Controling Thiocarbamide Toner

[Ken Lee]

In the Thiocarbamide process, there are 3 basic steps: reduction, washing, and then restoring the image.



In the 3rd step, you control the color balance by varying the proportion of solutions A and B. No problem.. but is there a way to control the basic amount of toning that occurs overall - not the color - or is this basically an "all or nothing" process ?



For example, if you shorten the duration of the first step dramatically, or dilute the first solution, or lower the temperature of the first solution, you will perform less reduction (maybe). Will that result in an image which, when restored via the (3rd) toning stage, is more gray, IE less saturated ?

[Matt Miller]

That's correct, the less bleaching you do, the less color change you'll get.

[Ken Lee]

- Thanks -

[Frank Doering]

Notice also that the toner parts get exhausted at different rates, causing a color drift. You can correct this by adding bits of hydroxide as you go along or by using small quantities of the mixed toner as one shot for each sheet of paper separately.