Focus 45: Ralph Wiegandt on Nanotechnology and the Daguerreotype

On Thursday July 10, 2014 from 12:15 pm to 1:00 pm in Curtis Theatre

For more information, see the events page.

I have added a image gallery of my portable darkroom to the technology galleries. The trailer was designed to keep chemicals out of my vehicle, garage and house while letting me take the process to people and locations. It has a generator for power but also can be hooked up to household main supply, which powers the fan of the fumehood, and runs the buffing tray warmer, lights and appliances. It has two skylights which have amber acrylic for safelighting, one of them removable. Two 10 liter tanks provide the water supply, one for tap water, one for distilled and 20L waste water storage. The construction of the enclosure is with 50mm insulated panels which keep it cool in summer and warm in winter.
The quarter plate and sixth plate shown below are from a recent outing.

Mike Robinson has shared some images of his revival of a 19th century French design for half plate fuming boxes. The compact boxes feature a bottom pressure plate similar to a printing out frame back, to keep the iodine dish in contact with the ground glass. Mike explains that since the brass is on the other side of the wood from the iodine it doesn’t suffer from corrosion. The glass tray is flat pieces of glass glued with marine epoxy which is holding up well. The copper runners ensure the ground glass cannot be accidentally withdrawn and the whole design is very compact for the traveling daguerreian.

Veteren daguerreotypist Ken Nelson recently sent in the sad news of his recent loss – the temperature controller for his mercury pot. “Dr. Fuzzy” got his name from his brain, a Love Controls 1600 Series Fuzzy-Logic Temperature/Process Controller. Obituary by Ken:

“Dr. Fuzzy”
5/13/96 – 8/24/10

In lieu of flowers, please send any donations, in memory of Dr. Fuzzy, to CDags.org.

Updating us of the progress Ken writes:

Dr. Fuzzy’s new brain arrived a few days ago. He’s currently in surgery for the transplant, but it might be a while before he goes to school to relearn his process. If any daguerreians out there are going to go electric and are looking for a reasonably economical temperature controller, look to the Love Controls Division of Dwyer Instruments http://www.dwyer-inst.com The model number is Love Controls 16C-3. It’s a relay model that can handle a heating element that draws up to 5A at 250V AC. Input voltage is 100-240 V. I’ll keep you posted as to how well it works in my process. And, the tech support and customer service people at Dwyer are absolutely first-rate.

Dr. Fuzzy at his post, on the left in red and green, in 2009