Ferric Oxalate, UK ?

gwatson

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Hi Michel

Retro have it on their website but do not sell it. I have searched high and low for a supplier and the bottom line is, I don't think there is one.

I have to get mine from B+S in the States. In the short-term I have a few grams you can have to give it a go, but perhaps if we meet up soon we can arrange some sort of group purchase. I am running fairly low on PD and NA2 so will need to make a (painful) order sometime soon. (Have to be after Xmas, I fear though.)

Cheers

Geoff
 

Martin Reed

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buze said:
Where ca I buy Ferric Oxalate in the UK ? Silverprint doesn't sell it...
Click to expand...

Not because we wouldn't like to sell it, but all roads lead to B&S - as well as being the right price, for photographic use the chemical needs to be freshly manufactured, so we normally refer any enquiries to Bostick & Sullivan. Maybe if we get a few more people from the UK who would like some immediate stock we could get some bulk in from B&S and split it down at our place.
 

RobertP

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Check the B&S website. I think they are having a sale on ferric oxalate and palladium.
 
OP
OP

buze

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Well I dislike ordering from the US; I get hammered regularily by customs, vat and 'administrative charge' on anything over $50. Oh and it takes 2 weeks to sort it out,... A month ago I had to pay about 30 pounds to get to my original $48 order (non photo related).
Geoff I don't want to plunder your stocks; maybe we can indeed make a group purchase of some sort ?
 

photomc

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Hey guys, you might try Mike over at Artcraft as he also has it listed. Don't get me wrong, I get all of mine from B&S, but just wanted to offer another option (think the Formulary has it as well). Lotus Photo shows kits available, maybe they can help. There is also this Dead Link Removed that tells how to make your own.

Hope this helps.
 

roy

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There is a chemical manufacturing company in Dorset, Sigma-Aldrich I believe they are called. Whether they will supply to individual photographers I do not know but I do believe they supply to labs and photographic businesses. You could always have a stab at making your own !
 

Ian Leake

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As I understand it, Ferric Oxalate is not a straightforward thing to make. According to Mike Ware (who should know) it's an, "'ill-characterised' substance, that is to say - not easy to prepare as a solid, of dubious purity and a highly variable composition depending on its method of preparation." B&S know how to make this stuff, and how to make it consistantly and of sufficient quality for alt processes.

Those chemicals that I can source locally I buy locally. But for Ferric Oxalate (and the Pt/Pd salts) I go to B&S. I know I'm going to get good materials that way.
 

Martin Reed

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Now available

buze said:
Where ca I buy Ferric Oxalate in the UK ? Silverprint doesn't sell it...
Click to expand...

Oh yes we do! Bostick & Sullivan are making up a batch for us which should be in the UK in about a week, price will be comparable to the B&S rate. We will keep it in stock from now on.
 

Ian Leake

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Martin Reed said:
Oh yes we do! Bostick & Sullivan are making up a batch for us which should be in the UK in about a week, price will be comparable to the B&S rate. We will keep it in stock from now on.
Click to expand...

This is great news! I shall be scampering across London to you as soon as you have stock as I'm running low... Presumably this will be in the powder form?
 

SeamusARyan

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Hi Martin

this is great news

as previously expressed it is a major pain in the butt when customs/couriers add their slice and time to the equation.

would it be beyond the realms of possibility for you to be like a distributor of most things chemical (and otherwise) from B&S

would it be practical and worth it to you

thanks
 

gwatson

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Martin. Many thanks. This is indeed excellent news.

Also very interested in Seamus' question regarding the stocking of other chems, although I do realise the issues involved. (If you were to stock Pd/Pt/Na2, I'll put you in my will!!

Thanks again.

Geoff
 

Martin Reed

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Well, we are talking to them about bringing in other materials from their range. Thanks for the very warm response, it certainly seems worth exploring this.
 

keffs

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Martin Reed said:
Well, we are talking to them about bringing in other materials from their range. Thanks for the very warm response, it certainly seems worth exploring this.
Click to expand...

Just another interested party. I am just getting into Pl/Pt stuff, and would definitely be a customer.

Steve
 

roy

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Although it has never been unavailable, I am sure that a more 'local' source of supply will encourage a number of people to get involved in processes using the chemical.
 

Davec101

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Martin Reed said:
Oh yes we do! Bostick & Sullivan are making up a batch for us which should be in the UK in about a week, price will be comparable to the B&S rate. We will keep it in stock from now on.
Click to expand...

I will buy some Ferric oxalate when you have it in stock, am running a bit low myself, also put me down for some Potassium Chloroplatinite and Sodium Chloropalladite, i will never have enough!

thanks
 
OP
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buze

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Martin Reed said:
Oh yes we do! Bostick & Sullivan are making up a batch for us which should be in the UK in about a week, price will be comparable to the B&S rate. We will keep it in stock from now on.
Click to expand...

Most excellent news ! Be sure to post when it's available-orderable; this is truely a great news for us uk/europe based people
 

CarlRadford

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I too buy regularly from B&S and would love to be able to get this from the UK - along with pictorico ohp

Silverprint are normally pretty good although a little frustrated about the lack of replies to my request for a zero image 612F despite being asked to email request a number of times after talking on the phone
 

Martin Reed

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Sorry, Carl, the 612F is on the order being currently shipped to us and should be in this week.
Apart from ferric oxalate we're looking at trying to bring in the B&S alt. process kits, possibly platinum & palladium salts, and Pictorico. Any other requests?
 

CarlRadford

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I think there is a growing interest in alt processes much of which is by driven by the ability to make digital negatives and possibly people wanting to get their hands dirty in a way that digital imaging might not allow. If Silverprint could expand their chemistry stocks to reflect the popular processes they wouldn't go far wrong. Bromoil is probably next on my list! What about a larger selection of papers - Fabriano Artistico Extra White & COT 320?

Thanks for the info re the zero image camera - appreciate an email or call when its in - you have my details as RAD02
 

CarlRadford

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Nightmare...


Sigma-Aldrich are very difficult to deal with on an individual basis - to be honest they are really a company that deals on a bigger scale than most of us need. It is a shame as I love to have easy access to chemicals for wet plate collodion! Over to Silverprint
 
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