Dry Down Fog?

[Newt_on_Swings]

I was printing with some old ilford 11X14 rc pearl today. The test strip and print looked fine after full development and fixing in regular light. But maybe 30-40 minutes later after it was fully dry the bright whites were light grays.

Now I have encountered fogged paper before, but the grays in those appear instantly, and is apparent during development and after fixing.

I have also encountered darkening of prints during dry down, but never this drastic. I mean even the white masked boarders turn gray.

Any Ideas?

 

[brucemuir]

beat fixer??

 

[polyglot]

You can't judge highlight density until the paper (especially FB, it's worse) has dried, because of the dry-down. However since you have grey borders, I would suspect that you have a light leak in your darkroom that's getting to the paper while it's in the wet area or between the paper box and the enlarger. Either that or your paper is fogged just enough to hit the drydown point (as if it were an exposure around zone IX), which would be quite unfortunate.

 

[Rich Ullsmith]

Fixer. dot.dot. need fresh.

 

[Newt_on_Swings]

Either that or your paper is fogged just enough to hit the drydown point (as if it were an exposure around zone IX), which would be quite unfortunate.

I think this is it. The paper is RC, and the fixer checked with hypo-check drops before printing sessions. And is fixed for ~1:30 to 2:00 minutes constant agitation.

I'll have to purchase and try some antifog agents.

 

[Ian Grant]

Check that you're not processing at too high a temperature, or for too long. You say full development but that should be shorter than with FB papers. Both these will greatly increase bse fog.

Ian

 

[Rick A]

I have had that same problem using old papers. They look fine just out of the fix and edges along with highlites turn gray on drying, even in fresh fix. I purchased Benzotriazole to reduce the effect, haven't tried it yet.

 

[Newt_on_Swings]

I have had that same problem using old papers. They look fine just out of the fix and edges along with highlites turn gray on drying, even in fresh fix. I purchased Benzotriazole to reduce the effect, haven't tried it yet.

Yes Rick thats exactly whats been happening. Hopefully the potassium bromide that I put in for an order works.

 

[MattKing]

You could try bleaching and (not quite complete) re-developing too.