Wet Plate Gear for Beginners [Archive] - Large Format Photography Forum

Ari

14-May-2014, 09:20

Hi,

I hope to shoot my first wet plate by the summer, and I need to keep costs to a minimum while still making sure I do not skimp on the essentials.

To that end, I have an extra 4x5 camera that I can ruin, and a few 4x5 holders to convert to 3.25 x 4.25 wet plate use.
Got me a lens and a little darkroom space.
I plan to buy some black aluminum sheets, and have a machinist friend cut them to size for me.
I also plan on buying the complete kit of chemicals from Bostick & Sullivan to keep it simple for now.

What I'm looking for is some hardware, namely, the box and accessories for the silver bath; I was wondering if anyone might know of an inexpensive source for these.
Or can I make my own out of wood or plexi?

Please feel free to add any other suggestions, or experiences, or things to avoid, as anything at this stage will help.

Thanks in advance.

ScottPhotoCo

14-May-2014, 09:43

Ari

14-May-2014, 09:55

Thank you, Tim!

I wanted to attend a workshop nearby, but prices were more than I could afford.
And those that I contacted for one-on-one training were unavailable or too far away to make it practical.

So yes, I will be asking questions. :)

Wayne Aho

14-May-2014, 10:05

KCn is getting harder to buy, my last commercial vendor stopped selling it. I would also recommend John Coffer's manual for wet plate (I think its about $80 now) which also includes videos. I made my own tanks, they don't have to look pretty. I started with the B&S kit, it is very complete, and easy to start with. My other sources for chemistry are Artcraft chemicals and Chemsavers. Some people have used glass vases from Hobby stores for the silver and fixer baths. If you use a darkroom, the silver tank does not need to contained (light tight). Others have used trays. Keep in mind, the B&S kit contains very little silver nitrate, the stuff is costly, so your tank will have to be small. You can get by w/o the Cyanide, and in starting out, you'll have alot of other issues to worry about.

Don't forget your safety glasses, and good luck.
Wayne

Kirk Gittings

14-May-2014, 10:26

You can also by cut plates from B&S.

I converted an old Polaroid pack film holder for WP-works great and I had no other use for it. There is a video on line somewhere. It took just a few minutes.

Mark Sawyer

14-May-2014, 10:50

Forget the KCN, especially at the start. It's quite toxic, expensive, hard to get, and conventional sodium thiosulfate also gives very nice results.

I've shot at least a thousand plates using converted plate holders, and haven't had a drop of silver hit the camera yet. Unless you're deliberately very sloppy, I don't see how it could happen, so don't worry about that too much.

You can make your own boxes from wood and plexiglass. Use 1/4-inch plexiglass and a solvent cement to melt the plexi together. Don't forget you'll also need a dipper and perhaps a tray for developing.

Watch craigslist for a big guillotine paper cutter to cut your own plates, but B&S precuts them for a reasonable price til you find one.

Watch Quinn Jacobson's instructional videos on youtube. But if you can see and do it in person at a workshop or with an experienced wet plate photographer, it would be an immense help.

It's a great process, very repeatable with a very nice workflow once you get past those frustrating early learning phases that come with every new process. Good luck with it!

Ari

14-May-2014, 12:06

Thanks a lot, guys; this stuff is gold!

Mark, after we last spoke, I did check out the videos, they are great, very simple and extremely helpful.
And I'm following your advice to start with metal plates over glass; I have since sourced a cheap place to buy the aluminum, and a cheap place to get it cut, all local-ish.

Kirk, I'll have a look at the conversion video; sounds nice and easy for a beginner.

Wayne, I appreciate the advice and resources, thanks.

Two quick questions:

1. From what I've read, there was a huge war a while back over which fixer to use for wet plate; something that rivalled the great Pyro debates.
Without stirring the pot, can I use off-the-shelf Kodak Kodafix? It does have sodium thiosulfate, and it does state on the bottle "good for film and plates".

2. I'll be making (trying to make) my own holders for now; of what thickness should the aluminum plates be?

Thanks again.

Ari

14-May-2014, 13:11

I've shot at least a thousand plates using converted plate holders, and haven't had a drop of silver hit the camera yet. Unless you're deliberately very sloppy, I don't see how it could happen, so don't worry about that too much.

I know I will mess it up once, that's a given; the other reason for having a dedicated WP camera is that the large brass lens I have won't fit on a Technikardan 45-S!

ghostcount

14-May-2014, 13:17

WRT tanks.

Buy two of these (http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/80150217/#).

Paint the outside of one black for your silver and leave the other one unpainted for fixer (or just tray fix). Make lids using cardboard, masonite or your favorite MacGuyver method.

Then, buy two of these (http://www.amazon.com/Display-Stand-Platters-Dishes-11511/dp/B006KQZX32/ref=pd_sim_hg_4?ie=UTF8&refRID=02X89M0QNJ2DHS261JNE)or something similar (like a book stand).

For holders... modify a graphic 1234 holder. They go for about $10-20 in Ebay.

Ari

14-May-2014, 13:22

Ooh, I like those ideas: cheap, fast and useful.
Thanks, Ghost!

Is there any reason the silver bath is at an angle? Could I not simply use a tray, and cover it with another (larger) tray?

Scott Davis

14-May-2014, 13:22

For black trophy aluminum, you can order sheets cut in ANY size/shape you want from Main Trophy Supply. If you want some weird super tiny size, you may find yourself with a LOT, as you have to buy in full sheets of trophy aluminum (not sure how big the full sheet is off the top of my head, but 3 1/4 x 4 1/4 would net you a LOT to play with - more than 20 I think). If you call up Main Trophy and tell them you're doing wet plate, and they'll understand and hook you up.

ghostcount

14-May-2014, 13:29

Ooh, I like those ideas: cheap, fast and useful.
Thanks, Ghost!

Is there any reason the silver bath is at an angle? Could I not simply use a tray, and cover it with another (larger) tray?

Hey Ari,

Yes on the tray, but the plate must be immersed with a continuous motion to alleviate uneven sensitization. It's not as critical for larger plates but for smaller aluminum plates like 4x5 they tend to float. The angle is to prevent the plate from touching the sides because the collodion is fragile, also it allows you to use minimum silver nitrate to cover the plate surface.

Ari

14-May-2014, 14:24

Thanks for the explanation, Randy; I have to ask even the most obvious questions.

Thanks for the supplier, Scott.

15-May-2014, 10:32

http://www.lundphotographics.com makes nice tanks / hardware too. Not sure if they are in your price range, but it's an option.

goamules

15-May-2014, 11:46

You can do wetplate very cheaply, especially in 4x5. You'll end up shooting quarterplates with that camera, probably, due to how the plates are held in most holders you rig. It's a fine size to learn on, very frugal on chemicals.

...
Please feel free to add any other suggestions, or experiences, or things to avoid, as anything at this stage will help.
....

Rather than asking questions one at a time for each step (you will have about 35 questions for Equipment, Chemicals, Mixing Chemicals, Pouring Chemicals, Developing, Varnishing....etc.) I highly recommend you invest in a quality manual like Quinn Jacobsons or John Coffers. All your questions are there. On the internet, you'll get 5 different answers for each question - it's very confusing for a beginner. With a $70 manual and DVDs (both above have them), and a $200 Speed Graphic and $200 worth of chemicals, you are off and running!

I teach wetplate workshops, and moderate the Collodion.com site and others. I have spent years answering question there, and watching others try to answer them. You will spend months more time, and hundreds of dollars more, by not buying a manual or attending a session with someone good. That's my advice! Since you are an experienced photographer and on this forum, I'd say do the manual. You will be pouring good plates the 2nd or 3nd session. If you try to wing it, you may not get good plates for 20 sessions.

ScottPhotoCo

15-May-2014, 12:07

Ari,

Garrett is right. The Quinn Jacobson book is available as an ebook and includes the videos. Well worth it. Better yet, find someone who can show you the process the first time. It helps so much to be able to see, first-hand, someone doing it. It is a beautiful process.

I have a 4x5 holder that works with plates that I can send you as well as a few 4x5 aluminum plates to get you started if you want.

Tim
www.ScottPhoto.co

Ari

15-May-2014, 13:18

Thanks, Jason; I just heard of Lund yesterday.

Garrett, if I couldn't listen to others' advice, I'd be a poor photographer.
Thanks, I will do what you say, since I've tried to (affordably) get some workshops or tutoring here, but so far I've come up short.
Tim, thank you for the generous offer; I will send you an email today; very much appreciated.

8x10 user

15-May-2014, 16:54

I'm also interested in starting wet plate. How messy is it? Do I need a second dedicated "wet plate camera"? One of my cameras came with a bunch of old 5x7 eastman plate holders. I believe they are for dry plate, but can they be used with wet plates?

Mark Sawyer

15-May-2014, 17:20

It's a little messy at first, but not outrageously so, and as you learn to handle the materials, it gets much cleaner. The dry plate holders will be contaminated by being in contact with the wet collodion and silver solution. That messes up the wood; better to convert a modern metal and plastic holder to a plate holder.

8x10 user

15-May-2014, 17:24

So if I tried to use my current 5x7 field camera then it would probably get messy with Collodion?

Is dry plate any good?

DannL

15-May-2014, 18:34

So if I tried to use my current 5x7 field camera then it would probably get messy with Collodion?

Is dry plate any good?

I watched this video/interview the other day. It gives a general overview of the wet plate process. You may find it useful.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iM2aKze_DAY

With gelatin dry plates, and I believe it goes for collodion dry plates also, the plate is allowed to dry prior to being placed in the plate holder. They are different animals though. If you are interested in gelatin dry plates I think we can guide you toward several sources of info on the subject. One being www.thelightfarm.com and another would be http://www.alternativephotography.com/wp/processes/gelatin-silver/silver-gelatin-dry-plate-process

Under Cameras & Photo on Ebay there are folks selling Wet Plates processing outfits. This may be of interest to some.

BarryS

15-May-2014, 19:16

If you're neat and careful, you can use any view camera you already own for wet plate with minimal damage. That's minimal damage, though, not no damage. I've been using a Kodak 2D for several years with only a few small silver stains on the inside of the back. In general, I think it's nicer having a dedicated wet plate camera. A beater old camera is great for wet plate--you don't really need a ton of movements, so a vintage field or studio camera is good.

I think there's no better book than A Treatise of Photography on Collodion by Waldack and Neff (http://books.google.com/books?id=rY9LAAAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false). It's free and worth reading from cover to cover--and re-reading if you want to understand the process.

ghostcount

15-May-2014, 21:09

....since I've tried to (affordably) get some workshops or tutoring here, but so far I've come up short.

Ari,

Try the guys listed here. Not near Ontario but perhaps they might be made available when you contact them.

https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=209597299223696741035.00049a0ca71132c010427

Ari

16-May-2014, 05:41

Barry, I agree about having a dedicated camera for wet plate; my other 4x5 is well-used, and certainly not a display camera by any means, but I'd still hate to get any WP chemicals on it.
Thank you for the link to the book; it's a fun read, the language is certainly of the era.

Randy, thanks for the link.

goamules

16-May-2014, 14:39

I suggest you visit Collodion.com and the Facebook wetplate groups. You'll get some pretty good ideas of what to do there, but again, then follow ONE manual/mentor, not everyone.

No, you will not stain your 5x7 unless you have a pretty unusual accident, like tripping while carrying a beaker of silver nitrate.... I've shot wetplate, sometimes 2-3 times a week, for YEARS and not gotten one stain on any of my cameras. It's an internet legend. The old cameras stained because of the way their plate holders worked. Converted film holders won't leak silver, though you will stain the inside of the holder!

Dry plates are not done by many people at all, but of course they are good, it was the next step towards film. Mark Osterman teaches workshops. Creating the emulsion is a multiday, multiple step process. Last time I checked, it was like 20 steps over a week or more. Here is his overview: http://www.thelightfarm.com/Map/Books/Osterman/MapTopic.htm
Wetplate is a breeze comparatively. I can get out my chemistry, pour and shoot 5 plates, and have them drying ready for varnish, my dark room cleaned and converted back to our laundry room, in 1.5 hours.

Tim Meisburger

16-May-2014, 18:50

Ari

16-May-2014, 19:23

As I recall, the only wet plate specific item I require is a dip tank to sensitise the plates. Anyone know a link for instructions to make one? Actually, I don't really need those, just the angle to tilt the tank. For the dipper, the modern ones are plastic, but what material did they use in the old days?

I'd like to know the answer as well; from the few photos I've seen, it looks like a steep angle, 75˚ or so.

Hey, I just found this: http://collodion365.blogspot.ca/2011/10/home-made-red-plexiglas-silver-tank.html

I had the local distributer for Mavidon deliver a 325ml bottle of colodion yesterday (4200 baht, or about $140 US), but when it arrived I noticed it was the A10, without ether. I sent it back. Since I planned to use the poe boy formula that doesn't use extra ether I figued I would need the collodion with ether (but really have no idea). So the search continues...

I know jack about collodion right now, but I've seen this on eBay; it may be useful:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Collodion-New-Guy-s-Formula-wet-plate-process-500ml-/271479207343?pt=UK_Photography_DarkroomSupplies_SM&hash=item3f356bf5af

Mark Sawyer

16-May-2014, 19:58

There's no set angle, but about 65 to 75 degrees is good. Just leaning back enough to keep the plate from falling off the front of the dipper and keep the tank from falling over. Yes, you'll need the collodion with a little ether in it for the Poor/Poe/Po' Boy formula. The raw collodion can be stored a long time, but the prepared collodion emulsion only six months or so. I mix smaller batches, about 8 ounces at a time, so it never gets that old.

Tim Meisburger

16-May-2014, 20:41

Mark or Garrett. Can either of you have a look at this link (posted above by Ari) and let me know if it makes sense. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Collodion-New-Guy-s-Formula-wet-plate-process-500ml-/271479207343?pt=UK_Photography_DarkroomSupplies_SM&hash=item3f356bf5af

What would the shelf life be compared to simple collodion?

goamules

17-May-2014, 17:16

I wouldn't buy a salted collodion mix from anyone. Certainly not some random person on Ebay.

Basically, once salted, collodion ripens in a matter of days or a couple weeks. It then begins to age, depending on the salts, turning from yellow, to amber, or red, to dark red. It looses sensitivity and toughness as it ages, and the contrast can increase (some people don't notice this much). At some point, maybe 3-5 months, it is not ideal and should be mixed with a fresh batch. I've used 8 month old collodion, especially if it's been kept in a refrigerator. But when I mix a fresh batch, I'm shocked at how much better it is. Using old collodion is like a frog in a pan of water, slowly heated to boiling - you don't know how bad it is because the change is gradual.

Now I know Mark has good success using very old stuff - but he has explored some innovative techniques.

Mark Sawyer

17-May-2014, 20:11

I don't know much about the New Guy Collodion, Tim. I like the non-cadmium recipes myself. The ebay offer you linked to seemed a bit expensive, but not outrageous. If you can have prepared collodion shipped in, I'd think you could get raw collodion shipped in, though I'm sure you've looked into it already. Then you'd know exactly what you were dealing with.

Tim Meisburger

18-May-2014, 01:27

Thanks Mark. Until this morning I guess I had not looked into it very well. This morning I checked Bostick and Sullivan, and even with shipping costing more than the collodion itself, its much cheaper to ship from the US, so this problem seems solved. With any luck I will be able to get everything together and pour a few plates before I leave for our US trip June 30.

Ari

9-Jun-2014, 10:13

Update:
Just ordered the 4x5 collodion kit from B&S.
I have a plate holder and several aluminum plates, thanks to kind forum members.
I am awaiting delivery of dedicated wet plate 4x5 camera.
I've read Quinn Jacobson's "Chemical Pictures" a few times.
All I need is a silver bath box, which I'll make myself out of PVC or acrylic this week, and a space I can mess up.
Once I get going, I'll hopefully start a new thread for those who would like to keep up, ask questions and give answers.

Thanks to all who have helped me get this far.

ghostcount

9-Jun-2014, 11:05

Ari,

Make sure you wear safety goggles when handling silver nitrate. An inadvertent splash in the eye will cause blindness.

I don't have Quinn's book so I do not know how much detail he has on safety.

Ari

10-Jun-2014, 07:50

Randy, thanks; I have safety goggles and a mask for chemical vapours.
Quinn is very meticulous, more so when it's about safety and the use of chemicals; one reason I appreciated the book.

Mark Sawyer

10-Jun-2014, 09:20

Make sure you wear safety goggles when handling silver nitrate. An inadvertent splash in the eye will cause blindness...

It's not the inadvertent splash that will get you. It's having a bit of silver nitrate on your finger and removing the goggles to rub a minor itch in one of your eyes.

ghostcount

10-Jun-2014, 09:25

That's another way. My concern is in the act of transferring silver nitrate in and out of the bath. Even with a siphon, splashes happen. It doesn't take much.

Mark Sawyer

10-Jun-2014, 10:04

Absolutely. But when pouring, you're very aware of the danger and paying attention. We rub our eyes often, and without thinking about it. I've caught myself a couple of times...

BTW, I'd suggest an airtight lid for the silver tank. I made one for mine, and I can leave the bath in there without any evaporation loss, only pouring it out for annual maintenance or bi-monthly filtering.

Ari

10-Jun-2014, 19:56

dsphotog

10-Jun-2014, 22:02

2 words for you, Ari....
Photo Van.

ghostcount

10-Jun-2014, 22:08

Thanks, guys; I have all the safety gear right now, way before any of the fun stuff arrives.
Fear and inexperience will keep me on my toes.
My problem soon will be where to have a darkroom; believe it or not, the house is in full use, every room has a purpose, and of course, I have to make sure no kids can access anything.
We have no garage, and a small backyard with requisite tool shed, very full already.

If you don't mind the color and size, an Eskimo Quickfish (http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=eskimo+ice+shelter&_osacat=0&clk_rvr_id=640156639663&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.Xeskimo+quickfish&_nkw=eskimo+quickfish&_sacat=0&_from=R40) is hard to beat! It's what I use.

Some videos.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gf723bNYopA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GFX71BmuuY

Ari

10-Jun-2014, 22:20

2 words for you, Ari....
Photo Van.

If you don't mind the color and size, an Eskimo Quickfish (http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=eskimo+ice+shelter&_osacat=0&clk_rvr_id=640156639663&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.Xeskimo+quickfish&_nkw=eskimo+quickfish&_sacat=0&_from=R40) is hard to beat! It's what I use.

Some videos.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gf723bNYopA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GFX71BmuuY

A few years ago, I would have said you were both crazy; now you're just being very helpful.
Thanks :)

SergeiR

11-Jun-2014, 07:38

If you don't mind the color and size, an Eskimo Quickfish (http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=eskimo+ice+shelter&_osacat=0&clk_rvr_id=640156639663&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.Xeskimo+quickfish&_nkw=eskimo+quickfish&_sacat=0&_from=R40) is hard to beat! It's what I use.

Some videos.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gf723bNYopA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GFX71BmuuY

Just mind their fiber rods. Mine got splintered and i took very lovely piece of carbon fiber through finger that took almost a month to get out. Fun it was not.
So my eskimo tent now sits unused in garage since february. I did built portable dark box instead , out of big dog cage (collapsible) and darkening material.

ghostcount

11-Jun-2014, 07:56

Had one broke too; I must admit I wasn't careful in collapsing it that one time and it let me know. Replacement fiber poles are relatively inexpensive (<$15) but if you have to buy one, get two just in case.

Great idea on the dog cage. I wished I still had mine.

Ari

13-Jun-2014, 13:06

I'm actually looking for a van, a beater, doesn't have to actually drive, just be weatherproof. Hopefully, one can be found for $200 or so. This is where living in California would come in handy.
The tent would be good, except for the wintertime, when 40 below is not unheard-of.

In the meantime, I've purchased enough PVC to make two silver bath tanks: one for 4x5, and if I end up seriously getting into WP, and one for 8x10.
Total cost was $30, including cutting the PVC to size and buying a tub of PVC cement.

Tim Meisburger

13-Jun-2014, 15:53

Well, I'm in Fiji now, so could not order my chemicals from the US. I'll go back to Bangkok tomorrow, but leave on my US trip June 30, so not much point in ordering now. I wonder if anyone knows which wet plate chemicals you are allowed to carry on checked luggage on flights, and which you are not? I will buy whatever I can bring back while in the US, and only ship what is necessary.

Unfortunately, when I get back to Bangkok in August I have to leave for here again till mid September, so I probably will not be up and running till then, but at least I am finally making progress....

lukec111

19-Oct-2014, 13:04

I recently bought this on ebay everything looks to ok i have never taking an image with it and was wondering can anyone tell me if this could be used for,collodion wet plates

Mark Sawyer

19-Oct-2014, 13:09

The camera should be fine, but those are dry plate holders. They probably won't hold up very well to wet plates.

lukec111

19-Oct-2014, 13:45

There was a piece of glass in one of these, made me think it was well plate is dry plate a hard process, how old do you think this camera, sorry i am in the wrong topic i am new to this, thank you very much for your help

Tim Meisburger

19-Oct-2014, 15:25

Dry plates were normally bought from a store, just like sheets of film are, and used in exactly the same way. The glass you saw was an old commercial dry plate. They are not really available anymore, so if you want to use them you would have to make your own.

lukec111

20-Oct-2014, 01:24

Would anyone know where i could get some dry plates,?

Ari

20-Oct-2014, 11:52

Google "make dry plates" and you will see some options.

lukec111

20-Oct-2014, 12:07

Cheers

CameraDoctor

20-Oct-2014, 14:04

You should contact : http://www.penumbrafoundation.org/
They are the specialists on Wet plate photography.... Im sure they can point you in the right direction

adelorenzo

20-Oct-2014, 14:54

Since this thread has been resurrected, I'm curious to know: Have you started shooting any wet plate, Ari? I'm a big fan of your style and would love to see what you produce in that medium.

lukec111

20-Oct-2014, 14:56

Me 2

lukec111

26-Oct-2014, 10:34

Does anyone know where i can pick up portrait lens 4.5

Ari

26-Oct-2014, 11:44

Anthony, thank you for your kind words, you posted a killer shot yesterday, btw.
I dreamed of resurrecting this thread myself with some poorly-shot newbie wet plates; I have everything I need to make them.
I have the chemical kit from B&S; I bought beakers and flasks; I have been reading Quinn Jacobson's book front to back for months now.
I have a beater 4x5 camera and several lenses which would probably work well for wet plate; I even have a few aluminum plates and a holder kindly gifted to me by members of this forum.
The only thing I don't have is time. But I am determined to get some plates done by Xmas, so keep watching this space! :)

lukec111

26-Oct-2014, 11:54

I have dry plate holders but i found out through my teacher if I paint the holders with shellac varnish you can then use them for wet plate as it seals the wood, its the same varnish ladies put on their nails. On ebay u can buy the shellac spray can. thought this was a good tip to share

Ari

26-Oct-2014, 15:18

Thank you, Luke, every bit helps.

lukec111

27-Oct-2014, 11:39

Has anyone got any ideas 4 portable darkroom, not too expensive?

axs810

28-Oct-2014, 21:46

lukec111 - Look on amazon for an "ice fishing tent" I have one that works very well for as a portable darkroom. Very easy to set up and use...probably takes me less than 30 sec to set up. Another option is to find a Fujifilm dark box FDB12 and with a sewing mod + extra dark cloth turn it into a portable tent...not as safe as the fishing tent but still works. I ditched my fuji darkbox after buying the fishing tent because the fuji darkbox was so small my face was 5-7inches away when I was pouring dev on the plate etc. The only positive thing was it allowed me to work out of the back of my car and have everything locked up where no one can accidently get to my chemicals.

lukec111

11-Nov-2014, 13:25

Thank you great trip

Ari

8-Jan-2015, 12:02

Another question: the last item on my list is a drying rack.
I'll start off shooting 4x5 Alumitypes, then as (if) things progress, I'll move up a size to Whole Plate.
Would the dish rack below be suitable for drying Alumitypes?
It's made of galvanized steel, just a ho-hum Ikea dish rack.

Thank you.

127744

Ari

8-Jan-2015, 12:34

Found my answer on the WP forum; thanks, Scott.
The rack is safe to use with WP chemicals, no contamination.

ScottPhotoCo

11-Jan-2015, 00:48

I use the old IKEA wood drying rack for WP drying. Never had an issue. The again I've never used it for drying kitchen plates after shooting WP. :)

Tim
www.ScottPhoto.co

Kathryn

12-Jan-2015, 19:47

This plate holder changed my life...

http://www.firere.us/moon/3plate-4.jpg

Ari

12-Jan-2015, 19:53

I use the old IKEA wood drying rack for WP drying. Never had an issue. The again I've never used it for drying kitchen plates after shooting WP. :)

Tim
www.ScottPhoto.co

Tim, I looked but they only have the metal rack now. Still, a lot cheaper than buying a rack from one of the WP suppliers.

This plate holder changed my life...

http://www.firere.us/moon/3plate-4.jpg

Nice! Looks eminently usable, in a good minimalist way. Where can we get one?

Kathryn

12-Jan-2015, 19:55

I never could use the dish drying style racks without scratching a plate or having it fall through the gaps. Not a budget to buy a custom wooden rack, so one day when walking through IKEA, I saw the plate holders and voila! it's a great fit. Now, to varnish all of the plates I have stacked up on them...I hate varnishing. :-)

Ari

12-Jan-2015, 19:58

Tim Meisburger

12-Jan-2015, 21:36

On the plate rack thing, if any of you have an even moderately handy friend with a table saw, making one would be very simple.

Ari

28-Jan-2015, 11:58

I shot my first wet plate this morning:

http://i1367.photobucket.com/albums/r790/Ari4000/WP_zps0299787f.jpg (http://s1367.photobucket.com/user/Ari4000/media/WP_zps0299787f.jpg.html)

I obviously need a lot more work to get where I want to be, but the first attempt was encouraging.
I mixed up the B&S kit yesterday, and iodized the silver bath overnight.
The procedure was straightforward, but my technique needs practice, and I have to troubleshoot the chemicals (I think).
It was a pretty fast process, I shot two plates in about 15 minutes (the second one was a disaster :)).

Now the real work begins.

ghostcount

28-Jan-2015, 12:23

Congratulations Ari!!!

Wonderful first plate.

Ari

28-Jan-2015, 12:25

Thank you very much, Randy.
I'd like to know where you think I should start troubleshooting, if it's not too much trouble to ask.
I would like to get as clean a plate as possible.

ghostcount

28-Jan-2015, 12:36

Thank you very much, Randy.
I'd like to know where you think I should start troubleshooting, if it's not too much trouble to ask.
I would like to get as clean a plate as possible.

Make sure you wipe clean your holder and trays after every shoot. Dirty holder causes "oysters", the contamination you see on the edge of your plate. (Very important)

Tray develop for now 'til you get comfortable then try hand developing.

Develop with consistent time and adjust your exposure.

Try to avoid dust settling on the plate when pouring collodion, causes "comets" (un-avoidable but can be minimize by coating in a less dusty area)

I think you'll get the hang of it and eventually develop your own methods.

Keep shooting!

Ari

28-Jan-2015, 13:00

Thank you very much, Randy!
I did develop by hand, I'll use a tray next time.
I didn't think the holder was dirty, but the proof is in the pudding. It was my first time using it.

I did all the chemical processes in a small bathroom with a ceiling vent, but the smell of collodion, developer and fixer managed to go through the house.
If it weren't so cold outside, I'd do it there.

Thanks again, Randy, I'll post with any more plates.

ghostcount

28-Jan-2015, 13:18

Invest on an Eskimo Quickfish 3 or Fatfish. Kept my wife from complaining.:rolleyes:

Ari

28-Jan-2015, 14:01

Already started looking; though up here, I'm more likely to go ice-fishing in it. :)

Joe Smigiel

28-Jan-2015, 14:14

What kind of holder are you using? If you can minimize contact between the plate and the holder, you'll also minimize chances for oysters to form.

Ari

28-Jan-2015, 14:19

Hi Joe,
I'm using a converted Graphic film pack adapter.
I have a whole plate holder on its way from Lund, but I'm going to work through 4x5 first to get the hang of everything.
If the holder is the sole cause of the oysters, I can live with them a little longer while I get through the learning curve.
Thanks!

Ari

29-Jan-2015, 13:11

More from this morning; exposure times were tough on me today.
The plates are much darker than they appear here.

Warts and all:

http://i1367.photobucket.com/albums/r790/Ari4000/WP5_zps001d29f7.jpg (http://s1367.photobucket.com/user/Ari4000/media/WP5_zps001d29f7.jpg.html)
http://i1367.photobucket.com/albums/r790/Ari4000/WP3_zps81759e38.jpg (http://s1367.photobucket.com/user/Ari4000/media/WP3_zps81759e38.jpg.html)
http://i1367.photobucket.com/albums/r790/Ari4000/WP4_zpsf49b60b2.jpg (http://s1367.photobucket.com/user/Ari4000/media/WP4_zpsf49b60b2.jpg.html)

Ari

30-Jan-2015, 12:51

Just got a delivery today, a modified wet plate holder and some aluminum plates.
I bought a used 8x10 holder from a forum member, and had the modification done at Lund Photographic; I asked them to make the holder for whole plate size (6.5" x 8.5")
While that was being done, I also ordered some more plates: 4x5 and whole plate size.

http://i1367.photobucket.com/albums/r790/Ari4000/P1030295_zps4aff97b6.jpg (http://s1367.photobucket.com/user/Ari4000/media/P1030295_zps4aff97b6.jpg.html)
http://i1367.photobucket.com/albums/r790/Ari4000/P1030296_zpsa9d6fe06.jpg (http://s1367.photobucket.com/user/Ari4000/media/P1030296_zpsa9d6fe06.jpg.html)
http://i1367.photobucket.com/albums/r790/Ari4000/P1030297_zps00778476.jpg (http://s1367.photobucket.com/user/Ari4000/media/P1030297_zps00778476.jpg.html)

The holder modification looks like a first-rate job, and I'm excited to try a slightly larger format. I'll go through a few more 4x5s before attempting the whole plate size.

David at Lund Photographic was very friendly, knowledgeable and helpful; they also packed up the stuff amazingly well, and prices and shipping costs were very good.
I haven't tried out the holder yet, but my experience with Lund so far has been nothing but positive.

Ari

5-Feb-2015, 14:39

This exposure thing is what's going to be a problem.
I shot two plates today, first was almost black, the second was what you see, but darker than how it looks here (tweaked levels in PS).

http://i1367.photobucket.com/albums/r790/Ari4000/WP5_zps3fe8f407.jpg (http://s1367.photobucket.com/user/Ari4000/media/WP5_zps3fe8f407.jpg.html)

I took a reading of 6s at f5 at ISO 1. I shot it at 10s, and it was quite dark.

Btw, this is a whole plate wet plate, my first in this format; much easier to work with than 4x5, I find.
I poured the collodion perfectly, didn't spill a drop.
I think I left it too long to develop as there some veiling, which I have since cleaned off (mostly) with water.

jkober@mac.com

6-Apr-2015, 09:42

Ari,

You can make your own silver bath with plexi and a dark box.

The kit from B&S is great but their fixer is not the best. You should wash the plates for at least an hour or more if you use their fixer. Look up KCN. It fixes quickly, the tones are great and you don't have to wash nearly as long.

Feel free to email or PM me if I can be of assistance. :)

Tim
www.ScottPhoto.co

Dear Tim,
I came across your post here and was hoping you could direct me to where I might find some KCn. The big chemical companies will not send it to me, as I am not a mining concern. Any suggestions?
Thanks.
My email: jkober@mac.com
Peace

Jeff Kober