Wet Plate - A Beginner's Experience

[Two23]

Pretty sure most people know this, but just in case, you can pour the plates and put them in the silver tank in daylight outside the box, then move the whole tank into the box before taking the plate out. Much easier than pouring the plate inside the box.

And working in a box is always more difficult than working in a darkroom.

Yes, I always pour the plate outside the box. Since I only work outdoors what I end up doing is putting down a pretty big piece of cardboard down on the folded down rear seat of my car, and pour the collodion inside my car. I park my car so the wind is blocked. The silver tank is in the box but I just load the plate with the dark box top off.


Kent in SD

[Ari]

When using the box, I set it up for each step. For the silvering step I have the silver tank, holder, and a few paper towels in the box. After pulling the plate out of the tank, wiping the back, and loading it into the holder, I fasten the tank's lid and pull it out of the box. I then put in a tray to catch the developer, the small beaker with developer already in it, and the tray with water. I don't keep things in the box that I won't need.
Kent in SD

Thanks, Kent. I'm quite well-organized, I'll post some pix below.
Essentially, I do everything you do.

Pretty sure most people know this, but just in case, you can pour the plates and put them in the silver tank in daylight outside the box, then move the whole tank into the box before taking the plate out. Much easier than pouring the plate inside the box.

The only things done inside the box are:

1.) Taking the plate out of the silver bath, drying the back, and putting it in the plate holder.

2.) Taking the exposed plate out of the plate holder, developing it, and immersing/rinsing it in water.

Everything else can be done more easily in daylight. And working in a darkbox is always more difficult than working in a darkroom.

Thanks, Mark.
I've been doing that, but today switched in order to fix the problems I'm having.
I put the plate in the silver bath under the safelight, and changed many other things. See below.

[Ari]

After those plates yesterday, I gave it all some thought and decided to change what I'd been doing, since it was leading me nowhere.

• I put some white plastic in the bottom of the dark box and added two more lights. It's better, but still kinda murky.
• I decided to put the plates in the silver tank while under the safelight, which is not what I'd done before.
• I brought a small tray and went with tray development, I suspect I've been having more problems there than anywhere else. Kept to the same 15s for development.
• I left the plate in the silver bath for 4 minutes instead of 3 minutes.
• I increased the fixer concentration to roughly 1:2.5 instead of 1:3.

Here's the result, which is a world away from yesterday, and I now feel like I'm getting somewhere (these are iPhone pix):





Still looking for better blacks in the first photo, but these are a good signpost of progress for me, and I can live with these. I suspect that exposure was the culprit there.
Both taken on 4x5 with projection Petzval.

[Tin Can]

Great!

and very good documentation of changes

Thank you!

[Two23]

I have found it's always two steps forward and one step back. Still like that for me after a year. For developing I'll mention the "tip tray" method. Place tin in the plate, and move it all the way down to one of the ends. Slightly raise that end. Pour your developer into the low end of the tray. Lower the tray flat, and shake it from side to side briskly.


Kent in SD

[Ari]

Wanted to update with scans of the two images above.
They're a lot flatter contrast than the iPhone pix, which were taken of the plates right after washing.
The scans very closely resemble the plates as they look right now.

[Tin Can]

Don't forget honesty never gets you anywhere

Many 'tune' in PS

Honest

[Ari]

I'm sure many do, but it's important to get it right "in camera". Or at least as good as possible.

[Tin Can]

of course Ari

just sayin

I appreciate your honesty

really

I'm sure many do, but it's important to get it right "in camera". Or at least as good as possible.

[Ari]

Thanks, Randy. Mistakes always have something to teach.