Varnishing Your Plate with the Wet Plate Process - (Part 5)

[@fstopPhotography]

I've just finished watching this series on wet plate. I tried this several years ago and was frustrated with other tutorials and failed miserably. I just stumbled onto your videos a few days ago and found your videos are detailed and complete. Your videos have reinvigorated my love for learning this process. Thanks so very much.

[@BillSchwab]

Thank you so much for your kind words! I really appreciate that and I’m happy to have been some help. I hope you stay tuned!

[@fstopPhotography]

@@BillSchwab I will. Thanks again

[@thomasbarker6912]

An excellent series of informative videos, Bill. Keep 'em rocking.

[@BillSchwab]

Thank you, Jasper! I plan to keep on keeping on. Much appreciated!

[@keeszondervrees8787]

Thank you

[@shawnhollbach395]

Brilliant channel! I've learned a lot from your videos. Regards Shawn

[@BillSchwab]

Thank you, Shawn! So glad you've found them helpful!

[@lhuhnphotography]

Bill, I have watched the whole series and found it very well done. One question, for now. What the reason for using a “pour off” rather than pouring back into the original bottle? The only reason I could think of is the potential of spilling the first bottle during pour off.

[@BillSchwab]

Great question, Larry. The reason for the pour-off bottle is once you have poured the collodion onto the plate and exposed it to the atmosphere, there’s a possibility that it picked up dust or grit. Rather than chance this, you use the pour off bottle to collect the remaining and then once the main bottle is empty and the pour off full, you filter it back into the main bottle and use it again. Simple coffee filters and a funnel work well. This way you keep your collodion free of any contaminants that might show up on the surface of your plate.

[@m00dawg]

Watching the whole series and these are absolutely wonderful Bill thank you! One question I had - is it possible to use a free standing heat gun rather than a dryer? I use one fairly often to burn off whisps from some of my 3D printed parts and it's nice to have a stationary heating element where I can move the part around rather than having to do both?

[@BillSchwab]

Hi Tim! So glad you like the series! As for the heat gun, I would definitely give it a try. I have not even thought of that, and I bet it would work just fine. Always be careful of ignition though because the varnish is pretty flammable. That’s why I don’t use the old way of an oil lamp for heat!

[@m00dawg]

@@BillSchwab oh that is a very good point! I was pondering the idea because if/when I do make the leap, I was thinking of trying 4x5 (or preferably 5x7) sizes first before 8x10 and thought my hand might be too much in the way with a hair dryer but I suppose the best way to know is to try it! Thanks again Bill! This series has been just incredibly helpful!

[@wesjohnson4637]

Thank you so much for this!!

[@BillSchwab]

Thank you for watching!

[@davefaulkner6302]

Thanks for this valuable information. While I appreciate the traditional methods, this is quite elaborate. Have you tried using more modern substance, such as polyurethane or even artists archival varnish (I have some experience varnishing paintings -- there are similar issues of blooming, e.g.)? I would like to commercialize tintype portraits and this step seems more difficult than any other (especially if I use dry plate tintypes as a short cut). Also have you tried spray applications of a varnish? for paintings, a brush can be used but I suspect this is not an option here. The big difference between an artist archival varnish and the varnish you make is that the artists' varnishes are turpene based and not alcohol based. Turps (like the lavender oil) in large amounts might be bad for the emulsion. Guess I'll be experimenting....

[@BillSchwab]

Yes. I have experimented with polyurethane. In particular a product called liquitex Soluvar . They make some that you can get at Artist supply stores. It does work well, but you get one chance, and that’s that. With the more traditional method, it can be removed and done again. It’s basically a matter of personal preference.

[@dondons5688]

Great series, thanks.

[@janfphoto5142]

Great - thank for your excellent videos

[@BillSchwab]

Thank you for watching! Glad you like them.

[@bernadettegarner5827]

Could you use a clean coffee grinder for the gum sandarac?

[@BillSchwab]

That’s a great question and something that I have not yet tried. The finer you are you grinding the sandarac, the better and quicker it will dissolve. Although I have not yet used one, I don’t see why it wouldn’t work.

[@weaponlover32]

I wonder if it'd be possible to use shellac prepared in a similar manner.

[@BillSchwab]

People try all different things. I think the sandarac with the lavender oil mixed in, was to try to keep it somewhat supple and not crack. I would suggest giving it a shot and see what happens. Thanks for watching!

[@ShaneB666]

You’re not helping me resist this process.

[@BillSchwab]

Sorry!

[@DoctorMikeReddy]

You mention filtering frequently, but you don’t show this. Can you say what you use and how you do it? Otherwise excellent series

[@BillSchwab]

Thank you. Simple, coffee filters. I think I mentioned it in there somewhere, but good point put a coffee filter into a funnel and filter your solutions through it.

[@DoctorMikeReddy]

@@BillSchwab thank you. I saw this in the answer to another comment, after I’d posted. Clever and simple

[@achimboers]

Now I need to get a hair blower …. ;-) Thanks !!

[@KevinRusso]

Don't you heat the varnish?

[@BillSchwab]

I heat the plate, not the varnish. No need to heat the varnish.

[@KevinRusso]

@@BillSchwab Thanks, I'm new to this wet plate process, and I was told to heat the varnish and the plate, I really like your use of the hair dryer, I'm going with that technique instead of the alcohol lamp. I appreciate your time. The videos are great.

[@BillSchwab]

@@KevinRusso i’m glad you’re finding the videos helpful. Yes. Some people will say to heat the varnish, but it’s not necessary because once you have the plate hot, the varnish comes up to temperature real fast. I definitely like using the hairdryer over the alcohol lamp. Some purist’s won’t go that way, but it’s definitely easier and safer.

[@chriscard6544]

awesome series, thank you