Hello: Just wondering if anyone knows how to mix toners such as Selnium and Brown Toner. The problem I get is staining in the white borders of print and sediment. I bleach first with Potassium ferecynide was for 15 Minutes and then tone. The color is cool, but the staining has got to go. My dilution is 4 oz. Selenium and 1 3/4 brown toner. Please help anyone. By the way I'm not Hypoing the prints, should I?

-- Karl Anderson (andypho@mindspring.com), March 24, 2002

Answers

Two days, no answers. You might have better luck in the printing and finishing forum.

http://greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a.tcl?topic=B%26W%20Photo%20%2d%20Pr inting%20%26%20Finishing

-- Joe Lipka (joelipka@earthlink.net), March 26, 2002.

The staining can be caused by several different fasctors.

First Selenium will cause yellow/brown stain in white areas if the paper contains any residual fix. If possible, test the paper for residual fixer. There are products on the market that can be purchased to do this. Or you can mix your own from base compounds. I can get you a formula if you want. The Darkroom Cookbook contains a couple.

Second It could be the water. Use distilled water when mixing your chemistry. If possible, use distilled water for washing.

Three eliminate the bleach step just to test if it is having a reaction with the toner. If the problem goes away. You know it is the bleach. maybe a longer wash prior to toning will solve the problem

Four Eliminate one of the toners. I'm not familar with combining these toners. It may be that they don't play well together. If the problem goes away, you will know that it was something with the toner combination

Five Change papers. Different papers have different reactions to these type of chemical combinations. try a different paper and see if the prblerm goes away.

Good luck,

Don

-- Don Sigl (donsigl@hotmail.com), May 30, 2002.