Re: Carbon xfer to plexiglass

John Barnier (a.strauss@worldnet.att.net)
Wed, 18 Dec 1996 18:14:07 -0500

----------
Klaus Pollmeier writes,
>
> Al wrote: <The image is transferred to the plexiglass but small spots
remain on
> the plexiglass, I assume because the paper separates unevenly. How can I
avoid
> this>?
>
> It happens one day and the next day you get a perfect transfer. Even in
air
> conditioned environment. I faced this problem some time ago but it seemed
to
> have solved by itself somehow. My suggested explanation: I think is has
to do
> with the surface tension of the plexi, which is too high, and probably
also the
> drying speed. The print makes crackling noise when peeling it off. And
this is
> probably due to the way you clean the plexi before, i. e. which detergent
you
> used, how much and how well you washed the plexi afterwards.

Thats what I have found. The gelatin layer is very brittle. The spots I
have are not
airbells but tiny flakes of the dried emulsion.

> So if I had been more desperated in the past I might have tried the wax
method
> on plexiglas. What if you solved a little bees wax in a solvent, pulled
the
> plexi through it and, after the solvent had evaporated, polished the
plexi with
> a soft cotton pad?
>
I will try that next. Luis mentions several formulas in his book. I have
used bees wax
in solvent to wax furniture I was restoring, so I will see what happens.

> Or you just wait for better weather... ;-)
>
> Good luck,
>
It is not very encouraging when you talk of mysterious forces at work in
these processes,
but I need to perfect this if I am going to do tricolor, as one must get
three successful
transfers in a row.

I am free for the next two weeks and I am going to try these ideas and what
Sandy King
has suggested. I will report my results.

Thank you for your support

Al