I haven't done darkroom work in many years. I used to use double weight fiber paper. To dry it, I would dab it with a paper towel and let it air dry. Is there a better way? I don't think rubbing a paper towel over a print will hurt it in any way, am I wrong?

Thanks!

-- Craig Brown (csbrown@tastybuzz.com), September 23, 1999

Answers

I wouldn't "rub" anything on the face of the print. The gelatin is very soft and scratches easily. I have a windshield wiper blade that I very gentally wipe across the back side of the print and hang it on a clothes line setup in my dark room. Dries overnite. The faster it dries the more curl it gets. James

-- James (James_mickelson@hotmail.com), September 24, 1999.

Hi Craig, One of the most acceptable ways of drying fiber-base prints, and the one I have used for years is as follows: Squeegee the print front and back on a CLEAN and smooth surface. I use an 18-inch widshield wiper as a squeegee, works great. Then dry the prints FACE UP on clean plastic or nylon screens. You can buy screens made specifically for print drying or you can have your local window screen shop make you up a few and space them with blocks of wood, etc. Important things to be aware of are: The screens must be absolutely free of chemical containants to keep archivally processed prints from being contaminated by the screens. A rinse in a weak bleach solution folloewd by a thorough running water (garden hose) rinse is usually adequate. If you tone your prints it is necessary to dry them face up on the screens to prevent screen marks on the prints, even though this caused a bit more curling.. Untoned prints do not seem to have this problem. The slower the drying, the less curl. This can be controlled somewhat by adjusting the space between the screens, but be carefull that the surface of a print does not touch the screen above! Hanging fiber-base prints to dry with clothespins usually results in too much curl. Prints dried on screens still curl somewhat, but can easily be flattened by placing them between boards and weighting them. Hope this helps. ;^D)

-- Doremus Scudder (ScudderLandreth@compuserve.com), September 24, 1999.

You can also get a sweater rack to use as a drying screen.

-- Tim Brown (brownt@ase.com), September 24, 1999.

To get an even print after drying it's best to tape the print to a glass plate (print with large margins) after squeegeeing and cut it after drying. Dry slowly (in the cellar or in the bathroom). The tape you use is aquarel-tape - just classic gum-tape which you have to wet before it sticks. You'll get the best gloss (i.e. sharpness-impression) in this way.

-- Lot (lotw@wxs.nl), September 25, 1999.