1047. Sensitizing Solution

Sensitizing Solution.

1048. Sensitizing The Card

Sensitizing The Card. Place the salted card face up on the tips of five fingers of the left hand. Next pour a quantity of the sensitizing solution on the corner of the card and flow over the entire surface, being careful that none of the solution runs over onto the back of the card, then drain balance of the solution back into the bottle.

1049. If only part of the card is to be sensitized spread the sensitizing solution over that part only, by dipping a piece of absorbent cotton into the sensitizing solution. Dry the card as rapidly as possible in a dark room or one lighted by a ruby lamp.

1050. Printing

Printing. Unlike the developing cards the image is visible during the printing and should be printed in good strong daylight. Print a trifle darker than desired when finished, as the toning and fixing will cause the image to grow somewhat lighter.

1051. Toning

Toning. Prepare the toning bath as follows:

Stock Solution No. 1

Place the chloride of gold in a large bottle, adding 15 ounces of pure water. Shake well until all the gold is dissolved. Label this bottle "Gold Stock Solution No. 1."

Stock Solution No. 2

This makes a 10% solution. Dissolve the chemical thoroughly and label the bottle " Acetate Stock Solution No. 2."

Stock Solution No. 3

As borax crystals do not dissolve freely, the use of hot water is advised. Label this bottle " Borax Solution No. 3."

1054. Prepare your toning bath as follows: Into a 2-qt. bottle pour 48 ounces of water; of Stock Solution No. 1, add 1 ounce; Stock Solution No. 2, 1 ounce. Shake thoroughly the bottle containing these solutions and allow it to stand and ripen. When ready for use, pour this bath into the toning tray, placing a piece of red litmus paper in the bath; then add gradually a little of Solution No. 3, sufficient to turn the red litmus paper blue in two minutes. If the small quantity of Solution No. 3 you have added does not perform this work in the given time, then add more of the solution, and continue to add until the litmus paper does turn blue. The best litmus paper to use for testing the gold bath is that put up in small glass vials. A small bottle will last a long while. We advise the procuring of a bottle of blue as well as one of red, for should your bath become acid by continuous use, it can be tested with blue litmus paper.

1055. Allow the bath to ripen at least 24 hours. If bath has not been allowed to ripen, prints are likely to bleach. Most poor results are due to the fact that the toning bath is too fresh. Wash the prints in ten changes of clean water. This should take 20 minutes. The cards should be picked over and over between each change of water. Place the cards, one at a time, face up, in the toning bath, picking them over and over. The number of cards placed in this bath at one time should not be more than 15. For the beginner we would advise the toning of only three or four cards at first. This will enable him to study the process of toning more closely. When the desired tone has been obtained, remove from the toning bath and place in a tray of clear water. When all cards have been toned place them in the fixing bath, previously prepared as follows:

1056. After fixing, wash thoroughly one hour in running water, picking the prints over and over by hand, for one-half hour. Also pick the prints over and over between each wash. While prints are in the hypo bath they should be picked over and over to insure thorough fixing.