This section is from the book "Complete Self-Instructing Library Of Practical Photography", by J. B. Schriever. Also available from Amazon: Complete Self-Instructing Library Of Practical Photography.
Bromo - Iodizer. In order to bromo - iodizc the plain collodion, dissolve in five fluid ounces of alcohol, the following:
Iodide of Cadmium ........... | .................50 grs. |
Bromide of Ammonium...... | .................25 grs. |
When the iodide and bromide are fully dissolved add to the plain collodion.
ioio. Preparing Silver Baths.-Place 16 ounces of distilled or pure water in your graduate. In this dissolve one grain of potassium iodide, then add one ounce of nitrate of silver. Dissolve the silver and thoroughly mix the solution, allowing it to stand in the sunlight for four or five hours. You will probably find that there will be a slight precipitation. Decant into your silver bath all of the solution that you can without disturbing this precipitation. Next add one or two drops of nitric acid - sufficient to make the bath turn blue litmus paper faintly red. If the silver bath is too acid, marks on the film will appear; if too little acid is used the image will appear fiat and of a dirty gray appearance. If the bath is too acid add a little neutral silver solution. Dissolve a little of the neutral silver and add it directly to the bath. To overcome the flat, dirty gray appearance, simply add a drop or two more of nitric acid.
1011.. Another very good formula is as follows:
Nitrate of Silver, re-crystallized .. | ............51/2 ozs. |
Distilled water | ...........80 fl. ozs. |
Nitric Acid C. P ............... | 1/2 drm. |
1012. This bath should be saturated with iodide of silver and filtered before using. To iodize your bath see Paragraphs 892, 893, Wet Plate Process.
Water | 16 ozs. |
1 oz. | |
Protosulphate of Iron | 1oz. |
Alcohol | 1 oz. |
1014. As the ingredients used for developer are inexpensive, a large quantity should be prepared in advance. The following amounts will fill a good-sized bottle:
Preparing The Developer. Place 96 ounces of water in a large, clean bottle; then, add 6 ounces of acetic acid (glacial), 6 ounces of protosulphate of iron, and thoroughly dissolve; next, add 6 ounces of alcohol. The alcohol will cause the developer to flow easily.
ioio. Anotner very good formula tor developer is as follows:
Ferrous-sulphate ........... | 150 grs. |
Acetic Acid (glacial)........ | 1/2 oz. |
Nitric Acid ................ | 5 minims. |
Alcohol .................... | 1/2 oz. |
Water ..................... | 10 ozs. |
Note. - By increasing the proportion of nitric acid and decreasing that of acetic acid the image will be more metallic in appearance.
 
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