Inexpensive source for blank glass plate

Nodda Duma · Oct 1, 2015

I am beginning to explore making my own emulsion for glass plate photography (because somehow I don't think I have enough hobbies).

For that I need glass plates, and probably more than 1 or 2 as I get up the learning curve.

A search of the sub forum didn't turn up anything on where to get cheap glass.

Searching the internet I found a source for 2mm thick plate that runs about US$1 for a 5" x 7" sheet, and ~ US$1.50 per 8"x10" sheet ... plus shipping.

http://www.framedestination.com/glass/glass_2mm_clear_for_picture_frames/item/GLGREG00000000/

0.080 is a little thicker than the (best I could find) 1951 ASA standard 0.060 +/- 0.003" for plate glass, but it's typical picture frame thickness.

Assuming 0.080" is a reasonable thickness, this seems like a reasonably priced source for buying several glass sheets.

Any other sources for reasonably priced glass plate blanks?

MrBrowning · Oct 1, 2015

Have you tried Lowes? If I remember correct they have glass (It's been a whole since I bought glass there but 2mm seems right for some reason) that they will cut to size for you at no charge.

Nodda Duma · Oct 1, 2015

I couldn't find their prices online so I was going to check next time I went in.

Glass at Lowe's is thicker I believe. 3/32" or 1/8".

removed account4 · Oct 1, 2015

MrBrowning said:
Have you tried Lowes? If I remember correct they have glass (It's been a whole since I bought glass there but 2mm seems right for some reason) that they will cut to size for you at no charge.

window / glass shop will sell and cut glass for your dry plates
look for a book called silver gelatin by martin reed as well, it might be helpful.

c.d.ewen · Oct 1, 2015

I've used S. I Howard, in Worcester, MA and been very satisfied. They're local, quick, and very accurate.

Charley

gone · Oct 1, 2015

You could use thin film sheaths or paper or maybe even film if you just want to get some emulsion going and start shooting. Do you have a wet plate or a dry plate camera (film holders)? I believe the measurements are different, but I am no expert by any means. This site below has some info. $1.50 for an 8x10 glass sheet seems dirt cheap to me, assuming that it will work for your use.

http://www.thelightfarm.com/

http://www.thelightfarm.com/Map/GlassNegatives/GlassNegativesPart1.htm

Nodda Duma · Oct 1, 2015

I'll have to send Howard an RFQ to see what their actual price would be, but roughly seems comparably inexpensive.

Dry plate, 5"x7" *I think*. Camera hasn't arrived yet for me to measure. Obtain junker dry plate camera was step 1. It has two possible sizes. Step 2 is source the materials.

I'm well-acquainted with The Light Farm, it's a good reference. I'll pull the trigger on her book after I've gone through the process at least once.

Jim Noel · Oct 1, 2015

Go to a business which deals only in glass. Buy framing glass in full sheets and either have them cut to size, or do so yourself. you mentioned plate glass, you do not want this..

Nodda Duma · Oct 1, 2015

Hi Jim,

While I was careful to say glass plate (not plate glass), perhaps you can explain why choose one over the other?

Plate glass and framing glass are both just soda lime glass, which will work just fine chemically far as I can tell. So when you say stick to framing glass, is it because of glass quality? Finish? Striae and contaminants in the negative for enlarging?

The source I found sells framing glass.

AgX · Oct 1, 2015

Any good local glass dealear should be able to sell you 2mm panes, even custom cut.

Basically you could choose between standard (greenish) or colourless glass, it should not matter to you, except for the price.

Any pane you'll get will be from floatglass.

Photo Engineer · Oct 1, 2015

The Formulary did sell it at one time. If so it is probably unlisted at the present time. There was little demand.

PE

Nodda Duma · Oct 1, 2015

PE: yeah I did check there site and found it strange they had everything for emulsion making except the glass. But considering demand maybe not so strange.

AgX said:
Any good local glass dealear should be able to sell you 2mm panes, even custom cut.

Basically you could choose between standard (greenish) or colourless glass, it should not matter to you, except for the price.

Any pane you'll get will be from floatglass.

Yep. I also noted that you can get UV-blocking glass for picture framing. If it does so by absorption, it should reduce halation caused by reflections off the back surface, as the glass will absorb most of the spectrum the emulsion will be sensitive to before it has a chance to reflect (at 4%). On the other hand, if UV blocking is achieved by dichroic coatings, that would probably increase halation via the surface the emulsion is poured on to.

removed account4 · Oct 1, 2015

Photo Engineer said:
The Formulary did sell it at one time. If so it is probably unlisted at the present time. There was little demand.

PE

it probably cost a small fortune to ship !

Pioneer · Oct 1, 2015

I have been buying my glass plates from the local glass store. They cut it and lightly polish the edges. Last time out I paid $60 plus tax for two dozen 4x5 plates and two dozen 5x7 plates. I just take them my plate holders and they cut the plate to match.

I actually enjoy working with plates. If I don't find the negative compelling then I just scrape the emulsion off with a razor blade and start over. I don't ever do that with regular negatives. Since I am no Weston or Lange two dozen plates lasts awhile.

AgX · Oct 2, 2015

Nodda Duma said:
Yep. I also noted that you can get UV-blocking glass for picture framing. If it does so by absorption, it should reduce halation caused by reflections off the back surface, as the glass will absorb most of the spectrum the emulsion will be sensitive to before it has a chance to reflect (at 4%). On the other hand, if UV blocking is achieved by dichroic coatings, that would probably increase halation via the surface the emulsion is poured on to.

Interesting thoughts. But would not be the price of such framing glass prohibitive anyway?

Nodda Duma · Oct 2, 2015

I think it's roughly double for UV filter glass... I saw $2.24 for a 5x7 plate.

bdial · Oct 2, 2015

If you want to eventually print the images with an alt process, Pt/Pd, for example, you won't want the emulsion on a UV filter.

removed account4 · Oct 2, 2015

dollar store

dwross · Oct 2, 2015

Pioneer said:
I have been buying my glass plates from the local glass store. They cut it and lightly polish the edges. Last time out I paid $60 plus tax for two dozen 4x5 plates and two dozen 5x7 plates. I just take them my plate holders and they cut the plate to match.

I actually enjoy working with plates. If I don't find the negative compelling then I just scrape the emulsion off with a razor blade and start over. I don't ever do that with regular negatives. Since I am no Weston or Lange two dozen plates lasts awhile.

+1, or John's suggestion about the dollar store (plus a glass cutter). The wonderful thing about dry plate photography is how simple and inexpensive it is to pull together the components.
Cheap, basic glass is exactly the best. Another +1 on avoiding UV glass.
2 cents,
d

p.s. Have a great time making emulsions! Much fun.

Peter Simpson · Oct 2, 2015

Having purchased glass a couple of times, and gotten the wrong size both times, make sure the people you're buying it from understand that you are giving them "finished size" measurements.

Otherwise, they tend to add 1/2" to each dimension, which is the norm for window glass measurements...they go by the exposed size, and add the 1/2" for the mounting.

DannL. · Oct 2, 2015

You may find that glass between 1.5mm and 1.75mm will fit you plate holders better. Many of the plate holders I've used won't accommodate thicker glass. It's a good idea to thoroughly test the cut plates in your holders prior to coating them.

If you're looking for inexpensive samples of thin glass, you might consider MCS style frames. https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=MCS+Plastic+Format+Photo+Frames . These frames are recognized by the way they are loaded. They are black plastic, and the glass pops in from the front.

I buy them at thrift stores, generally for a dollar or less. Since the glass in these frames is thin, they are much easier to cut to size by hand.

Ohhhh . . . I should mention that not all MCS "style" frames have the thinner glass. Occasionally they are sold with the 2mm glass instead. The thinner glass is easily recognized by sight, with experience. So, I wouldn't just up and order a ton of MCS stlye frames. You might end up disappointed.

Ian Grant · Oct 2, 2015

One problem, at least here in Europe, is that the minimum thickness of glass sold to the public is 2mm and it has to be thicker still for green-houses. So the local glass suppliers never have anything thinner.

1.5mm and thinner glass is more specialist and needs to be bought from companies like Edmunds Optical. I was lucky and my old next-door neighbour was throwing out some cheap nasty framed prints a few years ago and asked if I wanted the frames, the glass was 1.5mm so I kept the glass and ditched the frames,

Some German pre-WWII 9x12 cameras (and other sizes) can't take 2mm focus screens and the plate holders are similar, you'd need 1.5mm.

Ian

dwross · Oct 2, 2015

A couple of possible options that might be worth considering if you only have access to thicker glass:

1) Find film holders for your camera and adapt a 2-sheet holder to be 1-plate holder, or adapt a 2-thin plate holder to be a 1-thick plate holder. Even if you only have one holder it is very easy to change plates in a changing bag -- far easier than trying to load film.

2) If your holders are valuable antiques and you resist altering them, it may be best to put them in a beautiful display cabinet and buy a more accommodating camera .

Jim Noel · Oct 2, 2015

Nodda Duma said:
Hi Jim,

While I was careful to say glass plate (not plate glass), perhaps you can explain why choose one over the other?

Plate glass and framing glass are both just soda lime glass, which will work just fine chemically far as I can tell. So when you say stick to framing glass, is it because of glass quality? Finish? Striae and contaminants in the negative for enlarging?

The source I found sells framing glass.

Plate glass is glass which has been hardened after cutting to size. if broken, or a cut is attempted, it breaks into small chunks, while the glass from which it was made breaks into shards. The main reason for not using it is the additional cost.
Framing glass is usually thinner, and does not have the usual green cast of window glass.

Ian Grant · Oct 2, 2015

dwross said:
A couple of possible options that might be worth considering if you only have access to thicker glass:

1) Find film holders for your camera and adapt a 2-sheet holder to be 1-plate holder, or adapt a 2-thin plate holder to be a 1-thick plate holder. Even if you only have one holder it is very easy to change plates in a changing bag -- far easier than trying to load film.

2) If your holders are valuable antiques and you resist altering them, it may be best to put them in a beautiful display cabinet and buy a more accommodating camera .

Easier still is buy 1.5mm glass in a decent quantity so make savings by buying in bulk. However I've not yet returned to emulsion making, last batches were 1986

In the case of pre-WWII German and some British cameras taking metal holders the vast majority are single sided so converting holders for 2mm glass isn't possible, also there's to many variations, there wasn't a standard edge type. I've quite a few film adapters so I can shoot away . . . . .

My pre-WWII cameras are all usable, well at least the ones I've finished restoring , and my wife insists they are on display in a nice cabinet. But they need to be used.

Ian

Inexpensive source for blank glass plate

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