Photogravure - Copy Toner as Aquatint

[jkharrell]

Does anyone have any experience using copy toner as an aquatint grain for copper plate photogravure?

I have been using rosin, but would like to find an alternative that offers a finer grain and that can resist an alcohol bath. I have never used asphaltum due to health safety concerns.

What is the method used for fusing it to the plate and how can it be removed after etching? Are there any safety concerns specific to using toner?

Thank you!

 

[aldus_manutius]

There are two methods I use for fusing laser copy toner (granted, I'm not using it specifically for copper plate, I'm using it on aluminum, transparency materials, Yupo-type materials, and paper:

1. Heat. Since that's how the printer fuses it, that method always works. A heating tray will work (though, again, I've not used it this way — I actually use a heatgun VERY CAREFULLY).

2. Solvent fusing — the best one I've found for solvent fusing is mineral spirits. It doesn't really take much and it's pretty quick. Lithograph folks have been using it for some time now — here's a great video overview of how it can be used.



I HAVE removed it on metal (aluminum), using Brasso, having first softened it with the mineral spirits.