Multiple masks for contact printing?

[CreationBear]

I'm gearing up to do some contact printing, and since I like the "white borders" look, a quick search has shown that a lot of you are using tape of some sort (rubylith, silver mylar, etc.) to create a window right on top of your contact frame's glass.

The question I have: since I hope to print different sized negatives (e.g. 4x10, 5x8, 8x8) in addition to "native" 8x10, would each format require its own separate, full-sized replacement glass that fits inside the contact frame? Or, if the original contact frame glass has been masked for the biggest negative (8x10) I'll be working with, could I simply lay a second piece of glass that's been taped for a smaller format on top? (Full disclosure: I already have some 8"x10" panes of anti-glare and museum glass lying around from another project.:))

Any thoughts/alternatives appreciated--I'm suspecting that there might be some diffusion issues that make the edges not quite as tidy, but hopefully y'all will be able to point me in the right direction if that turns out to be the case.

[Vaughn]

First -- which side of glass the mask is on will detemine the sharpness of the line/edge it casts. If on top, there will a slight diffusion...if it matters. And it will if you try to separate the the emulsion of the negative from having direct contact with the paper's emulsion...images can turn to mush without good tight contact...always emulsion-to-emulsion.

Try sheets of rubilith (or black paper) the size of the opening of the contact printing frame with the proper size hole cut out for each negative size. Slip it into the contact printing frame, center the neg in the hole. Little or no taping.

Or separate pieces of glass for semi-permanent rubilith tape/sheets sounds good, too, if you have the space and don't drop the glass! Just test for light-blocking at max exposure times. You might need to bump up to black electrical tape...:cool:

Suggestion -- always sand (or have sanded) the edges of the glass. This prevents cuts if you are handling it a lot -- but also reduces breakage. Sanded edges are much less likely to start a crack along the edges.

A little tiny bit of transparent tape (sticky tape) can hold negs in place on the glass (I'll tape a corner bit of film rabate) and generally the tape is transparent enough not to show up with silver printing...and that area is pure black usually.

[CreationBear]

black electrical tape...:cool:


Ha, in all honesty that seems more my speed...thanks for all the tips.:)

[koraks]

Try sheets of rubilith (or black paper) the size of the opening of the contact printing frame with the proper size hole cut out for each negative size. Slip it into the contact printing frame, center the neg in the hole. Little or no taping.

That's what I do. I keep around a set of rubylith masks in sizes I use most often.
The nice thing about rubylith of course is that the red stuff is actually very thin and laminated onto a much sturdier, clear plastic sheet. You cut away the red stuff where you don't want it, leaving the transparent stuff in place. This makes the mask fairly sturdy and it makes it super easy to position the negative inside the cut-out.
To position/align the paper on top of the negative+mask, I generally draw straight parallel lines, spaced 1cm apart, along all four edges. That way I always get consistent and fairly precise positioning - I just look at my guidelines along the edges.

[CreationBear]

To position/align the paper on top of the negative+mask, I generally draw straight parallel lines, spaced 1cm apart, along all four edges. That way I always get consistent and fairly precise positioning - I just look at my guidelines along the edges.

Excellent, thanks--I'd already started thinking about how to keep everything indexed, especially in a "back loading" frame.

[koraks]

Give it a try, it works really well. And no tape whatsoever is needed in my experience, which eliminates the risk of damage and glue residues.

[Tin Can]

That's why I bought an 8X20 backloader for 7x17

[CreationBear]

Excellent, I'm rolling with a field expedient darkroom for the time being (at least until the market for photos of wet tree bark comes back, as I've been assured it will) so 7x17 is a bit out of reach for now. Otherwise, I'll definitely try to source rubylith sheets that will work well for maybe an 11x14 frame.

[Vaughn]

I stripped some rubilith off a frame last night -- it was set up for 8x10 and I was contacting 5.5x14 negatives (and some 5x7). As long as one has some alcohol or acetone or such to remove left behind glue/stick-em, it's all cool.

I cut the heavier plastic besides the red stuff...otherwise it is just another two surfaces to attract dust! :cool: