Re: price of pt/pd printing

Eric, Jeffrey, et al,
Thanks for responding. Nice to get input from the pros in the field of
pt/pd.
First of all I have to share two calamities, one to excuse my typos if there
are any: I just stapled clean into the palm of my hand while trying to get
stuff framed for the show. NOT a good thing, when having to frame 40
pieces. Blood spurting all over as I am wondering how dumb I could possibly
be.
Two, my order of 33 frames from Jerry's hasn't come; come to find out, they
"lost the ticket". Oh my gosh. Blood pressure rising as my stuff needs to
be framed by next friday. Wow.
SO, to answer your question, below, Eric: I am using a 6/6/1 (1 drop Na2)
for my mix, so not much of that and at a dilution of 5%.
WOW, what a price dif for bulk.
What is amazing, is that when I calculated my cost of pt/pd, I agree with
Jeffrey--it is not that bad! I was figuring $2-6 a print, but 96 cents is
less than a latte! But at bulk, I see I could save quite a bit of money.
Unfortunately, I think since gum is my process of choice that I would have
to share quantity chems with someone to be able to use that amount.
Good to know that the cost is mostly in the paper.
Ganging--great idea. Right now I gange my negs, 2 to a page.
BTW, how do I get rid of the faint pt/pd on the outside edge of the 4x6
image area, where my opaque border is protecting exposure?
Chris
----- Original Message -----
From: "Eric Neilsen" <e.neilsen@worldnet.att.net>
> Chris,
> Well How much Na2 are you using? And at what concentration? (DAMN
> expensive
> stuff compared to a bottle of H2O2, or some dichromate)One little drop of
> H2O2 3% full strength would pop most negs at a 4x6 size. And since you
> have
> no platinum in your solution (once you remove the Na2), you don't need to
> concern yourself with platinum coming out of solution, add several drops.
> Dilute it if needed. And when your done, use the rest to gargle or rinse
> after brushing.
> Perhaps this will get you thinking as well. If you buy 1) 50 lbs bag of
> Potassium Carbonate and 1) 55 lbs bag of Oxalic Acid, How many gallons of
> Potassium Oxalate can you make? .... That's right. 25 gallons. Or about
> 100 liters. 1000 g of Potassium Oxalate cost a recent student of mine
> about
> 39.00 or enough to make about 3 liters or $13.00/l
> The two bags of chemicals only cost $65.00 or .65/l .
> For another hundred dollars I can buy enough supplies (ferrous ammonium
> sulfate) to make 2.5 liters of Ferric Oxalate so 20 drops of ferric is
> only
> .04.
> Palladium is running about 10.80/g right now but Platinum is about 27.00/g
> and Platinic Acid (H2) is about 23.5/g. The way I mix palladium, that is
> costing about 1.35/ml. SO at (20drops/ml) 13 drops = .88 cents/4x6 print.
> The paper cost can be as much as the chemical cost or more. 25 sheets of
> COT
> 320 from Freestyle cost me 135.00. $5.40/sheet Depending on how much paper
> edge you like to see, you might get 6 to 12 prints out of one sheet. Or
> .90/sheet to .45/sheet. There are other sheets that could easily bring
> down
> the cost to .15/sheet.
> Then there is the expertise to make a good print. Now that is priceless!
> Masking with Ruby lith $$$, multiple mask $$$, drafting tape $$$. Test
> prints x ???
> At the risk of saying your time is more valuable than the small amount of
> waste, how about gang printing. Coat a 20x24 piece, lay a bunch of like
> contrast negs together, and print away. To individually go to 4x6 might be
> the most expensive decision that you have suggested. And if not 20x24,
> what
> about 16x20? 12 prints on one sheet. You could use a sheet of ruby lith
> to
> cut 12 openings, precise layout makes for easy cutting saving time and
> yes,
> MONEY! Now go buy yourself that grande latte and get printing!
> All kidding aside, if you are looking for cost cutting techniques with
> platinum printing one should look for good low cost paper, buy bulk when
> possible, and stay away from Na2 as a contrast agent if you are on a
> budget.
> I am glad that I had my Platinic Acid (same as Na2 but substitute H for
> Na)
> for toning. I bought it when platinum was only 10.5g.
> EJ Neilsen
Received on Sat Apr 9 08:41:22 2005