Thank you for your reply. The information in my two long posts "Carbon
Tissue 101" and "Printing Carbon Transfer 101" comes from workshop notes. I am
taking direction from that workshop teacher, whose work I have seen and
admired. I began learning by following instruction without too many questions.
Referring to the paragraph "While the exposure is being <SNIP> (Total soak
= 10 minutes)". Both you and Sandy King questioned this, and I appreciate
the input from you both.
Likewise, I may do better to have my "transfer bath" kept to 59-63 F.
(15-17 C.) as you suggest. Getting good adhesion to the final support paper
has been troublesome for me.
Also, thank you for the info about making bubble-free water. The water as
it comes from my reverse-osmosis unit is quite free of dissolved solids, but it
is loaded with tiny bubbles!
Finally, thank you for the ideas about using rubbing-alcohol and water
transfer bath.
I have not tried developing on plexi or white plastic, but I will keep your
notes on that filed for future use. I'll have questions about the plexi method
at some future time.
In all my photographic efforts, I try to change one thing at a time and
evaluate the result. Changing a half-dozen variables at a time does not
"speed-up" finding good work methods! <grin>
Again, thanks for your ideas.
Bill Clark
wmclark@prairieweb.com
Scottsbluff Nebraska USA
Pollmeier Klaus wrote:
> Nachricht geschrieben von "Wm. J. Clark"
> >While the exposure is being made, soak the Final Support paper in 120-140
> degree F distilled water for 5 minutes.<
>
> What is this hot presoak for? I haven't found this necessary until now and
> am curious to learn what it helps to prevent?
>
> >Move the Final Support paper from the hot soak to a tray of room-temp (68
> F) distilled water for 5 minutes. (Total soak = 10 minutes)
> After the exposure, place the soaked Final Support paper and the exposed
> tissue side-by side in a tray of distilled water (68 F) .<
>
> I found that the more the transfer bath approaches room temperature (20C),
> the more likely a loss of contact during development becomes. My best
> experience was with water at 15-17C. Also, destilled water may not be
> necessary unless you care for air-free water (which the destilled obviously
> is). Usually I am walking on my wife's nerves one day in advance when
> boiling ca. 10 liters of water in the kitchen for a few minutes. I then let
> the pot cool down during the night and use the water the next day. The time
> the transfer paper had to be in the cold water in advance I found of no
> importance at all (sometimes hours, if I couldn't work continously), unless
> it had time enough to expand completely.
>
> Although the cold water gets stained with dichromate, it can be used
> repetedly if filtered.
>
> I also got very consistent results with better adhesion and less bubbles by
> doing the transfer in a mixture of 1 part rubbing alcohol and 3 parts
> water. This mixture must be preopared well in advance as the solution warms
> up when pooring in the alcohol and tiny air bells are formed. But after one
> hour or so the mixture is ready to use.
>
> BTW: When developing on plexi or white plastic, the tissue may be hard to
> pull off in the hot developing water if plain water baths are used. A trick
> from the photogravure printers usually helps: A 2 min presoak in plain
> rubbing alcohol just before the developing.
>
> Klaus Pollmeier