Flat FB prints

[Ronald Moravec]

Yesterday I was doing the second hypo and selenium tone on a few are prints my son made. I have forgotten what a pain this is.

Anyway after endless washes I squeegeed the 11x14`s dry and put them into my blotter stack electric drier. These are driers with blotters interleaved with corrugated cardboard and air is blown thru the corrugations. This type makes the most flat prints of all methods I have ever tried and I tried them all. Normally get a slight curve the long way and no wavy edges or compound curve areas. Easy to mount.

When checking for the prints to be dry I found a print I made at least 10 years ago on Kodak Elite. I removed it and put it on the table. This print is flat a a pancake. It looks like a wet print on glass.

Moral of story is if you have time to wait, dead flat FB prints can be achieved.

Please don`t tell me you have a secret method with screens, clothes pins, back to back counter mounts, blotter books. Tried them all and none come close to blotter stack drier. Only problem is they are impossible to buy today.

 

[GRHazelton]

As I mentioned on another thread, I used a commercial product which contained ethylene glycol. Being hygroscopic it retained a little moisture in the FB print. It was very effective, I have several prints made over 40 years ago which are flat with no evidence of detrimental effects.. Since ethylene glycol is toxic, propylene glycol would be another choice. It is non-toxic, used for treating wood turning for salad bowls, etc. Amazon carries it, as does Rockler, a woodworking supply house. I'd imagine that Photo Engineer might have some thoughts on dilution, etc.

 

[Arklatexian]

Yesterday I was doing the second hypo and selenium tone on a few are prints my son made. I have forgotten what a pain this is.

Anyway after endless washes I squeegeed the 11x14`s dry and put them into my blotter stack electric drier. These are driers with blotters interleaved with corrugated cardboard and air is blown thru the corrugations. This type makes the most flat prints of all methods I have ever tried and I tried them all. Normally get a slight curve the long way and no wavy edges or compound curve areas. Easy to mount.

When checking for the prints to be dry I found a print I made at least 10 years ago on Kodak Elite. I removed it and put it on the table. This print is flat a a pancake. It looks like a wet print on glass.

Moral of story is if you have time to wait, dead flat FB prints can be achieved.

Please don`t tell me you have a secret method with screens, clothes pins, back to back counter mounts, blotter books. Tried them all and none come close to blotter stack drier. Only problem is they are impossible to buy today.

A similar dryer was/is used by botanists to dry plants that they have collected prior to putting them in herbariums. I wonder if these are still available? Maybe in a scientific supply company catalog........Regards!

 

[Arklatexian]

As I mentioned on another thread, I used a commercial product which contained ethylene glycol. Being hygroscopic it retained a little moisture in the FB print. It was very effective, I have several prints made over 40 years ago which are flat with no evidence of detrimental effects.. Since ethylene glycol is toxic, propylene glycol would be another choice. It is non-toxic, used for treating wood turning for salad bowls, etc. Amazon carries it, as does Rockler, a woodworking supply house. I'd imagine that Photo Engineer might have some thoughts on dilution, etc.

Pako, who makes/made photo driers, had such a product called "Pakosol" and if my creaky, old, memory is correct, Kodak made a similar product at one time. Buried in my darkroom, somewhere is a quart bottle of Pakosol. To use, you dilute it and reuse the diluted solution until it quits working. Needless to say, I hope, all prints should be very well washed before using to keep from bringing fixer over into the flattening solution.....Regards!

 

[slackercrurster]

No patience, I just put my screen dried prints in the dry mount press.