[alt-photo] Re: dilution of pt/pd

[Loris Medici]

Clay, 

-----Original Message-----
From: alt-photo-process-list-bounces at lists.altphotolist.org On Behalf Of
Clay Harmon Website
Sent: Friday, July 23, 2010 3:08 PM
To: The alternative photographic processes mailing list
Subject: [alt-photo] Re: dilution of pt/pd

> This thread has been entertaining in a strange, twisted way.

Agree. :)


> Let me see if I have this right:
> 
> 1. The traditional formulas for pt/pd printing are based on percentages
and are not quite chemically balanced. In fact, there is a modest amount of
waste of the
> pt/pd metal salt because of this imbalance.

I've corrected this in a recent message.


> 2. It does not really make much difference in terms of print quality,
because there is an overabundance of metal relative to ferric oxalate with
the traditional formula.
> It works fine, in other words.

Well, I have to see prints to say something about that! ;) Having balanced
formulae doesn't guarantee fine prints, right?


> 3. If you don't want to needlessly flush noble metal salts down the drain,
make a one-time adjustment to your formulation and keep printing.

Yep. :)


> 4. If you don't care and don't want to think about it, and believe a
modest amount of waste in printing lends a sassy and insouciant 19th century
flair to your
> printing practice, just keep doing things the way you always have.

That was good! :) Each to their own, for sure...


> Did I get this right?

Kinda... I thought the actual debate was on the issue of whether talking
about stoichiometry and/or molarity in a public alt-process forum is an
unnecessary "pointy-hat" behaviour and to "over-complicate" things, or not.
Which later evolved to whether the concept of molarity does have a use for
us simple / helpless / poor mortals, or not... But you can't be sure with
Terry! :)


Regards,
Loris.