RE: photogravure

The only toxic compound used in gravure is the chromium and that can be
replaced with diazo if one chooses The LD50 on the diazo I use for carbon is
15 gm per kilo. Safer than table salt. By my calculations it would take more
than 100 mls of a 2% sensitizing solution to approach a fatal dose. An
amount unlikely to be accidentally ingested.

Even with chrome I am not sure of safer? How? Unless one is extremely
careless and so much so they should be restricted from fueling their auto at
the gas station, there is little risk.

I daresay we have a whole passle* of gum printers here in jeopardy if you
are correct. Probably a 10 ml dose in the concentrations they use is likely
to be fatal. (*Or is a group of gum printers known as a gooey?)

And I know a nutritionist who won't eat meat because it is toxic. So what
does your master printer know that the rest of us don't?

Would I use this in a high school setting? No. Would I do it in my kitchen?
No.

Cheers.

--Dick Sullivan
The Center for Photographic History and Technology
A tax exempt organization

-----Original M essage-----
From: Jon Lybrook [mailto:jon@terabear.com]
Sent: Tuesday, August 16, 2005 4:48
To: alt-photo-process-l@sask.usask.ca
Subject: Re: photogravure

I know a master printmaker in Denver who is trained in copper gravure,
but refuses to do it due to the toxicity.

 He does work with zinc
though, though mostly for non-photo work, as do a number of printmakers
in the area.

I'd not try either myself since polymer plates are accessible and safer,
but if I were to, I'd seek out hand-on, qualified instruction on the
process and safety precautions involved. Not something to try unless
you're trained and equipped to deal with it or know someone who is who
can guide and oversee you in the correct procedures.

Jon

Silvi Glattauer wrote:
> Osky,
> have you tried using photopolymer plates for photogravure? Much safer on
> the environment!
> Silvi
>
> On 17 Aug 2005, at 3:28 AM, Richard Corbett wrote:
>
> Zinc for gravure? I think not.
>
> Richard
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Fotoalquimia"
> <info@fotoalquimia.com.ar>
> To: <alt-photo-process-l@sask.usask.ca>
> Sent: Tuesday, August 16, 2005 1:50 PM
> Subject: photogravure
>
>
> I need help to sensibilize cooper or zinc to expose with UV
> light, and after
> use it for fotogravure.
>
> Do anybody knows how to do it??
>
> Thanks
>
> Osky
>
>
> ---
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> */Silvi Glattauer
> www.silvi.com.au
> 0417 377 962/*
>
Received on Tue Aug 16 17:31:24 2005