U of S | Mailing List Archive | alt-photo-process-l | Re: Paper negatives (Re: Tricolor gum, order of layers)

Re: Paper negatives (Re: Tricolor gum, order of layers)



Beeswax is better I think -> because it stays on paper indefinitely w/o
drying and not requiring the messy oiling step when you need to use the
negative again later. But applying beeswax is harder and messy itself.
There was an article about (and tests on) oiling paper negatives in Post
Factory Photography (which issue I don't remember right now)... BTW, a
neat and effective method of applying beeswax to negatives (in batches) is
described in Alan Greene's "Primitive Photography" book.

I'm happy with un-oiled paper negatives. I don't care about oiling them,
it's too messy for my liking and my exposure times are reasonable (6.5
minutes with 10% ammonium dichromate) with un-oiled negatives. Having to
sandwich the negative between mylar sheets (to protect the paper and the
contact printing frame's glass) is tiresome enough even w/o mentioning "le
problematique" of storing messy oily negatives. Yuk... ;)

Regards,
Loris.


5 Ekim 2008, Pazar, 7:54 pm tarihinde, Jack yazmış:
> I sent in a while ago info from (as I remember) LeGray on the use of
> bees wax.
> Would that not do the trick?
> Though the ones I make have more recently been on bond copying paper and
> created with a 600 dpi laser printer, by working with an old iron, and
> canning
> paraffin like Guido says. I use a piece of old matte board that's soft
> and soaks
> up the extra paraffin.
> Jack
>
>
>
>
> On Oct 5, 2008, at 9:45 AM, Keith Gerling wrote:
>
>> Hi Guido,
>>
>> Could you provide a source for that "white technical oil"?  I've
>> searched in vain with google.  I use plenty of baby oil and, to avoid
>> the mess detailed by Katherine, squirt a little on the negative and
>> then re-use oily paper towels to rub it in.  Honestly, the cloying
>> smell of that baby oil has permeated my work area to the point of
>> distraction.  I'm hoping the white oil might be more "neutral".
>>
>> Keith
>>
>> On Sun, Oct 5, 2008 at 10:51 AM, Guido Ceuppens <altguido@gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>> Hi Laura,
>>> Just rub the reverse side of the negative with a suitable oil.
>>> After trying
>>> different oils I settled on "white technical oil", it is as liquid
>>> as water
>>> and has the same (no)
>>> color. I believe it is the same (paraffin) oil sold in smaller cans
>>> for
>>> sewing-machines, in greater quantities (1 litre) it is very cheap.
>>> I usually
>>> rub it generously in and let it sit overnight when all the oil
>>> seems to be
>>> completely absorbed by the paper and for gum I don't even use the
>>> thin milar
>>> separator sheet (between neg and coating to avoid oil stains)
>>> anymore. After
>>> a few days the oil may evaporate more and the paper becomes less
>>> transparent, just oil again if you want to reuse the negative.
>>> Another method is to use blocks of paraffin on the, heated, reverse
>>> side of
>>> the negative. Use an iron to heat the paper in parts and apply the
>>> paraffin,
>>> ending with rubbing the molten paraffin with a paper towel to
>>> spread/clean
>>> up excess paraffin. Takes a bit of practice but once cooled down
>>> the paper
>>> remains translucent and is not oily.
>>>
>>> Greetings,
>>> Guido
>>> 2008/10/5 Laura Valentino <laura@this.is>
>>>>
>>>> Since I just recently paid about $150 to have 40 sheets of 11x17
>>>> OHP film
>>>> shipped to me, I gotta try the paper negative. I have a box of
>>>> this formerly
>>>> named photo quality inkjet paper. How do I oil it?
>>>>
>>>> Thanks, Laura
>>>>
>
>