Selenium toning after prints have been washed and dryed

[Todd Barlow]

If I process my fibre based prints right through to drying them (fix, rinse, wash aid, wash and dry) how long is too long before I wet them again and tone them (a week, a month, a year?) Any other precautions on using this type of work flow?

Thanks

Todd

 

[jeroldharter]

I do the same thing so that I can tone prints later in a large batch.

I put the dry print in a tray of PermaWash for 2 minutes to get it wet. I just rock the tray and let the curled edges of the print gradually soften and flatten out. I don't force anything. Then I dump the Permawash back into its 2-gallon container.

Then I pout the Selenuim toner into the tray and tone for the desired time. Then I pour the toner back into its 2-gallon container.

Then I rinse the print and tray with running water before putting the print into the washer.

Then the next dry print goes into the tray and I pour in the Permawash. Usually, I have two trays going at the same time to pick up the pace.

 

[jovo]

I, too, tone in batches long after my prints have been washed and dried. I've never noticed that elapsed time made any difference. I've successfully toned prints I made years ago . I soak the prints, immerse them one at a time in the toner (1 to 10 or so for MGIVFB) for three minutes, and put them in the washer (Versalab) for an hour. I keep an untoned print in a tray of water next to the one I'm toning to be certain I've gotten the effect I am looking for, which, with Ilford, is mainly a deepening of the blacks and, as a consequence, a very slight boost in contrast. Unless there's a way for ME to soak in a bath which will prevent deterioration and preserve me while I'm still alive, I really don't give a rat's rump about the archival permanence factor of the prints.

 

[Bob Carnie]

I sometimes do this depending on the work flow.
I have found that the extra handling of the prints can sometimes be a problem with dings or handling marks so I prefer to tone at time of printing.
If I am doing complicated toning proceedures with a lot of steps I will set up a time period specifically for this.