Re: Sterling Lith paper

["Tim Rudman" <tim.rudman@xxxxxxxxxx>]

-----Original Message-----
From: Clive Warren <Clive.Warren@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: infrared@xxxxx <infrared@xxxxx>
Date: 23 April 1999 12:23
Subject: Re: Sterling Lith paper


>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: Clive Warren <Clive.Warren@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>>To: infrared@xxxxx <infrared@xxxxx>
>>Date: 19 April 1999 11:05
>>Subject: Sterling Lith paper
>>
>>
>>>Well have to say I'm hooked on lith printing - it will be a regular part
of
>>>darkroom practice from now on.
>>>
>>>If anyone decides to try out Sterling Lith paper for printing their IR
work
>>>it is worth the effort, however it is an effort :-)
>>>
>>>At the weekend I printed up the following IR shot taken using Konica -
here
>>>it is a straight print in normal chemistry:
>>>
>>>http://wkweb5.cableinet.co.uk/cocam/Hound.jpg
>>>
>>>I chose this neg. as it is a real challenge to print anyway - the grass
>>>requires a lot of burning in and the hound has to be dodged. The print at
>>>the URL is straight with no dodging or burning.  Currently exposing for 4
>>>minutes on lith paper using Novalith developer - it still needs another
>>>stop to get the grass and leaves in the background.  If I find a scanner
>>>big enough then will put the print up on the website.
>>>
>>>
>>>Using the Sterling paper for the first time I found it almost impossible
to
>>>tell which side has the emulsion.  It is an eggshell finish on the
emulsion
>>>side and is very (VERY) similar to the surface texture of the back.  I
>>>hesitate to lick my fingers in the darkroom, however this was the only
way
>>>to tell the emulsion side, and even then the difference between sides is
>>>very slight.
>>>
>>>One strategy I tried was to print my test strips in ordinary developer
>>>(that looks good also on this paper) and from that ascertain the emulsion
>>>side of the paper in the packet.  Well that would be great, however the
>>>paper in the packet was not packed all facing the same way &%$*(*(*&!!!!
>>>
>>>Looking at the packet the sealing flap had been taped shut - my guess is
>>>that the seller had repackaged a smaller quantity of paper from a large
>>>stock.  I will be contacting them today......
>>>
>>>I left one sheet in the developer for 35 minutes to see if at least an
>>>image would appear on the reverse side - it did.  After 25 minutes it was
>>>painfully obvious that it was the wrong way up.  However it does have
>>>amazing pepper fogging and streaking :-)
>>>
>>>Anyone have similar experiences and any tips?
>>>
>>>Guess I will have to read Tim's book again to determine which chemicals
to
>>>buy for the pepper fogging problem as I had some in the two successful
>>>prints at a dev. time of about 10 minutes.
>>>
>>>Locally there are not too many darkroom chemical stockists - the only
>>>serious one is KJP who also own Calumet in the USA.
>>>
>>>Asked for some Pot Ferri in Jessops (UK photo chain store) on Saturday
(KJP
>>>is closed on Saturdays) and was offered some Sepia toner without the
bleach
>>>Hmmmm....
>>>
>>>
>>>Does anyone have any tips for drying the Sterling paper?  hung up a
couple
>>>of sheets back to back and they curled horribly :-(
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>All the best,
>>>
>>>              Clive   http://clive.bel-epa.com
>>>
>>----------
>>
>>I hang them back to back and clip all 4 corners. They dry with a mild curl
>>which flattens under weight or in a slightly warmed mounting press.
>>
>>The peper fogging is easy to control now but if you plan to use ferri take
>>care - it will cause a colour shift. (see book)
>>
>>Tim
>>
>>PS. It's not 'that much' trouble when you get the hang of it - I've done
200
>>in a weekend before now ;-))
>
>
>Tim,
>
>Thanks for the comments.  Guess I should clip all four corners - clipped
>only two and got the dreaded curl.
>
>Suppose the process is like anything else, experience makes it all a lot
>easier.  The subtleties of assessing the emulsion side of the Sterling
>paper will take some time to master.
>
>It would be a lot easier if the paper was packed with all the sheets
>'facing' the same way.
>
>A friend popped 'round last night and saw one of the Sterling lith prints
>which happened to be on the table and was very interested in the process.
>That particular print was exposed for 4 minutes but really needs an 8
>minute exposure :-)
>
>Guess you don't get a lot of sleep on a printing weekend :-)
>
>
>
>All the best,
>
>              Clive   http://clive.bel-epa.com
----------

Well 200 is unusual.
If you look along the surface obliquely in the safe light, the emulsion side
has a slight sheen that the other side does not.
Tim

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