One thing you haven't mentioned in your description is a washing of the
print before fixing. The print will have an excess of silver nitrate in it
that must be washed out before toning and fixing. Usually ten to fifteen
minutes until the wash water runs clear (no more milkiness). Without this
washing before fixing, you will get black stains.
I also suggest a two to three minute flotation on the sensitizer and the
use of a slightly alkaline plain hypo bath.
Sodium thiosulfate (pentahydrate) 150g
Sodium Carbonate 2g
Water to make 1L
Good Luck,
Mike Robinson
Toronto, Canada
robkiss@io.org
Jack wrote:
Am @ school teaching right now......a student has made a set of salt
>prints.She floated the watercolor paper (Letrus?) of about 130 lb in salt,
>and let hang till dry.
>Then she floated each piece in silver nitrate for, I'd say, less than a
>minute, and hung to let dry.
>The exposures vary .... but the problem is w/staining. She used rapid-fix,
>or ammonium thiosulfate diluted first @ 1:3 and immediately experienced
>staining upon immersion into fix. She then diluted to 1:7 and it lessened
>but after 3 prints was very evident again.
>I advised to first let soak longer in silver nitrate and prior to printing
>make sure the print is totally dry. These images are 16"x20". My next
>advice was to use standard fix or sodium thiosulphate at normal strength.
>I feel the fix is the problem.
>If you have any suggestions I'd appreciate it. Our textbooks are all
>checked out.
>Thanks
>Jack Fulton