Re: platinum/palladium, use of "B" Solution

Eric J. Neilsen (ejnasn@laplaza.org)
Sun, 02 Nov 1997 14:09:23 -0700 (MST)

On Sat, 1 Nov 1997, TERRY KING wrote:

> Message text written by Auerbach
> >The ease of working with a palladium based mixture of p/p keeps me
> at a 3:1 palladium to platinum mixture.
> <
>
> Gary
>
> You did not tell us what the density ranges of the negs you were using so
> it is difficult to comment.
>
> With pure platinum one should be able to get a good print from a neg with a
> range of about 1.9. Adding progressively more palladium gives prints with
> good gradation and good detail in the highlights and the shadows with
> negatives up to a range of about 2.2 to 2.4.
>
> I would prefer not to print Pt or Pt/Pd with negs below these
> densities..
>
> Terry

Gary, You also failed to mention what developer you use, whether you
humidify your paper or at what humidity range that you print in. As we
know, many different things contribute to the contrast of the print. The
strength of the developer, the type of developer, paper, etc.

It has been my experience that as you use a more dilute developer, the
contrast increases, as does the effect of enlarged grain with chlorate
use. Have you tried any of the dichromates? peroxide? using the Ammonia
based platinum with the Sodium based palladium?

A further explaination of your printing procdures might help open up the
discussion for you.

EJ Neilsen
ejnasn@laplaza.org
http://www.busdir.com/ericneilsen/index.html