RE: Out Out Damn Wrinkles!

Mark,
 
Here is the short answer: Use a different paper. IMO, "platinotype" sucks
for pt/pd. The stuff on the market now with that name is not the same paper
that Dick Arentz convinced Cranes to make may years ago (so the legend goes,
anyway). Arches Platine, COT 320, Whatman's, BFK, Fabriano Artistico Extra
White, Simili Japon, etc. Are all far superior papers (again, IMO). Why
waste your valuable time with inferior materials?
 
Kerik
 

  _____

From: Ender100@aol.com [mailto:Ender100@aol.com]
Sent: Sunday, August 08, 2004 1:49 PM
To: alt-photo-process-l@skyway.usask.ca
Subject: Out Out Damn Wrinkles!

A couple of questions for this learned group of alt photographers.

I have been using the handy Magic Brush and trying double coating to get
more DMax with PT/PD. The paper is Cranes Platinotype.

The paper wrinkles much more when I apply the second coat. I am allowing it
to air dry for 45 minutes between coats. Any suggestions or tricks regarding
how I might reduce the wrinkles-other than tumbling it in the dryer with one
of those wrinkle removing little tissues?

Second, because of the above wrinkles, I am occasionally running into a
second problem when exposing on the NUARC. The vacuum frame sucks
everything up nice and tight-in fact, I am getting a wonderful embossing
effect from the nubs on the rubber apron of the vacuum frame.

I placed a piece of thin, flexible vinyl over the nubs of the rubber base of
the vacuum frame to keep the print from achieving the embossing feature-I am
wondering if I should perforate this vinyl sheet to further improve removing
of air bubbles?

Now, instead of the embossing feature that, though it is kinda cool but
rather distracting with the print, I am occasionally getting a wrinkle that
turns into a really nice crease across the print. I have countered that by
very slowly turning on the vacuum sucker until it looks like the air bubbles
are out. So far, this seems to be working, but I hate to waste any more
prints and I do like the DMax it is giving me with the Magic Brush, which
seems to dilute the PT/PD mix a bit resulting in lower DMax when single
coating.

Any suggestions would be deeply appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Best Wishes,

Mark Nelson
www.precisiondigitalnegatives.com
Received on Mon Aug 9 12:17:03 2004