Supplies for first PD Prints and Kalitypes

mark · Dec 8, 2003

I have been lurking for quite a while and have been very interested in the answers to GreyWolf's questions regarding just starting down this road. A little background first

I will be using 4x5 and 5x7 negs. Nothing larger for a couple of years at least.

Negs will be developed in pyro as soon as I figure out which I need-
Tray developing to begin with until i decide if I like this then the tubes. I will be starting with kailitypes then to PD

For the process I will need
1 tray developer
2 trays fix
1 tray hypo
1 tray long wash

Do I need seperate trays for each process?

For coating I will need
2- 2in. Richeson brushes-one for each process

Chemicals (I have Photographers Formulary kalitype, and Pd)

Paper-got it from Bostick and sullivan and it was recomended so no problem

Light source-

I live in the Southwest so Sunlight is not a big problem and I have been testing for a couple of months. If I like the process I will build a lightsource

For those few cloudy days like today I will use one of two 1000watt metal Halide bulbs I use in an indoor garden inside my classroom

Did I miss anything? I'm sure I did but for the life of me I cannot figure it out.

Mark

clay · Dec 8, 2003

you're gonna need a split back contact printing frame or a large piece of plate glass. If you are using the sun and running back and forth from your coating area to the outdoors, a printing frame will be the only way to go. Get one bigger than your negative. You'll need at least an 8x10 frame for doing 5x7 prints, or an 11x14 for 8x10 prints. Bostick and Sullivan sell the Zia frames, and Alan Brubaker will also make frames. you might score an old one on ebay as well.

mark · Dec 8, 2003

Thanks clay. I do have one I just forgot to write it down.

mark

Ole · Dec 8, 2003

mark said:
For the process I will need
1 tray developer
2 trays fix
1 tray hypo
1 tray long wash

Do I need seperate trays for each process?

I don't know (very much) about those processes, but you have too many trays for developing film:
1 tray presoak - if you want it. I sometimes use it, sometimes not.
1 tray developer
1 tray intermediate wash ("water stop")
1 tray fix (use alkaline fixer)
1 tray wash (10 minutes should do it).

For Pd/Pt I would recommend separate trays - the chemicals are too expensive to risk contamination.

A split-back printing frame is a very good thing to have. I have five in different sizes, picked up on ebay over the last few years. At least one of them looks to be made around 1890, but was just fine once I replaced the spring (and glass, it was very brittle).

mark · Dec 8, 2003

My brain must not have been working. The trays are for developing the paper not the neg.

sanking · Dec 9, 2003

mark said:
"I will be starting with kailitypes then to PD.
Do I need seperate trays for each process?"

I don't believe separate trays are absolutely necessary for kallitype and palladium. Or separate brushes for that matter. Except for the fixing step needed in kallitype the two processes are virtually identical in the way we make the print. Same developers, same clearing baths, etc. I use the single tray method for processing all large kallitypes and palladiums and have never seen any sign of contamination. Probably the most important thing is to make sure you clean the coating brush well between the two processs, but even in this area nothing dramatic will happen if you do not because a little silver salt additive is not incompatible with making a palladium, and a littlle palladium salt additive is not incompatible witth making kallitypes.

Supplies for first PD Prints and Kalitypes

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