Wet Plate - A Beginner's Experience

[Two23]

Also, in trying to get a cleaner image, I'm now going to focus on the swirly, wispy stuff in and around the image center.
Could this be the way I'm putting my plate into the silver bath? Or the way I'm removing it?

Possibly. I've heard of this on another forum. My Lund tanks have steel hangers and I don't see any swirls.


Kent in SD

[Ari]

A friend called it "developer sweep", but I tray develop. Or I'm unsure of what he meant.

[cuypers1807]

Also, in trying to get a cleaner image, I'm now going to focus on the swirly, wispy stuff in and around the image center.
Could this be the way I'm putting my plate into the silver bath? Or the way I'm removing it?
I have a good tank, and it's new, but the plate lies flush against the dipper. Maybe it's causing micro-eddies when I extract the plate.
Maybe I should add a small piece of acrylic so there's some space between dipper and plate?

Those are development errors. You have to pour the developer on in a slow wave or it will start to dig channels into your plate and cause uneven development. The green at the bottom of the 2nd plate is from not washing the developer entirely off before fixing.

[Ari]

Thanks, much appreciated.
I develop in a tray: place the plate in the tray at the far end of the tray. Pour developer in the bottom of the tray. Tilt the tray so the developer hits the plate quickly and keep tilting the tray during development.
I always use 15s for development (and adjust exposure accordingly), then I pour water on the plate before fixing it.
Thanks to your suggestion, I'll add a tray of water and keep the plate in there for a minute, then I'll fix it.
And next time, I'll slosh the developer over the plate more slowly and gently, not so abruptly as before.

[cuypers1807]

Thanks, much appreciated.
I develop in a tray: place the plate in the tray at the far end of the tray. Pour developer in the bottom of the tray. Tilt the tray so the developer hits the plate quickly and keep tilting the tray during development.
I always use 15s for development (and adjust exposure accordingly),, then I pour water on the plate before fixing it.
Thanks to your suggestion, I'll add a tray of water and keep the plate in there for a minute, then I'll fix it.
And next time, I'll slosh the developer over the plate more slowly and gently, not so abruptly as before.

No problem. You will know all the developer is off the plate when it stops looking slimy. That green is especially awful on portraits. Not a healthy color for skin tones.

[cuypers1807]

You would also probably get less development errors if you developed for longer than 15 sec.

[Ari]

I'm open to experimenting. How much time do you suggest?
Keep in mind, I cannot see the plate developing, so inspection is a no-go.
That's why I've stuck to 15s, to weed out one variable that I cannot see.

[cuypers1807]

I'm open to experimenting. How much time do you suggest?
Keep in mind, I cannot see the plate developing, so inspection is a no-go.
That's why I've stuck to 15s, to weed out one variable that I cannot see.

I am sorry I have read all the pages here. Why can't you see the plates?

[Ari]

My dark box is covered with a red filter, but the reflections prevent me from seeing clearly inside.
I can make out a little, but watching for shadows on a plate during development is not possible.

[Two23]

Can you make some sort of black viewing hood, or dark covering over you head and box top? When I use that box I have the light shing in fr9m the outside.