From: Judy Seigel (jseigel@panix.com)
Date: 09/02/02-03:32:00 PM Z
On Mon, 2 Sep 2002, Christina Z. Anderson wrote:
> I came across this formula in E.J. Wall's Practical Color Photography from
> 1928 and thought I would pass it along, for what it is worth. I know
> someone has asked a question before on the list about transparentizing paper
> negs.
> Beeswax 20g
> Resin 20g
> Turpentine 1000ml
> Melt the wax, add the resin, preferably in powder form, and finally add the
> turpentine slowly with constant stirring. Make a pad of absorbent cotton,
> wrapped in a piece of linen cloth, pour a little of the wax solution on the
> pad and rub over the surface, then polish off the wax with a cloth. Hang 24
> hr to dry.
> Who knows if this is still usable today, or better than other formulae.
> I think the resin is available thru Daniel Smith, tho. I know the beeswax
> is, in purified form. I certainly wouldn't mix up a liter of the
> stuff--that'd last for lifetimes.
Resin is AFAIK a generic term -- I think even gum arabic is "resin" tho
possibly at the time that meant 'Canada balsam,' which I now forget the
composition of. I'd beware, though, of something that's mostly turpentine,
I'm told one of the two most allergenic substances to humans (the other
being chrome, as in dichromate). However being ever interested in "resin"
as I seek a varnish for gum, I checked DS catalog for resin -- not listed
in index. Any recollection of what/where?
It does seem, meanwhile, that this "transparentizer" is largely wax. The
melting with heat works very well without the volatile solvent, at least
IME. However, and here's a wild guess, sticking my neck out -- reason for
the "resin" may be that beeswax is on the soft side. We've had very good
results with parrafin and hot iron. The parrafin is hard when cold.
J.
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