How do you process Fiber base or Barite double weight enlarging paper ?

[Gudmundur Ingolfsson]

How do you process Fiber base or Barite double weight enlarging paper for archival permanence? In 1977 the Lustrum Press published two classic books DARKROOM I & II with very valuable information on how photographers processed their ( film & ) prints for greatest archival permanence. Since 1977 chemicals and especially photographic paper have changed dramaticly. I have had a darkroom some 56 years but I am quite confused now. How should we develop, fix, tone and wash so that our prints will last?

[bob carnie]

Google Ilford they have a good article on current procedures with current papers.

[Luis-F-S]

Gudmundur the way Oliver taught us. I still develop, fix, wash & tone like I did 20 years ago. I have Oliver's notes still if you misplaced yours. L

[Ted R]

Yes for me Ilford is the "bible" for darkroom processing, I find much useful information in their technical papers for paper and chemicals http://www.ilfordphoto.com/products/default.asp

[Doremus Scudder]

No reason to be confused, the techniques haven't really changed in all those years. Adequate fixation followed by adequate washing is the key to permanence. That said, there are a number of ways to accomplish these things.

The real difference to processing 50 years ago is the increased availability of rapid fixers and how to use them. With conventional sodium thiosulfate based fixers, total fixing time for fiber-base prints was around 10 minutes (usually divided into two baths) and washing included a hypo-clearing step before a 60-minute wash.

Ammonium thiosulfate rapid fixers allow for faster fixing. A desired side effect of this is that, if you use relatively strong fixer, you can get the fixing times down to about 1 minute. This short fixing time keeps the fixing chemicals from penetrating deep into the base of the paper, which makes washing easier and shorter.

You can check out Ilford's recommendations on this procedure at their website. In short, it entails using their Rapid Fixer or Hypam at the "film" dilution, i.e., 1+4, and a one-minute total fixing time. With a wash-aid (hypo-clear) step, the wash time is reduced significantly.

More traditional fixing and washing regimes use a weaker fixer for longer (I use Ilford Rapid Fix or Hypam at 1+9 dilution for 3 minutes total). This requires a longer wash time, but, especially for larger prints, is easier to manage than the shorter fixing times. Whether you choose to use the shorter regime or the longer one is a personal choice.

Considerations for either method are similar: Fixer capacity cannot be exceeded if optimum permanence is desired. The amount of dissolved silver in a fixing bath used for optimum permanence should not exceed 0.5 g/liter (some say 0.2g/l). This means that fixer capacity is fairly small: about 10 8x10s per liter of fixer if you use one-bath fixing. Therefore, most who process for permanence use a two-bath fixing regime. The first bath does most of the work, leaving the second bath fresh for much longer. The capacity of the fixer can be greatly extended this way (about 35-40 8x10s per liter of first fix). When the capacity of the first fixing bath has been reached, it is discarded and replaced with the second bath. A fresh second bath is mixed. This can be repeated for several cycles before both baths need to be mixed fresh. Kodak says seven times, Ilford less IIRC.

Whatever fixing regime you decide on, if you're interested in permanence, a hypo-clear (wash-aid) step is indispensable.

After that, a thorough wash is needed. Exact time for the wash depends on your work-flow. Toning can help with permanence, especially sulfide-sepia toners, but the slight toning in selenium than many of us use is not as much of a protectant as many would like to believe. It's better to process well and not rely on toners to preserve the print.

Careful workers test their process with tests for residual silver (fixing test) and residual hypo (washing test). For the former, you can use the Kodak ST-1 test or a strong dilution of selenium toner. For the latter, the Kodak HT-2 test is recommended. All these test formulae and the accompanying instructions are easily found on the web. I tested my system to failure once years ago then extrapolated fixer throughput and washing times with a generous safety margin. I routinely test my last print through a batch of fix and washing for both residual silver and hypo as a control.

Hope this helps,

Doremus

[Gudmundur Ingolfsson]

Thanks ! Especially to Doremus Scudder for elaborate discussion on the subject. In 2002 I printed quite some 20x24" prints for an exhibition. Those were printed on Ilford Warmtone FB, fixed in Hypam Fix according to instructions and then toned in Selenium toner mixed with Hypo clearing Agent and washed for an hour in 20 Centigrades. A few of those were exposed to daylight occasionally and were damaged after about three years. When this was taken up with Ilford they stated that Selenium toner had hypo included in the formula and it was crucial to threat the prints with Hypo clearing agent / Galleri Wash Aid after toning followed by an hour of washing. So there are different recommendations.

[Peter Lewin]

Actually that toning process sounds no different from what Fred Picker taught over 30 years ago: tone in selenium bath, move to hypo clearing tray, then wash as you would any newly made print, since the selenium toner contains hypo. Separating the hypo clear step from the toning step has the added virtue that you can reuse the toner pretty much indefinitely, with straining through a filter and the occasional addition of fresh selenium toner when toning times get too long. The hypo clear gets discarded after use.

[ic-racer]

Since 1977 chemicals and especially photographic paper have changed dramaticly.

I'm using essentially the same stuff.

[Gudmundur Ingolfsson]

There are no more Kodak Papers. Kodak Polycontrast used to be a favorit. No Agfa Brovira, no Record Rapid no Portriga. There is still Ilford Gallery , Ilford Multigrade and also Oriental, but those have changed for evironmental reasons . Todays papers are very good but my feeling is that you need to be extra carefull with fixing toning and washing to avoid staining from light ( and fumes ? ).

[interneg]

There are no more Kodak Papers. Kodak Polycontrast used to be a favorit. No Agfa Brovira, no Record Rapid no Portriga. There is still Ilford Gallery , Ilford Multigrade and also Oriental, but those have changed for evironmental reasons . Todays papers are very good but my feeling is that you need to be extra carefull with fixing toning and washing to avoid staining from light ( and fumes ? ).

You always had to be careful with processing paper for archival permanence - it's just that today's manufacturers are far more aware of archival considerations in their instructions.

They changed for environmental reasons in 1990-95 or earlier.

You might want to have a look at Multigrade Classic or Cooltone FB - both are significantly different (and much improved) from MGIV. Art300 (tweaked WT emulsion on Hahnemuhle cotton rag base) is also superb - & tones magnificently.

Adox's version of Agfa Multicontrast paper is excellent too - though I am particularly looking forward to the first of the re-engineered Polywarmtone coming off their coating line (eventually).

Foma's Fomatone papers might also be worth a look too, if the RR/ Portriga vibe is what you're after.