Hi all,
I plunged again in Chemistry and made my own HT-2 test solution, from the well known formula (i.e from Ed Buffaloe's Unblinking Eye).
I mixed the component, acetic acid, silver Nitrate, water, on a small brown glass bottle, keeped in the basement (in darkness). One day later, I tested it on two prints, one RC and one Fiber base.
With the RC print, I left the HT-2 drop two minutes, rinced, and I obtained... nothing, nada, rien ! Not even the slightest spot where I droped the HT-2...
On the Fiber base print (a completely messed up print, quickly washed, keep for test purpose), I obtained a stain, but a light grey one, rather than the "tea" stain described everywhere.
So, frome here, there are a few hypothesis :
- Nothing is bad with the Test solution : my prints are very well washed ! I can understand it with the RC print, since it is very easy to wash, but I have doubts for the FB.
- Water used for the solution was improper : I read that the water should be demineralized, but I used very low mineralized drinking water instead. Indeed, there was a light white precipitate in the bottle when I mixed the solution.
- I mess completely with acetic acid concentration : Formula says acid must be at 28%. I guess that this concentration is given in mass. All I have in my chemicals, is acetic acid at 80% in volume. I approximate the 28% acid with mixing 11 ml concentrated acid (80%) with 30 ml water. I know this is crude reasoning (I mix mass and volume concentration), but given the density of acetic acid (1.08 water relative), I think I am right with that.
- There is specific places on print where put the test drop : Are the white margins (i.e not exposed to light during printing process) are OK ?
- There is specific environment issues : tests was made in very moderate light, and under rather cool ambient temperature.
Is the HT-2 solution making is so tricky that I completely missed the point here, with the above approximations ? :confused:
Sorry for the long post, but any thoughts will be greatly appreciated.
Regards,
Raphael
I plunged again in Chemistry and made my own HT-2 test solution, from the well known formula (i.e from Ed Buffaloe's Unblinking Eye).
I mixed the component, acetic acid, silver Nitrate, water, on a small brown glass bottle, keeped in the basement (in darkness). One day later, I tested it on two prints, one RC and one Fiber base.
With the RC print, I left the HT-2 drop two minutes, rinced, and I obtained... nothing, nada, rien ! Not even the slightest spot where I droped the HT-2...
On the Fiber base print (a completely messed up print, quickly washed, keep for test purpose), I obtained a stain, but a light grey one, rather than the "tea" stain described everywhere.
So, frome here, there are a few hypothesis :
- Nothing is bad with the Test solution : my prints are very well washed ! I can understand it with the RC print, since it is very easy to wash, but I have doubts for the FB.
- Water used for the solution was improper : I read that the water should be demineralized, but I used very low mineralized drinking water instead. Indeed, there was a light white precipitate in the bottle when I mixed the solution.
- I mess completely with acetic acid concentration : Formula says acid must be at 28%. I guess that this concentration is given in mass. All I have in my chemicals, is acetic acid at 80% in volume. I approximate the 28% acid with mixing 11 ml concentrated acid (80%) with 30 ml water. I know this is crude reasoning (I mix mass and volume concentration), but given the density of acetic acid (1.08 water relative), I think I am right with that.
- There is specific places on print where put the test drop : Are the white margins (i.e not exposed to light during printing process) are OK ?
- There is specific environment issues : tests was made in very moderate light, and under rather cool ambient temperature.
Is the HT-2 solution making is so tricky that I completely missed the point here, with the above approximations ? :confused:
Sorry for the long post, but any thoughts will be greatly appreciated.
Regards,
Raphael