[alt-photo] Re: Alternative sensitiser

[Katharine Thayer]

According to Bea Nettles, the sensitizer in Kwik Print was  
dichromate, and according to the Focal Encyclopedia of Photography,   
Kwik-Print was a dichromated colloid method, and according to   
"Overexposure: Health hazards in Photography, by Shaw, Shaw and  
Rossol, the colloid was gum arabic.  It seems improbable to me,  
because the printing surface most often used was vinyl, in fact if I  
remember right, the kit came with plastic sheets to print on, and  
dichromated gum would not coat well on vinyl, nor would the hardened  
gum be likely to adhere through the development bath.   So I'm not  
entirely sure I believe the sources, but that's what they say.  The  
system was last marketed by Light Impressions, so maybe someone there  
would be able to tell you more about its chemical composition.  I'd  
be interested, if you found out anything.
Katharine


On Apr 15, 2010, at 5:31 PM, sam wang wrote:

> Has anyone tried using some sensitisers other than dichromate for  
> gum or
> carbon? Silkscreen emulsions have used diazo since the 70's. Can it  
> be used
> for our purposes? If so, would it be less toxic, and would  
> longevity of the
> emulsion be increased?
>
> A somewhat related question: does anyone know the chemical make-up of
> KwikPrint? It was popular in the 70's to the 80's. First made for  
> proofing
> print jobs and them sold by Light Impressions for alt printing.  
> Best results
> when used on a king of vinyl that comes with it. Are there no old  
> timers on
> the list who can shed light on it? Seems that it was akin to casein  
> and used
> diazo as well.
>
> Sam Wang
> _______________________________________________
> Alt-photo-process-list | http://altphotolist.org/listinfo
>
>