What's so wrong with FB print dryers?

[john_s]

On my first flat bed dryer I successfully ferrotyped many prints on its stainless steel sheet. However, I had to return it when its owner returned from a long trip, and I bought a pair of Photax units that also came with stainless steel sheets. I had trouble with prints sticking, and gave up on the process. Around the time I got a heat mounting press and that solved the curled print problem.

Kodak at the time made glazing solution that contained formaldehyde, so it smelled a bit, but was a change from acid fixer!

Kodak also recommended a certain polish for the stainless steel. It was aloxite (aluminium oxide) of an extremely fine grade (but I don't remember the grade), but they stressed that no other grade could be used.

I assumed that the first unit i used successfully had been either properly polished or perhaps "seasoned" with lots of professional use.

 

[dancqu]

Pre-Dry With a Sponge

... if something needs to be dried in a hurry, it's possible
to speed the process up by putting the print between blotters
& hand winding it round a few times before finishing on racks.

Try sponge dry. At least they can be rinsed and reused.
I believe the sponge must be superior to the squeegee in
pre-drying paper as the sponge will draw water from a
surface and more unto itself. Photo grade sponges are
available. I sponge then rack. Dan

 

[Sirius Glass]

Sponges can deteriorate and leave tiny pieces behind. Try ShamWow. It aborbs well and does not leave pieces behind.

Steve

 

[Bigpaul]

I've got an old (and very heavy!) RR Beard rotary glazer that I routinely use for FB prints. I'd say about 60% of my FB prints are glazed, the remainder either being FB glossy paper that is dried with the emulsion side against the canvas for an "air dried" sort of finish, or non-glossy paper dried likewise. For most prints (not all), I love the glazed (ie ferrotyped) finish........quite different to RC gloss. Whilst I do have a good supply of ancient Johnson's glazing solution (lasts for ages as it's used very dilute), I find it's not really necessary. What is important, though, is testing by trial and error to get the temperature setting just right. My optimal setting gives the print two circuits of the drum, and on the second circuit, a fully-glazed and dried print pops off the drum; they come off reasonably flat, but overnight under some heavy books gives a flat print with little effort. Clearly, all the points regarding cleanliness etc must be borne in mind, but I wouldn't be without my drier when it comes to FB printing. .......both for quality of results and speed of drying.

 

[dancqu]

Sponges can deteriorate and leave tiny pieces behind. Steve

Can? I suppose it's possible but I've not had any problems
even with the 99 cent variety. Of course they are kept just
for the purpose; dried first then plastic bagged. Dan

 

[Photo Engineer]

Steve, when people glazed prints (ferrotype) there were glazing solutions available, these used exotic and foul smelling things like ox-gall, or spermateci (bulls sperm) or more normal beeswax.
.............
Ian.

Ian;

This apparent misspelling bothered me.

In the above, did you mean spermaceti? This is the wax found in the head of a sperm whale. We used that and it was not heavy in odor.

PE

 

[Ian Grant]

You're right, last time I came across it I was aged about 14 or 15 and I put 2+2 together wrong then

Makes more sense too.

Ian