June 25, 2007, from Lloyd Erlick,

Last year I got some Glycin and made a lot of
prints using the Edwal 102 print developer
formula. I substituted potassium sulfite for
the sodium salt in the original formula.
Here it is:

------------------------------------------
Edwal 102 — Glycin-Only Print Developer,
partial-Potassium version,
Working Solution

Water                              1000 ml
Potassium Sulfite anhydrous    25 g
Sodium Phosphate Tribasic      30 g
Glycin                          6 g
Potassium Bromide           0.5-6 g (I use 3
grams)
------------------------------------------

NOTE: Potassium Sulfite is produced in
solution by combining Potassium Metabisulfite
2 parts and Potassium Hydroxide one part to
yield three parts Potassium Sulfite. This is
approximate but close to exact (error around
five per cent).

For the above formula, combine 17.7 grams
Potassium Metabisulfite plus 9 grams
Potassium Hydroxide, for 25.4 grams Potassium
Sulfite.
____________________________________________________

I'd like advice from those with confidence in
their chemical acumen on two points:

1) Is the above method of producing potassium
sulfite in solution correct? I think I might
have learned it from this forum, but I
forget.

2) I'd like to go the next step into
Potassium Land, and replace Trisodium
Phosphate with Potassium Phosphate
Monohydrate (I just bought almost four
kilograms). I'm sure the TSP is a hydrate
too, but I don't know. It's the commonly
available form; I got it from Canadian Tire!

Naturally, I'd like to know how much of the
potassium salt to use.

Thanks for all assistance ...

regards,
--le

PS -- the reason for substituting potassium
salts is that warm tone print material is
sensitive to it. Sodium salts yield a cooler
tone. When all sodium is replaced by
potassium the results are very noticeably
warmed up.

In fact, I've found that Forte PolyWarmtone
gets so warm as to be decidedly red (ish).
More than even I like, too.

My plan is to make excessively (potentially,
at least) warm prints on Forte, and gold tone
them. I've found gold toner changes the image
tone to a very neutral, and attractive,
black; I've only done this on Ilford MGW
Warmtone so far. I'm hoping the Forte will
remain at least slightly warm after gold
toning.

Thanks again to all.

regards,
--le
________________________________
Lloyd Erlick Portraits, Toronto.
website: www.heylloyd.com
telephone: 416-686-0326
email: portrait@heylloyd.com
________________________________
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