Re: Dag Questions Comments

Frankly, no one should be attemptingthe daguerreotype process (mercury
development) unless they understand the dangers inherent in this process and
know how to protect themselves from them.
Mercury vapor and bromine vapor are both extremely dangerous.

As far as silver plating is concerned, the standard method uses potassium
cyanide. Ingesting or
absorbing even minute quantities of this chemical can lead to death. It is
far safer to purchase
plates than to try to do it yourself. If you do decide to try silver
plating, utmost caution must be used. Also, when plating silver there is a
danger of inadvertently producing fulminate of silver which
is an extremely unstable explosive.

Fair warning.

Bob Schramm
Check out my web page at:

  http://www.SchrammStudio.com

>From: Jonathan Danforth <jonathan@danforthsource.com>
>Reply-To: alt-photo-process-l@usask.ca
>To: alt-photo-process-l@usask.ca
>Subject: Re: Dag Questions
>Date: Mon, 14 Aug 2006 01:07:11 -0400
>
>Thanks for the compliments, Brad.
>
>To answer your question, dags aren't exactly very frustrating but you have
>to pay attention to every step of the process or you'll mess something up.
>Just like with film, it's not a challenge to get an image but it is a
>challenge to get a *good* image.
>
>I've also heard from a couple of other dagists that you want to avoid
>cyanide-bath plating solutions. I have no idea as to the reasoning behind
>the statement, however.
>
>You probably know better than the rest of us but I'd double check the 'ole
>textbook to make sure that the Hg won't react with whatever vessel you
>build for it. I know very little about Hg and its properties. At the very
>least, memorize the MSDS!
>
>-J
>
>
>Bradley Lewis wrote:
>>WOW, thanks for all the info. You guys have really answered my questions!
>>From everything I'm hearing, I think I have to go the mercury development
>>route. I am thinking of having an iron box welded together for the
>>development. Of course, if I do use mercury development, I'll also have
>>to sensitize with bromine, which creeps me out almost as much as the
>>mercury.
>>It also seems pretty consistent that the plates need to be around 0.3 to
>>0.5 mils. I had no idea that I shouldn't use an electroplating solution
>>with brighteners. I had been saving up some used solution that I was
>>planning on refreshing and using at home, but it has brighteners, so I'll
>>probably just make up a cyanide plating solution.
>>
>>Just how much frustration should I be expecting?
>>
>>
>>BTW-Jonathan, I checked out your page a few months ago, but you've added
>>some new dags in your gallery. I really LOVE your dag of the Eiffel
>>Tower!!! "How did he hold the camera still enough to take a dag?
>>AAAhhhhhhhhhh!!!!" Nice!
>>
>>Thanks everyone for your help. Have a fantastic weekend!
>>
>>Brad
>>
>>
>>
>
>
>--
>http://photographs.danforthsource.com
>
Received on 08/19/06-07:45:57 PM Z