Re: Carbon printing

Wayde Allen (allen@boulder.nist.gov)
Fri, 03 Apr 1998 15:14:09 -0700 (MST)

On Fri, 3 Apr 1998, Luis Nadeau wrote:

> At 9:21 AM 98/04/03, Wayde Allen wrote:
> ...
> >Yes, I'm making my own tissue. I can't say I've turned out anything
> >spectacular yet, but it is improving. Right now, my biggest problems are
> >the creation of enlarged negatives, and the correct pigment concentration
> >needed for the carbon tissue manufacture. I've just started experimenting
> >with using Lith film for enlarged negatives
>
> You are making your life complicated.

Wouldn't be the first time <grin>.

> At the learning stage you should take
> the easiest route. One you are comfortable with the process then you can
> experiment. I suggest you use 4"x5" continuous tone negatives (enlarged or
> not).

Actually, I think I'm doing what you suggest. I am using 4x5 continuous
tone negatives. I recently finished building a 4x5 camera partly for this
purpose (OK that was the difficult approach I admit), and the Lith film is
what has been recommended on this list before as a low cost approach to
making enlarged negatives. Developing this film in Dektol 1:10 does
appear to work, and at around $10 for a box of 50 sheets this is
reasonable to play with. I have also tried paper negatives with some
reasonable success.

Basically, I have been pretty much trying to follow what you've written in
your book with some additional input from Sandy King and the list. Always
open to suggestions though.

- Wayde
(wallen@boulder.nist.gov)