selenium toning

greenspun.com : LUSENET : B&W Photo - Printing & Finishing : One Thread

I've always toned with selenium after the prints have been sitting in rinse water for 1/2 to 2 hours. However, most recommendations say to go directly from fixer to selenium. I believe this has to do with staining, but what is the reason?

Also, I've recently read that mixing the selenium with HCA is no more effective than mixing with water. Any comments?

R.

-- r (ricardospanks1@yahoo.com), June 05, 2001

Answers

Response to selenium toneing

I believe the purpose of the HCA is only to make sure you keep the toner alkaline. When it turns acid, there will be a precipitate that causes purplish stains on prints and trays. Kodalk (or another mild alkali for that matter) will probably do the same job. If you take a print directly from an acid fixer to the toner, I believe the buffering capacity of the toner will soon be exhausted, allowing it to turn acid.

Regards, Thomas Wollstein

-- Thomas Wollstein (thomas_wollstein@web.de), June 05, 2001.


Response to selenium toneing

I always use to put the prints in a water bath after the fixer. Then I rinse the prints for a minute or two before the selenium toning. (diluted 1+9). I have never had any problems with this procedure, but I always use Emaks paper and there may be different results with other papers.

-- Patric (jenspatric@mail.bip.net), June 05, 2001.

Response to selenium toneing

Ricardo

When toning fibre based prints I wash for 15 minutes, hypo clear for 5 minutes wash for a further 15 minutes then tone. Final washing takes 1 hour.

For resin coated - wash for 5 minutes after fix, don't bother with the Hypo Clear, tone then final wash for 10 minutes. I have never had staining problems using either method.

Adrian

-- Adrian Twiss (avtwiss@ukonline.co.uk), June 14, 2001.


Moderation questions? read the FAQ