadn't been done (c.1914) L.A. would probably be a wide,
dusty area in the middle of the road with some oil wells and
cow skulls, San Francisco would be the "big" west coast city
and the movie industry would be in Arizona.
---
Richard Knoppow
Los Angeles, CA, USA
dickburk@ix.netcom.com
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