Question for those who tray-sensitize their carbon tissues

[mcilroy]

When you sensitize in a tray, do you reuse the sensitizer until it's used up, or do you use it one shot per tissue or for a series of tissues respectively?

 

[Hexavalent]

The sensitizer can be re-used, though it will become weaker, and "polluted" with each use. One-shot, or brush-sensitizing is much more predictable.

 

[mcilroy]

Thanks, Ian! That sounds reasonable.

 

[Hexavalent]

Forgot to mention that heavily 'used' sensitizer can also itself become light-sensitive and produce fogging as gelatin, sugar and pigment leach into the solution.

 

[L Gebhardt]

Forgot to mention that heavily 'used' sensitizer can also itself become light-sensitive and produce fogging as gelatin, sugar and pigment leach into the solution.

I'm very new to carbon and have only done a few tests so far with brush sensitizing. I've done the whole process under red safe lights. From the sound of what you are saying this isn't needed. When do you need to protect the sensitized tissue from light, both room (incandescent/LED) and daylight from windows? Is the sensitizer light sensitive?

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

I'm very new to carbon and have only done a few tests so far with brush sensitizing. I've done the whole process under red safe lights. From the sound of what you are saying this isn't needed. When do you need to protect the sensitized tissue from light, both room (incandescent/LED) and daylight from windows? Is the sensitizer light sensitive?

I work under a very bright yellow flourescent bug light. I work under it from preparing the sensitizer until the image has been developed.