Discussion thread for Sticky for wet printing

Right this one is going to be more difficult because I have not yet done this but I will try...

FIRST DRAFT - From what I have read and memory (and likely quite wrong )​

Mix chemicals

1 - See below

Get data

2 - Check with the manufacturer's info for the recommended time for exposure (we will assume 8 seconds)
3 - Check with the manufacturer's info for the recommended time for developer solution
4 - Check with the manufacturer's info for the recommended time for the stop solution
5 - Check with the manufacturer's info for the recommended time for the fix solution


Prepare dark room

6 - Dry Table with enlarger on it
7 - Wet Table with three trays & bucket/sink for final wash
8 - Pour out enough of each chemical for submerging your paper
9 - Setup a washing line for drying the prints


Setup Enlarger

10 - Fit negative into negative holder in enlarger
11 - Fit the correct lens to the enlarger (see below).
12 - Adjust the enlarger lens to f2.8 to let more light in and assist focussing
13 - Place easel under enlarger set at the size you want to print at
14 - Switch on the enlarger lamp
15 - Adjust height of enlarger head till the image or part image is projected onto the easel at the correct size.
16 - Adjust the focus till the image is in focus.
17 - Re-adjust the enlarger lens to f8 for the final print.
18 - IF using a multigrade filter then fit the correct multigrade one. (2.5-3 as a start)
19 - double check the focussing
20 - Switch off the enlarger lamp
21 - Switch on safe light
22 - Switch off main light


Expose the paper for a test print

23 - Place sheet of paper onto the easel.
24 - Cover the sheet of paper
25 - Switch on the enlarger lamp.
26 - Reset timer
27 - Pull cover back 1/5 of the way and wait 2 seconds
28 - Pull cover back 1/5 of the way and wait 2 seconds
29 - Pull cover back 1/5 of the way and wait 4 seconds
30 - Pull cover back 1/5 of the way and wait 8 seconds
31 - Pull cover back 1/5 of the way and wait 16 seconds

{at this point the last 1/5th of the paper will have had 2 seconds and each 1/5 will have double the previous up to the last fifth having 32 seconds}

32 - Switch off the enlarger light


Development stage

33 – Reset your timer.
34 – Dunk the paper into the developing tray.
35 – Agitate the paper as per the recommendations of the developing fluid manufacturer


Stop stage

36 – Reset your timer.
37 – Dunk the paper into the stop tray.
38 – Agitate the paper as per the recommendations of the developing fluid manufacturer


Fix stage

39 – Reset your timer.
40 – Dunk the paper into the fix tray.
41 – Agitate the paper as per the recommendations of the developing fluid manufacturer


Wash stage

42 – Wash the paper in running water for around five minutes.


Finally

43 - Use paper squeagy to dry off the paper
44 – Hang the paper to dry.


Completing an actual print

45 - Look at the test print and check the time that created the best part of the image.


Expose the paper for normal print

46 - Place sheet of paper onto the easel.
47 - Switch on the enlarger lamp.
48 - Reset timer
49 - Wait for correct time as per step 45
50 - Switch off the enlarger light

51 - DEVELOP PRINT AS PER ABOVE IE GO BACK TO STEP 23



Mixing your paper fluids.

Developer can be bought as a liquid or as a powder. The powder method is used in order to create larger amounts but for either of the methods you need to create a supply of standard strength solution. Using BROMOPHEN powder as an example a 5L box will create 5 litres of this working solution. The working solution can be stored in light and air tight containers for a while maybe a year (see specific information on your chemicals).

The stop and fix fluids may well be the SAME as for film. The ones I have bought from Ilford certainly are.

Correct sized enlarger lenses

35mm film – 50mm lens.
6x6/645 – 80mm lens
6/7 - 90mm lens
6/9 105mm lens
4x5 135/150mm lens

BITS I AM NOT SURE ABOUT! (I will start checking these unless someone feels like correcting them now)

How do you know which multigrade filter to use.

Multigrade filter usually go from 0 - 5 in 1/2 grades.

Grade 0 = is a very soft grade and will give you lots of soft grey tones can work well for some portraits.
Grade 2 - 3 is usually the 'normal grade' filter and I think is the one to best start with.
Grade 5 = very contrasty good for those graphic type shots where you want very little grey tones.

It is a case of trail and error to see what grade suits which image you are trying to print.

Only things I would add is:

If using Ilford Multigrade filter best to start with a Grade 2 1/2 or 3.

To aid focusing with the enlarger is to open the lens wide ie on a 50mm f2.8.

When I do a test print for the negs I would stop the lens down to f8 and would use time steps of say 20 secs each 1/5 ( a minute each seems a long time but suppose it depends on your negs)

I usually print using f8 I have in the past stop the lens down to f16 but it I could not see any difference. Does make for longer exposure time good for dodging and burning techniques, but I am sure someone will correct me on this.

I've only speed read this, but 1 minute is probably way too long for each test, unless you've really over-cooked your negs!
Might be worth getting some can air to blast the neg before putting in the carrier.

Have fun

Thanks everyone, any more tips would be appreciated

Recheck focus before final exposure... get practical experience?

Don't forget to choose the correct enlarging lens for the size/effect required.

Right i've adjusted the instructions to include everything that has been said other than Paul MR's input. I am not sure what sizes would be relevant, I do have about 5 lenses and 2 enlargers but not even looked at that bit yet.

The norm is to use:
35mm film – 50mm lens.
6x6/645 – 80mm lens
6/7 - 90mm lens
6/9 105mm lens
4x5 135/150mm lens

You can get some interesting effects IE: using 6x6 and a 50 mm lens you can get vignetting.

Paul MR said:

The norm is to use:
35mm film – 50mm lens.
6x6/645 – 80mm lens
6/7 - 90mm lens
6/9 105mm lens
4x5 135/150mm lens

You can get some interesting effects IE: using 6x6 and a 50 mm lens you can get vignetting.

Click to expand...

Thanks will incorporate this now.

Well I have done my first prints but now! Still not completely right with the process but it is coming on. I have Just_Dave popping round to give me some pointers as he sold the kit to me in the first place so hopefully things will improve.

It's one of those things that you never stop learning something, and there's always something you can improve Darren, that's what makes it such a satisfying thing to do (and in equal parts such a frustrating thing to do as well )

TheBigYin said:

It's one of those things that you never stop learning something, and there's always something you can improve Darren, that's what makes it such a satisfying thing to do (and in equal parts such a frustrating thing to do as well )

Click to expand...

I can imagine! I am hoping to do another batch in the next few days

A bit about good technique for sliding prints into dev might be helpful.
I know that getting back into it my first few prints were pretty horendous because half the paper had devved more than the other half.

How difficult is sliding a bit of paper into some water?

It doesn't seem that hard really, unless there is some super-technique

The only issue I have ever had is where I get lazy and don't make sure the whole sheet is submerged, but other than that you just slide it in, maybe with a little bit of a curl to make sure the whole print gets washed over with dev, and then just gently press it down so it's all submerged

Kev M said:

How difficult is sliding a bit of paper into some water?

Click to expand...

raathistle said:

It doesn't seem that hard really, unless there is some super-technique

The only issue I have ever had is where I get lazy and don't make sure the whole sheet is submerged, but other than that you just slide it in, maybe with a little bit of a curl to make sure the whole print gets washed over with dev, and then just gently press it down so it's all submerged

Click to expand...

Ah, let me explain.

This was what I was doing, had always done, until someone showed me the technique of tilting the dev tray so all the liquid is at the far end, place your print exposed face up on the now dry(ish) bottom of the tray then drop the lifted end down so that the dev washes quickly and evenly over the top of the print.

I feel like a numpty for having slid the paper in with the tray flat for so long!

I think I'll stick with the slide it in TBH. On a 2 minute development the extra 2 seconds is negligble

Also how big are the trays you are using to get anything like dry at the base?

raathistle said:

I think I'll stick with the slide it in TBH. On a 2 minute development the extra 2 seconds is negligble

Also how big are the trays you are using to get anything like dry at the base?

Click to expand...

It's not so much the extra dev time as how certain you are to cover the entire print in one go and the continuity and repeatability of it.

BIG.
It was in the darkroom at college, might not be so easy to do with a smaller tray.