Collodion - Wet Plate Images

[basiltahan]

I hope it is OK to post this question here.

If I am working in a darkroom, is it ok to sensitize (silver bath) plates flat in a tray rather than a traditional, vertical position? Advantages / disadvantages?

Also, using the lift and flood method (tilt tray, place plate, lower tray) for development in a tray, any disadvantages over the pouring method?

Thanks.

[photojeff3200]

Yes you can but you have to push the plate down quickly in the silver. The problem with this method is, as the silver flows over the plate you may get silver lines that form as the silver halts momentarily over the collodion. I use the flood method because I shoot 12x12 and 12x20 glass plates and can't afford the vertical tanks. I fashioned my own "tip tank" and it works just as good as a vertical one. Basically its a plexiglass rectangle tray with 2 inch walls and a bottom and it's about two inches wider than my 12x20 plate. The difference is, I glued a 4 inch piece of plexiglass on top of the box so I can stand it up on it's side and the silver pools down in the reservoir. I place the plate on the bottom of the tank and as I lower the tank it gives a nice swift flow of silver. I've never had hesitation marks doing this. I then cover the tip tank with a cardboard cover. Hope this helps, and made sense. Jeff

I hope it is OK to post this question here.

If I am working in a darkroom, is it ok to sensitize (silver bath) plates flat in a tray rather than a traditional, vertical position? Advantages / disadvantages?

Also, using the lift and flood method (tilt tray, place plate, lower tray) for development in a tray, any disadvantages over the pouring method?

Thanks.

[basiltahan]

Thank you Jeff. This is helpful. I would be using photographic trays and the tilt method you describe.

Do you leave your silver in the tray permanently or pour it back into storage bottles each session? If the later, how do you best avoid contamination? Wash tray with distilled water, before and after use?

Do you reuse the developer after tray development?

[nede]

8x10 ambrotype
(on my grand father's 57 years old glass)
A lot of fun doing all the needed stuffs
feel free to watch the BTS video:

[koraks]

How awesome is that! Loved the video and the photo. Will you be at the European Collodion meet up this Sunday?

[nede]

thank you koraks! No I have a weekend off, away from chemistry

[AlexGard]

Are you going Koraks>?

[RSalles]

Amazing! Thanks for sharing,

Cheers,

Renato

[koraks]

Yes, I'm planning to attend together with a local friend. It's basically around the corner for us anyway!

[photojeff3200]

Thanks for making the video! I love watching the work flow of other wet platers. You run you glass cutter through a bar of soap!? Brilliant, I'm doing that.