Long time, no hear.
Long time, no hear.
Wilhelm (Sarasota)
I'm right here Bill!
The photography business was a real bust in the first year but provided a nice chunk of income (tax refund)!
I completely gave up on Rocklands "tintype" process 'cause it don't work 90% of the time but I worked up a "fake tintype" using their Ag Plus that looks REALLY nice and is 100% reliable. I have also got into wet plate collodion and have been doing Ambrotypes that look really nice and are 100% authentic to the time period I work with. I just need to get a darkbox built so I can take the Ambrotypes on the road.
Photography has kind of taken a backseat this winter though. In a moment of insanity I decided in Januray to return to competitive figure skating at the ripe old age of 56 after 36 years away and have since become a "grey rink rat" skating 3 days a week. With spring on our doorstep and the "Cowboy Action Shooting" starting up again the historic photography is starting to pick up again. Had my first client of the year on Sunday and need to get my a@@ in the darkroom and do his tintypes - oughtta be a nice one - three generations of the family all in 1880's garb - should be good for 3 or 4 plate sales.
Nice to know I still got "a reputation" here - LOL!!!
Calamity Jane, could you shed some light on your 'fake tintype' process using AG Plus for me? I ordered their tintype kit before Christmas and I had real trouble spreading the emulsion evenly on the plates. It was so bad that I wasted all of the emulsion they sent me without coating even one plate properly. Needless to say I didn't even have a single plate that I could use. So if you have a better way I'd love to hear about it.
Thanks,
Tom
Calam! Great to hear from you. Happy summer.
~cj
What's your next project? I lost the web site address - what a reading!
My website: http://www.geocities.com/diannebest/
Ok, here's my trade secrets for Ag Plus and "fake tintypes" - don't you dare tell anybody ;-)
I make my plates from steel "shim stock", cleaned, primed, and painted black. When the black is dry, I hand-paint an oval area with white paint. Don't do too good a job - you want it to look "original".
I use the tempering bath to keep a little dish of Ag Plus and the large bottle at 115 degrees and I apply Ag Plus with a soft paintbrush.
I made a galvanized plate just a little bigger than the tintype plates and I clip the tintype to this plate. Soldered on the back of the galvanized plate is a coil of copper tube connected to my hot and cold water lines.
When I am ready to coat a plate, I turn on the hot water and wait until the plate is uncomfortably hot to the touch. I then spead the Ag Plus over the white area and shake the plate gently to even out the coating, tilting if necessary to run it to any low spot. When the coating is as uniform as possible, I switch the hot water off and the cold water on and keep the plate level as it cools.
The tintype then gets moved to a wooden "drying rack" where it is held horizontal in a light-tight cabinet with forced air circulation and allowed to dry thoroughly.
Meanwhile, go out and shoot your subject on B&W film, process the film normally, and dry.
I expose the fake tintype in my Dichro 45 and wide-open f stop - time will vary depending on how much UV your enlarger throws - and develop in dilute Dektol.
The end result looks for all the world like a real tintype but the image is bright and sharp like it was printed on paper. "An expert" will quickly pick up that it is fake but not your average Joe.
Oh my gawd, what have I done!!?? I have just given away all my secrets!
"An expert" will quickly pick up that it is fake . . . ""
Both of them?
Brian Ellis
Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you do criticize them you'll be
a mile away and you'll have their shoes.
Thanks Jane! Don't worry I won't reveal you secret to anyone
Ain't nuthin fake about THEM Brian!
Calamity,
I am sure you will continue to be active, but on behalf of all of us:
Thank you for your contributions to the photographic community.
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