U of S | Mailing List Archive | alt-photo-process-l | Re: Gum Sizing Brush, Roller, Tray

Re: Gum Sizing Brush, Roller, Tray





On Mon, 7 Apr 2008, Robert Newcomb wrote:

When it comes to putting size on paper for Gum prints, have you found brushing it on, using a small paint roller or dipping the whole sheet in a tray of size to be the preferred method?
When I first tied gum printing several years ago, I would immerse the entire sheet in a tray of warm gelatin and then carefully drag the sheet over the edge of the tray to remove some of the excess, hang and dry. I believe this is the method in the "Gum Bichromate Book" which was my only guide at the time.
When I read that book I'd been teaching gum for 10 years & it left me with a net deficit of information. Dragging the sheet over the edge of the tray is a MESS. And USELESS.

Put your gelatin tray narrow end next to the back of the sink. Stand a sheet of glass against that wall at an angle. Put the paper one sheet at time on the glass (preferably with 1 drop of kremer defoamer in the gelatin). Then LIGHTLY squeegee down the paper, pick it off the glass & hang to dry.

I also vividly remember having to endure the burning eyes while using large amounts of formalin - maybe thats why my hair is white?
No no... that's more probably why your eyes are red.

I saw Christina's post "I have not yet tried Kerik Kouklis' handy method of adding 6 drops of formalin per 10ml hot gelatin at time of brushing it onto paper which would probably be the ticket."
The trouble with adding the formalin to the gelatin is you can't re-use leftovers. If the gelatin doesn't have the hardener in it, you can keep it for a couple of days in the fridge, then remelt.

(Not to mention that a vat size is a better, sturdier, evener, longer lasting size than a brush size.)

J.