Glyoxal

Tom Ferguson (tomf2468@pipeline.com)
Mon, 20 Oct 1997 12:18:07 -0700

I'm back to doing some gum prints (after a 2 or 3 year break), and just
about to run out of my old supply of 37% formalin. Nasty smelly stuff that
it is! I was using it 25ml per liter of water to harden 200 bloom gelatin.

I've ordered some glyoxal from Bostick and Sullivan to replace to formalin.
Any suggestions on concentration and/or procedure?

Also, while looking into somewhat smooth / hot press papers for gum, the
"paper expert" at a local art store scratched his head and asked why I
wasn't using "Lanaquarelle" hot press watercolor paper, as it was very
heavily sized (with gelatin) by the manufacturer. There cold press had
been one of my favorite papers for gum (with added gelatin and formalin
hardening). As an experiment I tried the hot press without any pre
treatment, and again with only a formalin soak. Plain it stained badly.
The test with only a formalin soak looked, and cleared, quite good. Does
anyone have similar experiences, or know what other papers are made with a
strong gelatin size?

tomf2468@pipeline.com (Tom Ferguson)