Re: Dag Questions Comments

As far as I know, nobody has tried the solution-phase method that you
describe. Let us know what happens!

-J

BRADLEY ALAN LEWIS wrote:
> Good advice, Bob. I know the dangers associated with mercury as well as bromine
> and iodine, and am proceeding nonetheless! As far as the silver plating goes,
> I have electroplated far more silver than I care to remember, sadly. But that
> is for a very different application with way different requirements than the
> Dag plates.
>
> I'm actually building my own mercury development box and am taking a lot of time
> making sure that it is as sealed up as possible to eliminate any chance of
> accidental leakage of Hg. I plan to keep the box in a large tupperware-like
> container when not in use.
>
> One thing I have been wondering about for a while, re the iodine/bromine
> sensitization: Has anyone ever attempted to sensitize the plates via a solution
> phase rather than a vapor phase method? A dilute solution of the halogens in
> methyl alcohol, or in a bromide or iodide salt solution in water might be a
> more controllable way to do it, especially since the concentration would always
> be known.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Brad
>
>
> Robert W. Schramm wrote:
>
>> 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
>>
>>
>>
>
>
>
>

-- 
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