Salt Printing Check list, Safety, process?

[danmerkdotcom]

This seems like a statement rather than a question, but this is new to me. (Although I

have some experience printing in platinum / palladium. I am really looking for a pat

on the back and some filling in the holes I have.)

 

I want to make salt prints since they look very similar to pt/pl printing, but less the

Ferric Oxalate, potassium chlorate, HCL 2% and a developer. Not to mention that this

*seems* much safer than most alt processes. Is the following all I need?

 

Contrasty negative

 

UV printing device (sun or some home made solution not there yet)

Contact frame with good contact (foam board under or something)

 

Ordering lists:

Silver Nitrate (AgNO3) 50g

Sodium Chloride (lab salts)

Citric Acid

Arrowroot or Gelatin

 

Glass Spreader (puddle pusher)

 

Standard Kodak Hypo Clear for fixing.

 

Considerations:

1. When I wash my prints in the 3 baths, can I dump any of my water leftovers down a

normal drain? Sounds like just hypo clear is the only chemistry I am dumping, because

the sodium/gelatin solution is for the paper, and the AgNO 3 is mixed and stored in

bottles, and only used on the paper in very small amounts.

 

2. Flattening the sized sodium paper, any ideas?

 

3. any lessons to note on mixing the silver solution? Just dissolve in water? Water first,

then AgNO3? Or vice verca. Will this blow up? Is this only hazardous only when I

actually make the solutions? Is the sensitizer only light sensitive when coated? I can

keep this in a bottle out of the normal sun, but inside is ok in a cool place?

 

4. Wear neoprene gloves, goggles, chemical/dust respirator mask.

 

Am I missing anything? Thanks for the time to read, however This may be a nice

search result in the future for someone else learning. ;)

[ole_tjugen]

Hypo Clear? You shouldn't be using that, just a very dilute regular hypo. The "Clear" bit is important - "hypo" is sodium thiosulfate, "Hypo Clear" is (mostly) sodium sulfite.

A plain fix, diluted about 10x normal (ten times weaker), does the job.

 

The washing water contains a little silver nitrate; but this will combine with anything to form some insoluble compound.

 

That takes care of qustion 1.

 

2: No idea, I haven't had any problems with that.

 

3: Just dissolve in water. It won't blow up. AgNO3 should be treated with respect in any form, it reacts with anything including skin and stainless steel! It is also light sensitive in any form, and should be stored in the dark.

 

4: I don't - but I'm very, very careful. Latx gloves and regular glasses has been sufficient - so far.