Weird finish issues/crazing - Ilford RC MGIV

[ChrisBCS]

Can anyone help with this irregular, smudgy-looking finish I get on RC MGIV gloss?

My routine is as follows:
1 min development in Arista (made with RO/DI water)
RO/DI water rinse stop
1 min TF-4 fix (working fix made with RO/DI)
3 min wash in RO/DI
3 min 1:9 Berg Se toner made with RO/DI
then 3 min final wash in RO/DI

It's not visible straight on looking at the print, but very obvious from an angle in reflected point source light.

 

[jeffreyg]

This may not be of any help because I don't use the paper or chemistry you use but it seems that your times may not be long enough. For example: I use Ilford multigrade fb paper developed in Dektol for 2 to 3 minutes, brief acid wash, Ilford Rapid fix for 6 minutes, hypoclear for 3 minutes and wash for 45 minutes. If toning with selenium toner (separate session or mixed with hypoclear as some do) wash again. Air dry emulsion up on screens. None with distilled water. The paper surface and images are fine.

http://www.jeffreyglasser.com/

 

[MattKing]

TF-4 is designed to be compatible with stop bath - either use it or a running water wash.
I too am really surprised at how much you are avoiding tap water.
Try restricting the RO/DI water to just the developer, and use a more appropriate stop routine.

 

[eddie]

It's hard to tell from the photos, but is it possible that you're not fully immersing the print in the developer when first putting the paper in? With the short development time you're using, even a small variation in getting the entire print into the developer could cause uneven development.

 

[Doremus Scudder]

My guess would be dichroic fog resulting from not using a stop bath. Try adding a conventional acid stop to your workflow and see if your problem disappears.

Best,

Doremus

 

[pentaxuser]

, Ilford Rapid fix for 6 minutes, The paper surface and images are fine.

http://www.jeffreyglasser.com/

If it works for you, Jeffrey, then that is all that counts but I'd have thought that 6 minutes in Ilford Rapid fixer is a lot longer than is needed. Isn't that long a fixing period for FB paper likely to give you fixer retention problems. A shorter fix might cut down on the wash period.

Just some thoughts

pentaxuser

 

[Ian Grant]

Looks like a surface effect from poor temperatire control, it's effectively a form of mild surface reticulation, try steaming the surface of the print and it will disappear.

Used to be big problem for Kodak with their RC Colour papers, their machines processed at 38ºC then washed in water at the tap temperature. Cause this mottling effect some parts are glossy others matte.

Ian

 

[jeffreyg]

Pentaxuser,

I use two fix baths and fiber base paper so far (41 years) it has worked well. The prints are moved from fix 1 to fix 2 with a total time of about six minutes. When fix 1 seems rather spent, I move fix 2 to 1 and make a fresh fix 2. The six minutes total time is a guess since I don't time it precisely. I'm on well water and a septic system so we have no municipal meter and also have had no problems with that albeit I don't really print that often nor do I make many prints in a session. With a closet full of boxes of prints I only print the images I really like. None of the prints have faded despite our humid climate.

http://www.jeffreyglasser.com/

 

[ChrisBCS]

Thanks everyone. A lot of good suggestions I will try.

A note, I'm not averse to tap. We have poor water here, and I use RO/DI for things because I have very easy access to it in my darkroom environment (I produce it already for other applications). I just figured it eliminated another variable. Dev, rinse, fix are all the exact same temperature, rinse water is within 1 degree typically, but there is the possibility of a fluctuation in the system I didn't detect. @Ian Grant How does one steam the surface? Literally hold the print surface over boiling water steam?

I will use an acetic acid stop from now on.

I put prints in the developer face first and agitate based on watching videos of Alan Ross's technique. The development is not uneven (below is the print face on). This defect is only visible looking at glare on the gloss finish of the paper.

 

[Ian Grant]

You steam a print with care !!! I use an electric kettle and leave the lid open it's very quick you don't want the print surface too close, do one half holding the print the opposite side to the steam then rotate. You could just re-wash and dry with a hair dryer, essentially you're just restoring the gloss.

Ian

 

[winger]

I think it looks more like it's drying unevenly. The times seem fine to me, but an acid stop bath wouldn't be a bad idea. I use the same times for that paper, but with Ilford MG developer and Ilford rapid fix, though I don't tone. Do you squeegee the prints? Dry upside down or face up? Could there have been even the slightest puddle on the print as it dried?
Our water is rusty sludge when it comes out of the well, but I do use it for printing (not for film). Our softener and iron removing tank get it clear enough.

 

[hacked - sepiareverb]

Looks like a surface effect from poor temperatire control, it's effectively a form of mild surface reticulation, try steaming the surface of the print and it will disappear.

Ian

+1. Watching the temp of your wash fluctuating or just being too different than the chems would be my best suggestion.

 

[ChrisBCS]

You steam a print with care !!! I use an electric kettle and leave the lid open it's very quick you don't want the print surface too close, do one half holding the print the opposite side to the steam then rotate. You could just re-wash and dry with a hair dryer, essentially you're just restoring the gloss.

Ian

I have definitely tried rewashing. No change in the shape, pattern, or qualities of the crazing. It's quite permanent.

 

[Ian Grant]

I have definitely tried rewashing. No change in the shape, pattern, or qualities of the crazing. It's quite permanent.

Re-washing won't help it's the heat that does.

Ian

 

[ChrisBCS]

Another data point, I came back to my darkroom this morning, and the print I had processed immediately before the one in this thread, in an identical fashion, has a flawless finish.