Vacuum frames for platinum printing

[Ray Bidegain]

I am curious how many of you platinum printers are using a vacuum frame for your work? Those of you who are doing you find a difference in quality over the standard split back spring frames? What sort of difference?

Thanks,

Ray Bidegain

 

[jimcollum]

I'm using the Nuarc 26-1k. i didn't really do a comparison between the two when switching over.. the Nuarc was more for consistency in exposure. But you have me thinking.. so maybe this weekend i'll try a print from both

 

[clay]

The bigger the print, the more likely it is that you will see an improvement with a vacuum frame. A good split-back frame and a print smaller than 8x10, and I have a hard time telling the difference. Another factor is that Nuarc units and Amergraphs have a more collimated light source, and I think this can make a difference in print sharpness.

I'm using the Nuarc 26-1k. i didn't really do a comparison between the two when switching over.. the Nuarc was more for consistency in exposure. But you have me thinking.. so maybe this weekend i'll try a print from both

 

[Robert Hall]

I use a vacuum frame on all my prints that I am making seconds from. Once I have a good print, I use the vacuum frame to make more of the same.

I don't notice any difference with vacuum over print frames, while others do, but I think my printing frames are pretty good.

It is easier to mask off the edges if I care to, but one can't lift the vacuum top to check a print without having registration problems. This is why I use it on prints after I get a good print out of the print frame.

 

[scootermm]

Ray, I noticed a pretty substantial difference (on the plus side) when I started printing with a vacuum frame. Its only been a short while now that Ive been using it. Acquired it from Jeremy Moore a few months back and finally got it wired up and working about a month ago.
Overall it just seemed to have more sharpness across the whole image area. Not really that the contact frames ones seemed all that soft, just that when comparing ones to each other it seemed sharper overall.

 

[sanking]

I don't notice any difference with vacuum over print frames, while others do, but I think my printing frames are pretty good.

As Clay mentioned, size of the print and the type of light source in use makes a big difference. If you have a good print frame and are printing with a collimated or point light source a vacuum frame may not improve sharpness, or at least not very much. But if you are making large prints with a diffuse light source, a bank of BL fluorescent tubes for example, the switch to a vacuum frame will almost certainly result in a significant improvement in sharpness.

If you have any question about how well your printing frame is working make a few prints with a diffuse light source and a few with the sun, the ultimate point source light, and compare the differenece.

Sandy King

 

[Robert Hall]

As Clay mentioned, size of the print and the type of light source in use makes a big difference. If you have a good print frame and are printing with a collimated or point light source a vacuum frame may not improve sharpness, or at least not very much. But if you are making large prints with a diffuse light source, a bank of BL fluorescent tubes for example, the switch to a vacuum frame will almost certainly result in a significant improvement in sharpness.

If you have any question about how well your printing frame is working make a few prints with a diffuse light source and a few with the sun, the ultimate point source light, and compare the differenece.

Sandy King

That makes more sense, I have a very bright Agfa source and it is a good couple feet off the table.

 

[Platinumprinter]

I concur with Sandy. Upon switching to a vacuum frame from a print frame even the 8x10 prints showed a considerable increase in sharpness. My light source is a bank of BL tubes.