Webster’s Wet Plate

Home in Maine for the Christmas holidays, and getting some scanning, and printing done with my brother.

Between us we have thousands of negatives. Most kept in sleeves, a few in envelopes, and some in boxes. With all the new app’s for scanning it is high time we got around to doing just that. Set the radio to a holiday music station, organize the workspace, and get some negatives digitized.

Half way through my sixtieth year, I had hope to be on the road by now, but the pandemic has disrupted so many things. I am still alive though, and that’s a good thing.

Work is progressing on the darkroom box. I’ll get some photos posted soon. Happy with how it is coming together.

Now that Fall has arrived, and with it some comfortable cycling weather, I hope to schedule more time on the bicycle in hopes of getting in better shape for longer rides. Friday seems to be the day that I am able to free up the most, and I should make a point of doubling up on my Thursday work to give me the advantage of an early morning start Friday. The Westside bicycle path is well marked, and maintained, and this makes for an easier ride if I start before sun up. My goal is to reach the little red lighthouse just as dawn approaches. This give me a boost of energy as the day starts.

Though I plan on riding through the Winter, I should squeeze as many rides in before the snow, and ice take a firm hold.

I had hoped to take some time off this October, but each day I am not working is money that is not going into my savings account, but a few days off, and a little bicycle trip would be wonderful.

Time now to get back to work.

My original plan, as many of you may know,  was to be back on my bicycle on my 60th birthday,  with the plan of spending as many of my remaining years as possible touring the globe.  It seemed like such a simple thing.  I had projected my earnings from both the Museum, and the market to establish a budget that would hold me over till I turned 62.  All was running according to plan until the pandemic struck. Everthing came to a grinding halt.  I was fortunate to still be employed, but my earnings from the market dropped conciderably.

My goal remains the same,  but I now must adapt my plans to what life is throwing at it.  A departure date of March 2023 looks to be more prudent, and though part of me wants nothing more than to hop on Sweetpea, and hit the road, I must look at the big picture.

This gives me 560 days, and I hope to make the best of it.  I hope to build up a sustainable workout plan.  One that I can continue to follow whilst touring.  Work on the darkroom box continues.  I only have early Sunday mornings at the moment to do any work on it, but with luck that will be changing soon.

I still have a vast pile of aquired possessions that needs culling.  Some items will go on ebay, some items will be gifted,  and the remainder will become landfill.  The ultimate goal for me is to own only what I can comfortably haul around on my bicycle. Nothing more.

Time now to deal with a flat tire, go for a little ride.

Work on the box continues. Early Sunday morning I began the construction of the upper box sides. This section is removable from the base, and allows for better access to the developing area.

It was a bit of a head scratcher, but after my third cup of coffee, and a few doodles on a note pad , I began cutting, and fitting.

Once I had the cedar strips cut, and fitted I reassembled them on a sheet of plastic, and began glueing them together.

I’ll trim, and for them again, and then glue them to the back section below the cover.

The cover will be the next project, along with the hinged “wings” easier to show , than explain.

Spent the early morning hours working on the new wet plate colloidian developing box. The prototype, which I had cobbled together with scraps, just so I could get an idea of is feasibility, allowed me to workout any issues, and once I was comfortable with the new design I began building the new box.

I went with a friend to pick out the cedar, and he helped me with the selection process. Beautiful straight grain, and clear as can be. Also a small fortune! I waited this long before cutting into it, as any error would be costly.

After taking careful, and copious measurements of the prototype, and making notes of any improvements in design, and construction, I made the first cut. The cedar planks were first cut into correct lengths, then into 1” wide blanks. These were then passed through the table saw, and cut into 1/4 thick pieces before being run through the router table where the were given cove, and bead edges.

The B.O.B. Trailer was used as a form, and once I had cut, and shaped the bottom of the box I began the lay up of the front, and sides.

The top was glued up, and shaped, and the next step will be to do the filler pieces that form the upper sides. Once the box is constructed it will get a good sanding before being glassed over.

I hope to have it completed by the end of July. Then I can load it into the trailer, and get out to do some wet plate work.

Five plus years now in the City, and though it has been an amazing experience, the road is calling.

A year from today I shall gather up my camera gear, load my bicycle, and pedal off into my future. Where it will take me is as much a mystery to me as it is for you.

The first leg of my adventure will be perhaps a tour of these United States. Always something new, and exciting to see around each corner.

It is my hope to do mostly wet plate colloidian photographs, and to continue with my pedal portrait project. It will be a meandering route, dictated mostly by the weather, and my current mood.

This plan may sound rash, and foolish, but I can no longer push aside my dreams. It is my desire now to spend the rest of my few remaining years on the road. Bicycle, and camera.

This remaining year will be spent squirreling away as much money as I can, and preparing myself for a life on the road.

The clock is ticking.

Well, it has been some time since my last post, and I just had my subscription automatically renewed. So, since I am paying for it I should probably use it.

Summer is here, and with it comes beautifully sunny days that are perfect for wet plate colloidian photography. It is also getting hot, and humid. Not so fun.

I took advantage of the early morning conditions to do some retrofit work on the big darkroom cart. The last time out with it was in early March. This was before things became crazy with social distancing, and masks. That feels like along time ago. Well, on that last run with the cart I had two flat tires, and am just now getting around to solving that problem. The rubber was fairly sun damaged, so new tires were in order. Went with beach cruisers in green. Pretty sharp, I think.

I then hauled out the saws, and drill to make changes to the upper part of the box. The goal was to lighten it some, so off came the hinged side panels, and front piece. This makes for an easier setup, and gives the cart a lower profile.

New dark cloth curtains are on order. Went with lavender. Should look nice with the new green tires. Need to design a nice logo, and get some signage for the cart too. Time to start operations as a tintype business.

I had ordered a hundred lites of glass a few months ago, and am just now getting around to seeing how they fit into the film holder. Alas, it looks as though that are all in need of trimming.

I started out by first hand sanding each one, but that was painfully slow, so I resorted to power tools. Yeee Hah! Masks, and goggles on I began to grind away . Twenty five lites at a time . Set on edge, and clamped together. A spray bottle of water at hand to keep the glass dust down, and away we go.

All went well, and tomorrow I shall hand sand all the edges to be sure that the risk of being cut is minimized. Being cut is not the problem, but rather the fixer being used. The ambrotypes get developed in an acidic solution, and then get thoroughly rinsed to not only halt the development, but to also remove any acid. This is important because the next step is to fix the plate in a %2 solution of potassium cyanide. So, no sharp edge on the glass, and no acid.

A %2 solution of potassium cyanide in a small cut is less of a concern than getting any type of acid in the fixer. This would result in the formation of hydrogen cyanide gas. Bad stuff

The next day I took advantage of the early morning light to do some work. It has been some time since I have done an ambrotype, similar process to a tintype, but on glass. Tintypes are beautiful, but for me there is something magical about an ambrotype. It takes more work, with cleaning the glass to insure a good bond with the colloidian, and the last batch of glass I ordered needed to be trimmed to fit the plate holder. A pain.

The plates that I use for tintypes are set to go. All one needs to do is peel off the protective film, pour on the colloidian, and sensitize. easy peezy.

One of the advantages with an ambrotype is that by changing the exposure, and development you have a glass plate negative that can then be used to make prints.

The ambrotype above appears as a positive image when it is placed on a black background. The emulsion side, which is very vulnerable to being scratched, will be coated with varnish. The backside gets a coating of asphalt varnish.

A hundred more plates to trim, and wash. Good rainy day project.

Pleasure do share these posts on social media, it is a big help

Well, I have hacked away at my trailer darkroom box, and making some alterations to the first two designs. When I had it all set up a few weeks ago I realized I needed to give my self more room to pour, and sensitize plates. I had thought about putting hinges on the side panels, but whilst cutting away on the lid I decided it would be much easier to just make the whole after end of the box removable. This would give me plenty of elbow room.

I built a mock up, and glued it all together. Made notes, and sketches. Then when I removed the back section of the box, and set on the work bench, I realized that with a little modification it could then become a little stool! It would mean building it out of heavier material. Marine grade plywood. Adding lodging knees, and brackets.

Prototype #3