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Thread: Wet Plate Collodion - Alcohol

  1. #11

    Re: Wet Plate Collodion - Alcohol

    For anyone in Australia who is interested, i got in touch with Ellie from Gold Street Studios who put me onto this stuff that she's been using for years: https://www.chemsupply.com.au/al048-2-5l-p

  2. #12

    Join Date
    Apr 2018
    Posts
    5

    Re: Wet Plate Collodion - Alcohol

    I'm in Australia and was following this thread to find Denatured Alcohol here.
    I think the link above is broken, but searched their site and found this, which I believe is what was linked to: https://www.chemsupply.com.au/absolu...n-uhdpe-bottle

    @guywithacamera - any other tips on where to source chemicals, aluminium plates or other wetplate related bits in Melbourne/Australia?

  3. #13

    Join Date
    Jun 2014
    Posts
    2,084

    Re: Wet Plate Collodion - Alcohol

    FYI, I (and many others) have found that the choice of alcohol is much less critical than what some want to make us believe. I successfully use generic bio-ethanol (around €2 per liter) which is something like 96%. Anything above 96% purity is problematic due to two reasons: fractional distillation is theoretically and practically limited to a purity of 96% because alcohol and water form an azeotrope, meaning that the remaining 4% water cannot be removed by distillation and additional 'drying' must take place, making the product much more expensive. The second problem is that 100% alcohol will not remain 100% due to the hygroscopic nature of ethanol. Simply put: the alcohol will absorb moisture from the air and over time, an opened bottle of 100% ethanol will automatically transform itself to an azeotropic 96/4 ethanol/water mixture. But most importantly, I personally found (and like I said, so did many others) that the small fraction of water isn't a problem for wet plate applications. Any generic 96% denatured alcohol will do just fine, as long as no colorants etc. have been added.

  4. #14

    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Location
    Central TX
    Posts
    580

    Re: Wet Plate Collodion - Alcohol

    I thought the azeotrope was more like 85/15 alcohol/water, but it’s been a very long time since I had to know. I was going to say some dentaurants could be an issue, but the more I think about the less sure I am. I guess I will point out that there are several such mixtures involving toluene, Methanol, etc., and for consistency you might want to get the same kind each time.

  5. #15

    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Posts
    160

    Re: Wet Plate Collodion - Alcohol

    Quote Originally Posted by ghostcount View Post
    People have used this as an alternative. I don't have experience with it as I've only used Everclear but I don't see any reason why it wouldn't work.

    Moda Flame 1 Quart Bio-Ethanol Fireplace Fuel 12 Bottles https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FHLGU3S..._YCQ6xbV1S6N2W

    Apologies for resuscitating an old thread - wasn't able to find confirmation elsewhere. Does anyone have direct experience using this particular bio-ethanol? Just wondering if the bitterant has any adverse effect that people have seen. Thanks.

  6. #16

    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Posts
    160

    Re: Wet Plate Collodion - Alcohol


  7. #17

    Join Date
    Jun 2014
    Posts
    2,084

    Re: Wet Plate Collodion - Alcohol

    I don't use that particular brand but something that is likely equivalent; 95% bio-ethanol. Works fine as far as I can tell.

  8. #18

    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Posts
    160

    Re: Wet Plate Collodion - Alcohol

    Thank you. Much appreciated.

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