collodion issue

p1ot3 · Nov 21, 2013

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 · Nov 21, 2013

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 · Nov 21, 2013

15-20 seconds.

p.

p1ot3 · Nov 21, 2013

Barry S said:
...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 · Nov 21, 2013

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

platebreaker · Nov 30, 2013

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 · Dec 1, 2013

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.

collodion issue

p1ot3

Barry S

p1ot3

p1ot3

Barry S

platebreaker

p1ot3

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