PhotoHistory

THE PRACTICAL PRINTER
A COMPLETE MANUAL PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTING

By Charles W Hearn 1874

FUMING THE PAPER

The paper, when thoroughly dry, is to be fumed. The advantages of fuming the sensitive paper are these:

1st. The paper prints richer, quicker, and more brilliantly.

2d. The prints tone easier, and the finished pictures are much more pleasing and satisfactory.

The printed fumed paper (when the nitrate bath is in good order, and worked properly) will print a very rich purple tone, tending slightly to blue in the hair, background, and light shadows, while in the deepest shades the color will be very brilliant and beautiful. It is well known by experienced printers that the better the paper prints, the better will be the finished pictures, and since fuming undoubtedly improves the printing-paper, it has come to be a very necessary part of the printing process.

The construction of the fuming-box is very simple. Take any common wooden box large enough for the purpose, and make a door of suitable size for it, which, when shut, will totally exclude all light. Make a false bottom in this about six inches or so from the real one, and perforate it with holes of about the size a large gimlet would make. These holes should be very numerous, and at the center of the board there should be, if anything, a smaller number of them, because the saucer containing the liquor ammonia is generally placed at the center of the real bottom of the box.

Mr. W. L. Shoemaker’s box may suit many better. He says of it in the Philadelphia Photographer:

“The cut below represents a box which I offer to the fraternity. As I do not intend to patent it, I will feel sufficiently repaid if I hear of any adopting it in their establishments.

“I claim as an improvement an entirely novel method of causing a perfect and even distribution of the ammonia fumes upon all parts of a sheet; so that, if properly silvered, the sheet will give a perfect and even print.

“We have, in Mr. Moore’s establishment, used for nine years a box which conveyed the fumes from the space in the bottom through holes into the fuming-chamber, the sheets standing upright. But the objection is, that part of the sheet nearest the bottom is stronger than top or center, which, when printing as we do, in whole sheets, invariably show a decided difference in the two ends.

“To avoid this, and cause a perfect distribution of the fumes, I have constructed the above box. We have used this box constantly for nearly three months, and fumed hundreds of sheets in it, and can with confidence offer it as doing everything I claim.

“The amount of ammonia is no greater than formerly used; the time of fuming is increased two to three minutes. In all the old boxes in which no draft is used, the paper becomes damp or limpid and quite decomposed on a warm, sultry day. In this box the paper remains perfectly dry, no matter how long fumed.

“There is another advantage: when the box is opened, after fuming, it does not leave fumes into the room.

“A sheet of paper is tacked, or fastened by the American clothes-clips, to the bottom of each slide; another is laid on the top. When all are filled, pour ammonia into the dish below, close the door, open the draft-slide, and the fuming goes on. The box we are using, and from which the above was copied, is intended for full sheets, 18 x 22.

“The dimensions of the inside (fuming-chamber) are as follows: 26 inches deep, 19 inches wide, and 17-1/2 inches high. The slides are 19-1/2 inches wide, 24 inches long. The space below, for fumes, is 2 inches high. The fumes are carried to the back end of the floor of the fuming-chamber, which has an opening 1-1/2 inches across its whole width, which allows the fumes to ascend into the first slide space. The first slide fits flush against the back of the box, and has a space of 1-1/2 inches across its front end, which allows the fumes to ascend to the second slide space. The second slide has its opening at the back end, and allows the fumes to come into the third slide space, and so on, until we reach the top of the box. The chamber for carrying off the fumes has its opening at the front end of the box. The pipe for conveying off the fumes is placed at the back end of this chamber, on the top of the box. We use a 2-inch tin pipe.

“It is necessary that the pipe should be attached to a chimney-flue, or attached, as we have it, by what iron-workers call a ‘jacket,’ on the stove-pipe. This is the best way, as you are always certain to have a good draft, which can be regulated at the sliding front of the door of the fuming-space.”

It may perhaps be better, since it does not retard the time of fuming so much, to have a fine wire gauze placed about the same number of inches from the bottom of the box as was recommended above for the false bottom, and then the fumes of the ammonia will ascend more rapidly; and to prevent the ascension of it so very rapidly at the center, and thus cause uneven fuming especially at the lower part of the sheet a piece of pasteboard can be placed on the gauze directly over and covering the greater part of the dish.

This box should be made large enough for fuming three or four sheets of paper at a time, which is all that is necessary to fume at one time in most galleries, especially during the summer, when the paper discolors so quickly after it is sensitized.

The sheets should be suspended in the air by means of a spring clip. Four laths, about three inches apart, and running parallel to each other, should be fastened to the top of the box, and a slip fastened to each end.

By placing two sheets back to back, you can fume eight sheets of paper at a time should you wish. Place about half an ounce of aqua ammonia in the saucer on the bottom of the box, shut the door, and then time the paper.

Some persons use carbonate of ammonia for fuming on account of its cheapness, but I do not see any gain in it, for what is gained by its cheapness is more than lost by its very insufficient fuming.

Carbonate of ammonia is very often used together with the aqua by pouring a few drops of the liquid on the lump of carbonate. This is said to be an economical way of fuming the paper, for with the use of the carbonate it is only necessary for a few drops of the stronger ammonia to be used, for there will then enough vapor arise to accomplish our object effectually.

Fuming with ammonia imparts a slight dampness to the paper, which during the hot months of summer may be considered an advantage; but during the damp days, when the paper is always damp, it is otherwise, and consequently the use of some substance in the fuming-box is required, which will take to itself the moisture, and leave the fumes of the ammonia alone to act upon the paper.

Chloride of lime is a good thing, and answers admirably. This is a moist, grayish-white substance, having, in a slight degree, the odor of chlorine.

It has powerful bleaching properties, and prevents the paper from turning yellow while fuming, a very common occurrence during the hot months with some brands of papers. It also improves the printing qualities of the paper, gives a virgin whiteness to the vignettes, and prevents the discoloration of them after printing, when the discoloring occurs only from the heat of the printing-room. It is best, when you wish to use this lime in connection with aqua ammonia, to pour a few drops of the liquid in the saucer, and uncorking the bottle of the chloride of lime to sprinkle a little of it on the ammonia, and immediately close the door. A dry white vapor of the lime and ammonia will ascend, which will give to the paper the properties named above.

The paper while drying tend toward curling up, thus causing it to fume unevenly. To prevent this the lower part of the paper should be held by a lath which has a spring clip nailed at each end of it.

The time of fuming the paper depends upon the state of the nitrate bath, the quality of the negatives, the temperature of the weather, and the brightness of the light.

Paper silvered on an acid bath needs much longer fuming than when silvered on an alkaline or a neutral one; paper for intense negatives less fuming than weak ones; during the summer less fuming than during the winter; and on a dark day less fuming is required than on a bright day. All these things are to be taken into account, and the beginner will do well to note them carefully.

As to the first of these, the printing-bath, if the bath is acid the time of fuming should vary with the amount of acidity, and that time can be ascertained by fuming until it prints a rich color without showing any signs of weakness. If the bath is alkaline or neutral less fuming is required than if the bath is acid.

As to the second of these, the quality of the negatives, a hard, intense negative should be printed upon paper fumed a very little, as too much fuming increases the sensitiveness of the paper, and makes the negatives yield harsher prints than what would be the result if the paper were fumed a less time. A thin or weak negative yields the best prints upon paper that has been fumed a long time, as it increases the sensitiveness of it, and makes greater contrasts, which is just what we wish. As for the medium negatives, fume a medium length of time.

The temperature of the weather is also a very important item in considering the fuming of the paper. During the hot months of summer the paper can bear less fuming than during the winter months, when the strength of the bath and also the time of the fuming must be increased.

The brightness of the sunlight must also be thought of, for when the light is bright and the weather good more fuming is required (so as to prevent mealiness) than would be necessary if the opposite were the case.

PRESERVATION OF SENSITIVE ALBUMENIZED PAPER; WASHED SENSITIVE PAPER

The preservation of the sensitive paper has attracted considerable attention among photographers generally, on account of the many advantages to be derived from being able to preserve paper in good working condition for a certain length of time after it has been prepared.

For amateurs, and for those professional photographers who only have occasion to print now and then, often not more than half a dozen times a month, a durable sensitive albumen paper would be an excellent thing, and for that reason the subject is worthy of the strictest attention.

Amateurs have been the most successful in experimenting in this direction, owing, most probably, to their greater interest in securing the desired result, besides their having much more time to do so than the photographer with a good business would have. I will give some of the formulae used, and make some suggestions that may help those who wish to prepare paper in this way.

For the purpose of preparing the bath so that it will keep the paper when floated upon it in good condition, such acids as oxalic, citric, and tartaric are added in various proportions to a plain silver bath, ranging from 25 to 45 grains of nitrate of silver to the ounce of solution.

The paper is then dried, and kept between large white sheets of blotting-paper, or in dark drawers in which there is a box placed containing chloride of calcium, which is there for the purpose of absorbing the moisture from the air, so as to keep the paper thoroughly free from it, which is very essential if the photographer desires to keep it for any length of time.

An excellent method, and which is used very successfully in England, is to make up a bath of about forty grains of nitrate of silver to the ounce of solution, neutralizing it with sal soda. The paper is floated from 45 to 75 seconds.

Make up a carbonate of soda solution, from 20 to 25 grains of the soda to the ounce of pure rain-water, and float large sheets of blotting-paper upon it until they have become thoroughly saturated with it, and then remove and dry them thoroughly. The sensitive albumen paper, when it is about three-quarters dry or while there is a moisture to the surface, is placed between sheets of the dry carbonate of soda blotting-paper and evenly pressed. The paper is then removed to fresh blotting-papers, until the moisture has all been absorbed.

The paper will then have carbonate of silver in its composition, which renders it very sensitive to the light, prints finely, and it will tone much more beautifully on account of its alkalinity than an acid paper will. The paper will keep in good condition in the summer for one month, if it is kept in a cool and totally dark place, and in the winter it will keep two or three times as long.

A process which is very highly recommended by Mr. J. E. Johnson, in a recent number of the British Journal Almanac, I will here give, having proved its value by a trial of it as he recommended, and the only fault I found with it was the silver being too weak for the purpose of obtaining as sensitive a paper as I would wish. He recommends a bath of 25 grains of nitrate of silver to the ounce of water, but I have found a bath of 35 grains strong to be better. The bath as changed is as follows:

Nitrate of Silver, 35 grains
Citric Acid, 25 grains
Water, 1 ounce

Make up a bath of 60 ounces as above. The writer of the article recommends pouring a certain quantity of solution on the paper and then brushing it over the surface, but as floating is probably more convenient, and knowing the result is as good, I should recommend the reader to float the paper 60 seconds and then dry thoroughly.

Pack away without fuming, between dry sheets of blotting-paper, and keep in a dark and cool place. Before printing, the paper should be fumed with strong ammonia full twenty minutes.

Mr. Johnson says that the paper will keep well from eight to ten months. I have, since preparing it, kept it up to the present time, full two months, in excellent condition, and, judging from the prints I have made on it, I see no reason why it should not keep for the full time he says, in excellent working order.

WASHED SENSITIVE PAPER

Paper sensitized in the usual way and then washed acquires keeping properties similar to that floated on a bath prepared especially for the purpose. The paper when washed should never be soaked in a bath of water, but only drawn through it once, and should not be permitted to remain in it more than one second longer than is really necessary, or it will surely make flat prints. The paper is floated upon the silver bath as you would do for ordinary sensitizing, and when drained sufficiently it is drawn through a lukewarm bath of pure water, permitted to drain again, and then hung up to dry.

Long sensitizing on a strong bath is necessary for the success of the washed paper, and the water should be fresh every time you wash a sheet of paper. The used water can have the silver in it thrown down in the form of a chloride by sprinkling a little salt in it.

An excellent bath for the paper that is destined to be washed is made as follows:

Nitrate of Silver, 60 grains
Nitrate of Ammonia, 30 grains
White Sugar, 3 grains
Pure Water, 1 ounce

Make neutral (i.e., neither acid nor alkaline) with bicarbonate of soda: float two minutes, let drain, and then pass the paper quickly through a citric acid bath of one grain of the acid to the ounce of pure water. Dry thoroughly and pack away the paper in the dark without fuming, being careful not to expose it to the light.

This paper will keep white for months if it is packed between blotting-paper in a box which is made air-tight. To preserve the paper for a long time, it is necessary first, to prevent white light from ever striking the surface until it is to be printed; second, to always pack the paper in a dark room, and the packing should be so conducted that the paper in the boxes should be perfectly protected from the air; third, the packed boxes should be placed in a cool and dry place, and not in a place where the atmosphere is apt to be changeable.

The paper should be fumed from 20 to 25 minutes, when about to print it, and chloride of lime should be in the fuming-box at the time, to absorb the moisture of the ammonia and to keep the paper white, for preserved sensitive paper turns quite yellow while being fumed.

Paper is often, instead of being drawn through water, floated upon a bath containing alum in the proportion of four or five grains of alum to the ounce of water, or on a bath of water in which there is a little hydrochloric acid. There is some fault found with the acid on account of its being too insensitive. Objection is also raised to the simple citric acid, but in the latter case, instead of its being too insensitive, it is the reverse.

In the case of the citric acid, if the number of grains of the acid to the ounce of water is not too large, it will work well.

Durable sensitive paper, whether washed or not, should always be fumed before use.

TONING

For good success at toning the citric acid (durable) paper, whether the acid is in the composition of the printing-bath, or whether the paper is drawn through or floated upon a bath of diluted citric acid, the washing before toning should be comparatively very slight, and although the paper may be red, you should soak the prints in a very weak bath of acetic acid and water, a minim of the acid to the ounce of water, for five minutes, and then rinse well. For toning citric acid paper, have the bath very alkaline, and if the prints should refuse to tone nicely drop in about six to eight minims of a plain silver solution, ten grains strong, of the silver, to the ounce of the water. Stir well, and let stand for five or ten minutes.

Warm the toning solution quite warm and then allow it to cool to a lukewarm state before using. The ordinary toning bath can be used very successfully in toning the durable paper; indeed, there is no necessity for any other bath than the ones which will be given in a future chapter.

The alum-bath paper will tone more easily than the citric acid, and in toning this paper the toning bath need not be so alkaline.