Jump to content

Sharing trays for PT/PD and Silver processing


skip_a

Recommended Posts

Last Sunday I made my first platinum/palladium prints using the pt/pd

kit that I purchased from Bostick and Sullivan. It was fun and quite

rewarding. The prints came out pretty good, I think, for a first

effort. Not as good as the Azo contact prints I made from the same

negatives, but I think I'll get there eventually.

 

I used the same 12x16 trays that I use for processing 11x14 silver

gelatin prints and 8x10 pyro negatives. I don't see any evidence of

contamination on my pt/pd prints, no streaks or spots or plating or

other unanticipated artifacts. The only real problem I see is softer

contrast than I'd like, and insufficient density in a print from

a "bullet proof" negative that took 43 minutes of UV exposure to

achieve what takes 30 seconds of 150 watt tungsten exposure for Azo.

 

Both Richard Sullivan and Carl Weese in "The New Platinum Print" and

Dick Arentz in "Platinum & Palladium Printing" recommend using trays

and utensils dedicated to pt/pd only, never used for silver. Neither

book really explains what specific types of problems might result

from sharing trays and utensils for both processes.

 

So I'd like to know what kind of contamination problems I risk by

doing this, and how will they manifest? Will thorough cleaning

between uses for different processes mitigate the risk? Is there a

reverse risk to my silver processing from pt/pd processing?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have never tempted fate by using any other than the wash trays for double duty. At that point in the pt/pd process, why try to save a couple of bucks by re-using the trays?

At this point you only know what a print processed in a contaminated tray will look like. Now go buy some new trays and see the difference.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

"At this point you only know what a print processed in a contaminated tray will look like."

 

Hmmmm. Good point, Joe. I'm mainly trying to save storage space more than equipment costs. My little 9 foot by 10 foot darkroom is already crammed to overflowing with equipment and supplies, but your point is well taken. I should probably go ahead and buy dedicated trays and utensils just to be safe, but it would be nice to know if there were any objective evidence to support the recommendation.

 

Platinum and Palladium and Silver are all metals, and Pt and Pd are routinely combined without regard. Why not silver? There must be some chemists out there who can explain how silver contamination might affect pt/pd prints (and vice versa, since I'll continue to use these same trays for silver processing). Will it cause fogging of the paper, or spots or streaking or staining, or perhaps affect the archival characteristics of the print?

 

In the absence of authoritative information, I'll probably buy new trays. I just wonder if it's really necessary.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Other metals can have an effect on the final result of Pt/Pa prints.

i once tryed printing ziatypes on the back of fully fixed Ilford fiber

paper, wich recievced a nice red tone, although the paper did not

coat very well and bubbled in places. also, it is recomended,

pretty much universally, that you should not use a brush with a

metal ferul for any alternative process.

Havinng said that , I have also tried processing ziatypes in

heavily used trays (University darkroom), and have seen nothing

suspect

 

hope this helps, john

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...