Prepping to try Zebra Dry Tintypes - safe processing?

[gdi]

I am preparing to try these tintypes soon and I am working through what workflow and would appreciate any advice. And please bear with me - I tend to be overly cautious with regard to safety, and some may see my precautions as overkill, or paranoid even! Mainly, the use of Ammonium Thiocyanate is new to me and I have read warnings and want to play it reasonably safe.

Loading plates - I accidently ordered a single sided 4x5 wet plate holder that arrived with my 10 pack of plates and I am now waiting for dual sided dry plate holder and will send the wet plate holder back (if anyone in the US wants this new unopened holder - I'll sell it at cost and I'll pay shipping to you rather than send it back to Slovenia!). I have a dark space in my basement and I'll load the holders there under a red safe light.

Chemistry prep - I'll use HC-110 at a 1+59 dilution, and I'll add 3 grams of Ammonium Thiocyanate to a 300ml solution. Since my basement space doesn't have any active ventilation, I am a little nervous working with this powdered AT, so I'll add this to the mixed HC-110 outside in the garage. I'll use nitrile gloves and eye protection, of course.

Exposing the Plates - first attempts will likely be outside/landscape on a bright but overcast day. I have a blue gel I can put over an incident meter to help with more accurate exposure metering.

Processing the plates - I will process in 5x7 trays and, again, I am a little worried about the ventilation and will probably set up an Ilford Pop up darkroom outside and maybe add a small ventilation fan. Or would I be good if I use a 3m organic vapor respirator, in the tent without a fan?

It will be a few days before I get the dry plate holder and give it a try, so thanks in advance.

[Alan9940]

You might want to surf over to zebradryplates.com. Lots of technical information is available there.

[gdi]

Thanks Alan - I have been doing a lot of reading there.

[Tin Can]

I use a clean Teflon spatula

and use it for gentle

Lifting

the plates

[Vaughan]

I have used J.Lane glass plates. The most interesting aspect is working out how to dry them: you cannot just hang them like your other large format sheets. Some cheap, commercially available plate drying racks did the job.

[gdi]

I have used one J.Lane glass plates. The most interesting aspect is working out how to dry them: you cannot just hang them like your other large format sheets. Some cheap, commercially available plate drying racks did the job.

I am ahead of that one- I just received a drying rack that I hope will work for the drying.

[jnantz]

there's a few other recipes out there that don't use AT, but they aren't thoroughly tested, un-finicky and working ..
it might just take adding a little ammonia to your fixer that was similar to what was originally done when street photographers made ferrotypes

[gdi]

there's a few other recipes out there that don't use AT, but they aren't thoroughly tested, un-finicky and working ..
it might just take adding a little ammonia to your fixer that was similar to what was originally done when street photographers made ferrotypes

Interesting - would you know where I might get more specifics on preparing the ammonia/fixer?

[jnantz]

the recipe I have ( that is untested by me )
uses 3 oz of ammonia / 26 oz print developer +4 oz sodium thiosulfate (not speed fixer)

not sure how well it works with modern emulsions but it is a starting point at least and you don't need to deal with thiocyanate if you don't want ..
personally I'd just use the HC110 and thiocyanate ... it is tried and tested ..and recommended
if you want to do the other recipe (that I mentioned) I'd just buy some liquid emulsion (or make it yourself ) and do some tests. premade plates are $$$$$. ones you make yourself are less $ and worth testing with ..

[gdi]

the recipe I have ( that is untested by me )
uses 3 oz of ammonia / 26 oz print developer +4 oz sodium thiosulfate (not speed fixer)

not sure how well it works with modern emulsions but it is a starting point at least and you don't need to deal with thiocyanate if you don't want ..
personally I'd just use the HC110 and thiocyanate ... it is tried and tested ..and recommended
if you want to do the other recipe (that I mentioned) I'd just buy some liquid emulsion (or make it yourself ) and do some tests. premade plates are $$$$$. ones you make yourself are less $ and worth testing with ..

Many thanks! I think you are right, I should just go ahead and give the ammonium thiocyanate, I just need to work out a way to get some ventilation.