collodion issue

[p1ot3]

hi;
i purchased B&S Old Workhorse Collodion kit; mixed it and my problem started...

afer developing the plate layer of collodion is light brown. i tested with exposed and non-exposed (sensitized and developed) plates. each plate looks the same after developing. and fixer doesn't change anything. i use B&S developer also.

no idea what can be wrong.

p.

 

[Barry S]

An unexposed tintype plate should be black and an ambrotype plate should be clear. Your plates sound like they're massively fogged or very overdeveloped. How long is your development?

 

[p1ot3]

15-20 seconds.

p.

 

[p1ot3]

...Your plates sound like they're massively fogged or very overdeveloped...

Thank you Barry. I'm working with this problem all day today...
I will regenerate my silver bath (i excluded overdevelopment)

P.

 

[Barry S]

Your development sounds right on, so light or chemical fog of some sort.

 

[platebreaker]

development is a variable. 15- 20 seconds is only correct if your exposure dictates that. there are sooooo many variables involved that we need more information to help you out. what are you darkroom conditions like? I can tell you that I shoot a ton of B&S old workhorse, and their chemistry is as reliable as it gets. you have a scan of your plate? what developer formula are you using?

 

[p1ot3]

It started working...
I made so many tests last days. I used only distilled water (even for washing), regenerated silver bath, diluted developer from 1-1 to 1-5... and 2 days ago I started seeing improvements. Now I use tap water, dilute developer 1-3, silver bath is clear with about 3-4ph. Pictures are ok.
Maybe this collodion needed a little aging, or something was in my tap water last days.