Printing Proceedure

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

No, they're filed. The filing is done irregularly, not straight, while the lines outside the main border are caused by reflections from the unpainted metal revealed by filing the carrier. I ruined two carriers trying to get one looking 'right' when I was young and dumb. :bang::bang::bang::bang: I had a Beseler 23cII...the carriers were $75 each back then and back then people were not giving darkroom gear away just to get it out of the way. :bang::bang::bang:

 

[tlitody]

those rough edges are really good for scratching your negatives.

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

those rough edges are really good for scratching your negatives.

True! 😛😛

 

[Thomas-Paris]

Filed out his negative carriers. The ragged border look from filed carriers was all the rage when I was in college in the late 90s.

Oh that's funny! We must be the same age, but I never asked what the "proper" way to achieve that look was, so I used a different technique: a piece of card stock over the image portion of the print, take out the negative, and add another few seconds of white light for the borders. A friend and I came up with that technique, and because we were the first ones doing that in our co-op darkroom, everyone else just followed our lead. I'm glad I didn't know any better 😀

 

[Chris101]

those rough edges are really good for scratching your negatives.

After you file them, go at the edges with some 600 grit sand paper. If you do the filing with a dremmel, you can be very precise and get a perfectly unstraight edge.

Black edges have been the rage since way before the 90s. Especially if you like to matte in black.

 

[dfoo]

Oh that's funny! We must be the same age, but I never asked what the "proper" way to achieve that look was, so I used a different technique: a piece of card stock over the image portion of the print, take out the negative, and add another few seconds of white light for the borders. A friend and I came up with that technique, and because we were the first ones doing that in our co-op darkroom, everyone else just followed our lead. I'm glad I didn't know any better 😀

Just goes to show you that there is no proper way in the darkroom. Whatever gets the look you want to achieve is correct!

 

[tlitody]

After you file them, go at the edges with some 600 grit sand paper. If you do the filing with a dremmel, you can be very precise and get a perfectly unstraight edge.

Black edges have been the rage since way before the 90s. Especially if you like to matte in black.

I thought most people who did the filing were into "full frame" printing.

I would have just used card to do it and saved my neg holder. We'll see what the OP says when/if he gets back to us.

 

[PatrickT]

I got "lucky"...the negative carrier that the craft center gave me to use already had it like this and I loved it 🙂

 

[Chris101]

...
Chris...where might I get one of these? ...

Here.

I thought most people who did the filing were into "full frame" printing.

I would have just used card to do it and saved my neg holder. We'll see what the OP says when/if he gets back to us.

I'm not sure what you mean. By printing some of the film outside the frame, you are assured of getting the "full frame". Just be sure not to go so far that the carrier does not get a good grip on the negative. Try for about half a millimeter of extra space all the way around.

When I first tried it, I used a cardboard cutout, but that makes for a 'fuzzy' edge that does not look good.

 

[t.s.k.]

My assumption regarding filing the carrier is that it may compromise neg flatness?
Or are we not filing that much?

I just bought 4 different sized 23C carriers for what one cost back then.
Times sure have changed.

The prints look good Patrick!

 

[PatrickT]

Thanks guys! A few things I cam across yesterday while printing...

What is your method of checking focus? Do you have a scrap piece of photo paper to put down to check focus on? Also, do you use some sort of loupe? My focus was slightly off a few times.

How do you hold the paper down and in the right spot? They provided some sort of "easel" that didn't seem to work too well (and only allowed me to lay the paper on top of it).

Thanks!

 

[Moto-Uno]

Hello
Can't seem to get the search for contact printing info.Does one NEED an enlarger for the light source? Any paper suggested for a newbie?They'll be 6x9 negs.Any suggested times,or will I just be able to see it happening before me? I just developed my first 6x9 and 4x5 Ilford FP5 and I'm dying to go to the next stage.Thanks for any help or direction!!!

 

[t.s.k.]

You need a grain focuser. There are cheap ones and there are very very spendy ones.
Cheap used ones work fine.

Don't understand about your problems with the easel.

 

[t.s.k.]

dupe deleted...

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[Landshark]

Freestyle is a good source for supplies.
Without a controlled light source contact printing can be quite a challenge.
Using AZO, long discontinued, or the Smith/Chamlee paper. ( I forgot) times are pretty controllable.
An enlarger like a Beseler 23C will take 6X9 negatives and aren't too expensive nor especially bulky

 

[PatrickT]

Thanks guys.

I just went to the local camera shop and picked up some Ilford Multigrade Fiber Matte paper and a blotter book. I'll be trying some of it today! Will post results when I get back 🙂

 

[Chris101]

Thanks guys.

I just went to the local camera shop and picked up some Ilford Multigrade Fiber Matte paper and a blotter book. I'll be trying some of it today! Will post results when I get back 🙂

Can't wait to see 'em.

These days I use a grain focuser, they are pretty much fool-proof. Be sure and have a piece of the same kind of paper you will be printing on in the easel so the height is exactly right. The back of a print that didn't turn out right is perfect, but be sure to wash and flatten it!

Before I started using a grain focuser though, I made do with a linen tester type loupe. Just flip the magnifier backward and you can focus on the paper. Or any strong magnifier you have will do in a pinch.

The perfectionists will soon show up to tell you that you could ruin everything if you improvise, but ... 🙄

 

[tlitody]

Can't wait to see 'em.

These days I use a grain focuser, they are pretty much fool-proof. Be sure and have a piece of the same kind of paper you will be printing on in the easel so the height is exactly right. The back of a print that didn't turn out right is perfect, but be sure to wash and flatten it!

Before I started using a grain focuser though, I made do with a linen tester type loupe. Just flip the magnifier backward and you can focus on the paper. Or any strong magnifier you have will do in a pinch.

The perfectionists will soon show up to tell you that you could ruin everything if you improvise, but ... 🙄

Exactly how do you know the grain magnifier was designed with a piece of paper under it? 😀

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

Exactly how do you know the grain magnifier was designed with a piece of paper under it? 😀

Paper varies in thickness, so if a focuser was designed to actually focus sightly above the easel to compensate for the paper thickness, it would not be accurate with all paper. In the old days, there used to be really thin 'single weight' fiber paper as well as the 'double weight' we use today, and Ilford makes RC paper in normal and a thick 'portfolio' version.

 

[tlitody]

Paper varies in thickness, so if a focuser was designed to actually focus sightly above the easel to compensate for the paper thickness, it would not be accurate with all paper. In the old days, there used to be really thin 'single weight' fiber paper as well as the 'double weight' we use today, and Ilford makes RC paper in normal and a thick 'portfolio' version.

What is the Depth of focus at the paper with 8x10 print using a 50mm lens @ f5.6?