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Thread: KORONA 11x14 " ULF / Alan Brubaker refurbished

  1. #21

    Join Date
    Aug 2019
    Posts
    25

    Re: KORONA 11x14 " ULF / Alan Brubaker refurbished

    Quote Originally Posted by angusparker View Post
    Where are you located? Maybe you are close to a member with ULF experience
    I made my LF wet plate workshop with some nice glass plates. in and outdoor images. The chemicals are soon complete i just need to cut the glass sheets and build a silver bath container... then i'm set and ready to rumble 4x5" and 13x18cm plate sizes so far... the 11x14" needs to wait a bit until i'm comfortable with the liquids

    I am in zurich switzerland


  2. #22

    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    AZ
    Posts
    4,431

    Re: KORONA 11x14 " ULF / Alan Brubaker refurbished

    The fastest way to learn wetplate is under the instruction of an experienced person. I mean live, not on the internet. But it's not hard.

    Cost is the biggest reason I would shoot wetplate over dry plates. I can shoot small plates for just a few cents, making everything myself. If I added up the cost of the hundreds of quarterplate through ULF photos I shot over the years, it was much cheaper doing collodion than buying film or dry plates. I can shoot any time, and when I run low on any of the 3 main liquid chemistry, I just mix some more and keep shooting.

  3. #23

    Join Date
    Aug 2019
    Posts
    25

    Re: KORONA 11x14 " ULF / Alan Brubaker refurbished

    Quote Originally Posted by basiltahan View Post
    Farid,

    I'll have a bit of a different take on the size of a wetplate. I don't find large plate particularly more difficult than small plates. I shoot plates from 4x5 up to 11x14 on a very regular basis.

    The best reason to start small is to get everything worked out chemically and logistically.

    1) You need to get to the point where your silver bath, collodion recipe and developer recipe are making clean plates. Record everything you do carefully. There will be lots of tweeking.
    2) You can put small plates into a big tank, but not visa versa (obviously). If you are committed, buy a tank that you can use for your 11x14 plates. The silver will be expensive, but if cared for, lasts for a very long time. Your tank will last for a long time, don't skimp. Get a good one from a reputable supplier. Leaky tanks suck and are expensive in loss of silver and dangerous.
    3) Find someone who is willing to let you watch them make plates and ask questions. Pay them. It will be pay for itself in unwasted supplies.
    4) Take a workshop. Firsthand knowledge and the ability to ask questions goes a long way. I teach people hot to make wetplates and keep in touch with all my students.
    5) Pouring collodion and developer take practice, but get easier with every pour. Use drinkable yogurt, practice on clean glass. You can still eat the yogurt!
    6) Be safe. Good ventilation is critical. Both for storage (never store collodion in the fridge or a tightly closed cabinet, ether fumes are explosive and need to be ventilated).
    7) Making your own solutions from powdered chemistry should be done with protection (eyes, mouth, hands). Buy ready made solutions if you are not prepared to be working as a chemist should.
    8) Ask questions here. The resources of this forum are extensive, and people here are so kind and helpful.
    HI Basil, i missed your comment... thanks a lot for your help

    meanwhile i 've done my Wet plate workshop and got some very nice first glass plates at home.

    The chemicals are all here and also a magnetic stirrer, laboratory glasses density-meters only the pH meter is missing. but the rest is set. I've just made my own silver-nitrate bath container out of glass and will continue tomorrow getting the wood around it.
    i am also restoring another wooden camera 13x18cm . the bellow is being fixed next

    so i have at least two sizes of plates to start with .

    smiles
    farid

  4. #24

    Join Date
    Aug 2019
    Posts
    25

    Re: KORONA 11x14 " ULF / Alan Brubaker refurbished

    Garrett, thats whats good with the wet plate . i also got all salts and liquids here now and have my book recipies and cameras. glass stored in the basement ready to be cut in ans sizes... (collected from old picture frames people dont want anymore or big broken chunks of frames all 2mm .

    but of course i will also need to contact the local glass manufacture company soon ...black glass would be the goal.

    regards
    farid

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