Carbon printing ?

SadowskiPL · May 2, 2016

Hello again

I got a nice job (working in Home), and have finally time and funds for a photography in the way that I like.
And I want go into Carbon printing with digital negatives. (of course I will not ask here about making them because I already know )

Later I will make a UV-A 390-395nm LED exposure unit with 60x50cm Vacuum frame.

I see there are 2 types of making carbon tissue.
Magnets and coating rods.
What rod is here showed?

I will Use YUPO paper for making tissue and final transfer.
But I want also to use Black anodized aluminium plates

Winsor&Newton Black india Ink will be ok?
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Winsor-New..._UL160_SR160,160_&refRID=4VEDFT7K7V196JNCCG0R

Vaughn · May 3, 2016

More than two ways! But he is using a threaded rod. The warm rod is dragged (not rolled) over the paper and the pigmented gelatin ('glop') is spread at a set height depending on the size of the rod (actually the depth of the threading on the rod). Very consistant...and probably best if one transfers multiple layes (as in color work). But I do not believe one can get as thick of a layer of glop compared to pouring using the magnetic strips.

I go about it about the same way, using fixed out x-ray film instead of Yupo. I pour 120ml onto a 9"x11" piece and just let it flow over and coat the film...using my finger tips to encouarage the glop to spread over the whole surface. I pour up to 14"x17" tissues this way (a 14x17 tissue uses about 290ml of glop). The image below is of me just finishing a pour at a workshop demo.

I do not think that ink is proper -- the shellac might give you problems.

SadowskiPL · May 3, 2016

Pizza Oven typu UL LED exposure Unit with vacuum frame will do the job?
What type of glass besides Quartz Glass (more expensive that whole my stuff in knifemaking workshop) will be ok ?

About ink... Probably the best idea will be to import Black Cat or SpeedBall from USA ?
Or Sumi Ink also will be good?
http://zanshin.pl/pl/p/Japonski-tusz-do-kaligrafii/646

Super YUPO 152g/m2 will be ok ? ( For tissue and final support)

paul_c5x4 · May 3, 2016

SadowskiPL said:
Winsor&Newton Black india Ink will be ok?

W&N India Ink is what I used last time I tried my hand at carbon printing (I need to get back to doing some more). I hadn't realised it contained shellac, but it worked fine for me. If in doubt, you could try one of the smaller 14ml bottle.

Vaughn · May 3, 2016

SadowskiPL said:
Pizza Oven typu UL LED exposure Unit with vacuum frame will do the job?
What type of glass besides Quartz Glass (more expensive that whole my stuff in knifemaking workshop) will be ok ?...

Regular window glass works fine. Some UV is blocked by the glass, but it is not significant. Quartz glass is not needed as its specialty is transmitting UVB and UVC, which we can do without in alt processes. While UVB will expose alt processes, it is more dangerous than UVA, and it is basically all blocked by glass. Window glass will transmit usable UVA just fine.

SadowskiPL · May 3, 2016

Maybe this month I will start working at UV stuff and gathering supplies.
RD Specialities 1/2" x 16" Wire Wound Lab Rod with what wire will be ok ?
Could I use this rod also for Gum bichromate or Cyanotype ?

OK, I got prices for:
#200 Formed Rod, 24'' Long, 1/2'' Dia. - 31,77$
#95 Formed Rod, 24'' Long, 1/2'' Dia. - 31,77$
20$ for international packing and.... $114.08 for UPS shipping...

I need to add to this Customs and 23%VAT....

Vaughn · May 3, 2016

I would have to do a little research for the answer. I use much thicker tissues and have not used a rod. It has been discussed on Sandy King's Yahoo Group (Carbron printing). Wealth of carbon info there! But I am about to hit the road for a couple weeks -- packing now...or I should be off the internet and packing!!!

SadowskiPL · May 3, 2016

Later this month probably, when I get my knifemaking workshop into garage, I will make my Carbon printing darkroom in the basement
But first I will buil UV unit, laminar hood, air filter, big sink etc.
And nice dryer cabinet with HEPA filter.
Also thinking about to get Epson 1500W printer for making digital negatives.
About gelatin:
This will be better than 250 Bl food grade?
https://www.fotoimpex.de/shopen/che...th-photo-emulsions-250-gr-not-sensitized.html

Also I was thinking about to use ADOX Art Baryta paper as final support.

paul_c5x4 · May 3, 2016

Vaughn said:
I use much thicker tissues and have not used a rod.

Same here - Most of my tissues were around 1mm wet thickness which I achieved by cutting a rectangular mask out of a sheet of suitably sized plastic. Placed over a moistened support tissue (the dampness was sufficient to hold the mask in place). Pour a measure of gloup in and then spread it around with a smooth stainless steel tool - A butter knife works quite well.

SadowskiPL · May 3, 2016

5050 UV 395-405nm LED strip ordered.
Non-waterproof ( they will be not outdoor, then is no reason to pay more),
Total 25m of UV-A leds
This should be ok.
Before they get here from China, I will make vacuum frame.

This will give me 395-405nm UV-A with 360W of power...
1500 diodes - 10-14lm/led = 15.000-21.000 lumens mostly in UV-A.

Hmm... I need to order also 400W 12V stabilized power supply for strip leds...

pschwart · May 4, 2016

SadowskiPL said:
Also I was thinking about to use ADOX Art Baryta paper as final support.

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

TheToadMen · May 4, 2016

I draw the right size (square or rectangle) with pencil on the transfer paper (like Yupo) then pour the liquid carbon tissue inside this frame and distribute it further with a fine comb. It's very easy this way to divide the emulsion evenly and without spilling over the borders. But don't fuss too long for when the emulsion cools down too much you'll make tears with the comb. Just divide it fluently and even within 30 seconds or so. I start by making the borders with the comb and then filling in the gaps. You could practice using the comb with thick coffee milk first.

BTW: By calculating the size of the square/rectangle and multiplying it with the height of the emulsion (about 1 mm) I know how much volume of emulsion I need to pour and thus how much I need to make for each sheet.

Andrew O'Neill · May 4, 2016

I keep it simple. Magnets and a Finger. Used to use a comb but too many of the teeth fell off. Finger works fine. This works well even for very large tissue (16x20). You don't need those rods, in my opinion. Rather spend that money on film...

pschwart · May 4, 2016

Andrew O'Neill said:
I keep it simple. Magnets and a Finger. Used to use a comb but too many of the teeth fell off. Finger works fine. This works well even for very large tissue (16x20). You don't need those rods, in my opinion. Rather spend that money on film...

Combs can leave striations on some supports, but a finger works very well. A rod can help eliminate stray bubbles, push debris to the edges, and can allow you to pour the gelatin at a lower temp since it heats the gelatin, but it's not strictly required. A threaded rod is very helpful when pouring tissue, and especially sizing, without a mask.

AndyDDuncan · May 5, 2016

When I was doing carbons (about 10 years ago now...I really should get back into it) I used my fingers, like many others are mentioning. My tissues were 1/8" (0.125" or about 3mm) thick when wet. I really wanted to exaggerate the relief. I used black Yasutomo Sumi Ink with some orange watercolor paint to add some warmth to the print. I seem to have lost my notes for the amounts of ink and paint...I guess if I ever start doing carbons again, I'll be starting pretty much from ground zero again. I really loved fixed out Ilford Matte fiber based paper for the final support. I tried sizing various watercolor, illustration, and printmaking papers, but I found that the texture of the papers obscured the relief that carbons can give.

Andrew O'Neill · May 6, 2016

I only saw striation marks made with comb if the temperature of the glop got too low. The comb doesn't need touch the substrate anyways.
Fixed out Ilford Matte fibre paper is lovely. Too expensive for me now, so it's sized art papers.

TheToadMen · May 6, 2016

Andrew O'Neill said:
Fixed out Ilford Matte fibre paper is lovely. Too expensive for me now, so it's sized art papers.

Keep an eye on Ebay for old fibre paper. I's sometimes very cheap, but make sure the (non-analogue) seller didn't open the boxes to check the content. It isn't the same as inkjet photo paper ..... alas .....

Andrew O'Neill · May 6, 2016

Philippe Berger · May 20, 2016

If you are interesting on English or on French, you are my Carbon Simple and Double Transfer book on PDF file to
http://www.philippeberger.net/fr/page_8474.html
Contact me for more informations

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