In a message dated 19/02/2006 21:16:28 GMT Standard Time, written_by@msn.com
writes:
Actually, dichromates were used by woodworkers for staining wood and in some
cases, as a preservative. Quite popular back in the day.
Bob
I can buy cheap dichromates in 5 kilo drums and and turpentine in 5 litre
cans at the flooring company round the corner. They also sell cheap oxalic
acid.
One Il laboratorio member tells me that when he was an apprentice cabinet
maker, they used to put oxalic acid in each other's tea as a joke. Oxalic acid
is used for bringing out the grain.
People can be very silly about chemicals. They can be over-protective,
banning cyanotypes as the chemical contain a 'cyanide' or irresponsible, like the
apprentices.
Colldion and daguerreotypes can kill just as some standard toners, such as
selenium, have killed personal friends through normal use. Hardeners, often
recommended here, are both dangerous and quite unnecessary. I never have
chemicals around that can kill you quickly. I would never use potassium cyanide as
a fixer. It says on the ether bottle a constituent of collodion, that it
'causes irreversible damage to vital organs' !
Make sure that you know what you are doing and and have all the appropriate
OFFICIAL safety advice available. Treat all chemicals with respect.
Safety officers are often ignorant, I know of a college where they tried to
ban oxides in the ceramics department.
Water, a chemical, can kill !
Terry
Terry King FRPS
RPS Historical Group (Chairman)
_www.hands-on-pictures.com/_ (http://www.hands-on-pictures.com/)
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1. An excellent thing is as rare as it is difficult.(Spinoza)
2. A man's reach should be beyond his grasp or what's a heaven
for.(Browning)
3. Frustra fit per plura quod potest fieri per pauciora.(Occam's razor or
'Keep it simple!').
4. Nullius in Verba (Horace), 'Take no man's word for it' (motto of the
Royal Society).
5. If ignorance is bliss, why are not more people happy ? (anon)
Received on Sun Feb 19 17:31:58 2006
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