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Ground glass as plate

cytoplasmic

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Jan 30, 2008
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4x5 Format
I am having trouble locating 1.5mm thick glass locally however I do have some old/cracked ground glass that is 1.5mm thick.

How about using that as the plate for my home-brew emulsion?

I suppose that it would provide a better grip for the emulsion - perhaps no subbing necessary, right?

I don't plan on keeping my negatives so I would wash/reuse the glass plates anyway.
 
Have you looked for 1/16th inch glass instead. It's very close in thickness.

I'm sure ground glass would work. I don't think you would see a pattern from the ground surface, especially as you are going to put the gelatin against it and I think that would help "smooth" out the texture.

It probably would help give some more grip - but on the first set of plates I've done I added some chrome alum to the emulsion before I poured it and out of a 6 plates I made, only one had any separation of the emulsion and I used a very long development time - about 12 minutes on that one.
 
hi there

you might look for regular old window pane ( plate ).
the dry plates i have made ( and the plates i enlarged onto )
were all window glass gotten from a demolished greenhouse
or windows left in the street. i never used alum hardener
but plan on using it next batch i coat. instead i used a mixture
of various things from urethane and varnish ( yellowed after a while )
to knox gel. before you coat the subb/binding agent, make sure
you scrub your glass clean so water sheets off.

have fun!
john
 

Glass in 1,5mm is indeed hard to locate. The thinner glass is mostly used in technical environments, laboratories etc.
I think a well cleaned glass from a picture frame could suit your needs if it fits your holders.

G
 
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