Re: was price of pt/pd printing - CLEARING

Christina Z. Anderson wrote:
> ...
> My exposures are 5 minutes, UVBL, and I use ammonium citrate developer,
> and a clear of a heaping TB citric and EDTA-di per liter. I use a
> totally colorized neg, with a "manufactured" border in Photoshop of
> solid color. I have not tried a black ink only border...
> Light box is not getting hot. The grey is very faint, almost
> imperceptible. If it is a clearing problem, is my clear of choice not
> good? How many prints, for instance, do you all get from a liter of
> clear? I've done 16 4x6's in a gallon, 3 trays 5 min each, dump the
> first when it gets yellowed, and now dumped the whole gallon.
> You know, I bet I could test the clear issue if I put the print outside
> in bright sun, would it expose and darken? Or could I reclear the prints
> at this stage after they have been done a week? ...

Please read the information in my e-guide, clearing study in Chapter
15b, the tests in chapter 14, and the section on Clearing in Chapter 9.

Sandy is also correct that an old developer can contribute to the
problem. This is demonstrated in my clearing study.

The 2nd part of the clearing test uses an indicator to help detect low
level residuals.

I have found that it is likely that no amount of clearing effort will
work successfully after a print has been dried.

My advice would be to re-think your clearing strategy and utilize the
clearing method suggested in my e-guide (see the Clearing Study and
Chapter 9, Clearing). This involves additives to the sensitizer
solution and keeping a check on your developer. Look at my clearing
study; I have cleared some papers in plain water.

Also you should first rule out fogging. See the Fogging Test. I still
have doubts about the "manufactured" border consisting of ink. Do the test.

-- 
Jeffrey D. Mathias
http://home.att.net/~jeffrey.d.mathias/