Re: Pictorico in a Vacuum Frame

Hi,

Can you explain what drawdown time is? Is it the vacum time? I seem
to have similar problems even with Image setter negatives.

Also, I've been using the Printight KM73 plates and have recently
found that there are misterious dots on the plates after exposure,
but they do not print.
Any hints on this?

Silvi

Silvi Glattauer
www.silvi.com.au
0417 377 962

On 28/02/2006, at 5:24 AM, Jon Lybrook wrote:

> Hi Jan,
>
> I didn't see my reply show up, so I'm sending it again!
>
> We're in Colorado, so the RH is pretty dry, though I haven't done a
> reading in a while. My lab is in my basement, however, which has a
> little added humidity to it.
>
> I think the anti-static stuff may be more of an issue because it
> picks up too much baby powder, rather than the micro-coating on the
> anti-static rag being a problem.
>
> Next time I'll try just using a hake brush to distribute and
> disburse the baby powder and keep drawdown time to a minimum for
> the Pictorico exposure and will let you know how it goes.
>
> Jon
>
> jpptprnt1@verizon.net wrote:
>
>> Jon
>> Are you still using the anti stat thing
>> ??? how damp is your work space (RH)
>> Jan
>> From: Jon Lybrook <jon@terabear.com>
>> Date: Sun Feb 26 20:51:29 CST 2006
>> To: alt-photo-process-l@usask.ca
>> Subject: Re: Pictorico in a Vacuum Frame
>> Hi Jan,
>> Thanks for the idea, but a minute of warm air from a hairdryer
>> over both the plate and the Pictorico didn't seem to change
>> things. Should I have done something differently?
>> Baby powder, in one thin coating, and minimal drawdown times,
>> seems to be working the best, though it adds some steps to the
>> process (powdering, powder reduction, and vacuum frame cleanup
>> afterwards).
>> Regards,
>> Jon
>> jpptprnt1@verizon.net wrote:
>>
>>> Jon.
>>>
>>> Try this
>>>
>>> 1. Try drying the Pictrico with warm air
>>>
>>> 2. Hit the plate with warm air
>>>
>>> 3. Do not use the Anti Stat thing they have some sort of resido
>>> on them like anti stat bags for computer part I think it may be
>>> transfering
>>>
>>> Jan Pietrzak
>>>
>>>
>>> From: Jon Lybrook <jon@terabear.com>
>>> Date: Fri Feb 24 18:31:50 CST 2006
>>> To: alt-photo-process-l@usask.ca
>>> Subject: Re: Pictorico in a Vacuum Frame
>>>
>>> Hi All,
>>>
>>> I think baby powder, along with some modifications to my
>>> procedure, worked.
>>>
>>> There's definitely an issue with the way Pictorico makes contact
>>> with mylar-protected poly plates, such as the KM73. Both are
>>> somewhat tacky (once the mylar is removed from the plate). The
>>> longer the drawdown, the more newton rings appear around the
>>> peripheral of the plate, encroaching toward the center, like
>>> leprosy. This does not occur with imagesetter film, only the
>>> Pictorico.
>>>
>>> The solution for me seems to be to only apply baby powder to the
>>> plate after exposing the aquatint screen. I follow Jan P's
>>> advice from 2 years ago on how to apply the baby powder: Dust
>>> the plate, tap it off one end, then the other, dust off with a
>>> hake brush using crosshatch strokes. I then do a final wipe with
>>> an anti-static cloth to remove even more, then make sure there's
>>> no pattern in the powder remaining on the plate, as much as
>>> possible, before exposing the transparency. I also keep drawdown
>>> time to a minimum in both cases - just enough to let all the air
>>> evacuate the vacuum frame and ensure good contact has been
>>> established. I may be more liberal with the drawdown time in the
>>> future, but for now, less is definitely more.
>>>
>>> Cheers,
>>> Jon
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Jon Lybrook wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>> Jeremy Moore wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> Jon, how long are you waiting and letting the ink cure before
>>>>> printing? The ink may still be wet in patches and the vacuum
>>>>> frame is pulling the ink off.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Hi Jeremy,
>>>>
>>>> Thanks for responding. The ink had been dry for well over 24
>>>> hours. Also, the pattern of patches was random from plate to
>>>> plate and there was no sign of damage to the transparency.
>>>>
>>>> Jon
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>
>
Received on Tue Feb 28 13:54:50 2006