Re: Dichromate concentration question

[Dirk-Jan Treffers <dirkjan.treffers@gmail.com>]

Hi Keith,

just for fun, check http://www.sciencegeek.net/Chemistry/taters/solubility.htm 
The line for K2Cr2O7 (pot dichrom) drops dramatically when reaching 0° C (32° F).... Although it looks like the lower the temp gets, the more asymptotic the line becomes.... 
Try printing the graph on a bigger piece of paper, and draw the x-axis further to the left, and see where the graph would more or less be (concentration-wise) at -30°C (-22° F)....

My guess would be 3-4%. That seems not nearly enough to really become light-sensitive.... Try Chris's suggestion to use Am-dichrom. Maybe at -22°F that would result in a higher concentration of dichromates....


Good luck with the icy temperatures.... Here in Holland we just experienced -10 to -15 (night time, 5-14°F). At those temperatures, everybody is hoping for an 'elfstedentocht' (eleven-city tour, a 200 km ice-skating tour trough eleven cities, something 90% of the Dutch wants from time to time...  See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elfstedentocht  )... Ok, enough off-topic nonsense.....


deejay

2009/1/15 Christina Z. Anderson <zphoto@montana.net>

LOL poor you, Keith--apparently this cold snap missed Montana, but is in MN big time.  It is in the 30's and 40's outside so it feels like spring to me here, but my son is experiencing -38.

You're not SERIOUS when you say your studio is only a "tad" warmer than -23, are you?????  Is your dichromate solution an ice cube???

As far as pot di, this is, again, a reason I prefer am di because down to 32 degrees am di is still 15% soluble, and that is what I use it at anyway. But if pot di starts at 10% solubility max, I've read it goes down to about 5% at colder temps (not -23 though!!).  BUT I have no idea how this correlates to exposure so am not answering your question, only guessing that a stop more exposure might be it.
Chris
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Christina Z. Anderson
http://christinaZanderson.com/
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----- Original Message ----- From: "Keith Gerling" <keith.gerling@gmail.com>
To: <alt-photo-process-l@usask.ca>
Sent: Thursday, January 15, 2009 5:53 AM
Subject: Dichromate concentration question

As I sit typing the temperature outside is -23F.  My studio is a tad
warmer, but I have noticed a dramatic change in what I need for
printing times for gum.  We all know that "saturated" solutions change
with temperature, and the cautious printer will weigh out the
chemicals.  But is there a multiplier I can apply to my printing
speeds that will take into account the actual amount of ingredients
contained in my "saturated" solution of Potassium Dichromate at
different temperatures?