[drdag]

As a silversmith, we always used a 2750 rpm motor with at least 1/2 HP. This was usually with a 6 inch swansdown mop. However I now use a well worn 4 inch mop as it is less aggressive. You need to get it warm enough for the rouge to melt and move the sliver molecules about on the surface but not press so hard that you are removing them. I often get between 100-150 goes from one plate at 20 microns of silver plate before I go though. If you press too hard to get rid of a nasty scratch you can go straight though to the base metal easily.

[drdag]

I am sure that I speak for the majority of members of the Cdags site in saying that the work put in by the ‘management’who make the site so helpful, is amazing. So firstly thank you for a wonderful site. I wish it had been here when I started making dags.(I did have some help and encouragement from Jason Greenburg Motamedi which was invaluable)

 

Secondly, I am sure that you will have lots of new,original and beautiful entries from productive dag makers. I will be entering and am happy to pay to add NYC to my list of places exhibited. I hope that everyone else appreciates your efforts and join in to celebrate the Cdags website in NY.

 

Remember, sites like this do not just happen,they need loads of work, so thanks from Dr Dag in the UK! 😀

 

[drdag]

I’ve seen this box and in my opinion when they are on the market will be an excellent value investment for any Daguerreotypists out there.

[drdag]

Latest dag, FYI

http://www.daguerreotypes.co.uk/gallery.htm

[drdag]

I rarely gild my B dags anymore, unless I want warmth. I can get quite a warm day with experience now though.

A few comments,

B dags that have sat around a while in my opinion are more difficult to polish.

Also,if they have been developed for a long time the image is more ‘ingrained ‘ into the plate.

I have never seen an image wash off under a stream of water , I use a air compressor at up to 80psi and I cannot damage my images with this.

Finally if you pull the plate out of the distilled water washing tray stand it at 80 degrees angle in an empty tray , pour boiling distilled water on it , lift out quickly and blow it dries without watermarks every time.I have masks and glass all ready for a keeper, I heat them up a bit and seal instantly if I want it to last.

[drdag]

“This will result in the plane of focus being closer that it appears on the ground glass”.

POSTED 11 HOURS AGO #You could put a shim around the filmholder that is the thickness of your plate. I personally haven’t found any of my images out of focus though.

[drdag]

Hi

I use a 5×4 film holders and just tuck the plates under the film holder bit. The plates have to be really accurately cut to fit your holder, about 1mm bigger that the gap between the film holder bits. I put 1/2 inch of double sides in the middle to make sure and I tape the plastic bit at the end down.

My plates are 0.5mm copper and I had 25 microns put on and it was over 100 polishes on a rotary rouge mop before i went through.

The plates have to be dead flat or the dark slide will hit the plate and scratch it.

The polish has to be like a mirror before plating.

Good luck

[drdag]

If it is silver plated (I guess its called anodizing in the States) the covering metal is pure silver. You cannot plate 925 onto base metal. So any flat plated objects would be suitable to make dags on.

[drdag]

I dunno, I cant see any rouge on the plate after my final polish on clean velvet, but I will give it a go, thanks

[drdag]

Just as a note. My first plated plates were invoiced to me as approx 23 microns. Recently I have just ‘gone through’to the copper on one plate. I have maybe made 100 images on that plate. I polish just using rouge which is non abrasive. I was pretty impressed by the amount of times it was polished.

[drdag]

I word of warning from a silversmith, if you get the silver too hot and you are using lead solder, it will burn a hole straight though it. Walk into a silvermiths forge/soldering area with a stick of lead and see what they do to you!

That means dont use a bare flame.

[drdag]

Better have one from the motherland too then .

[drdag]

Can we see a picture of it please?

[drdag]

I was very lucky, I was given a fume cupboard on wheels(3 years old), (Like schools use) its 8 ft X 4 ft x 2 ft and has a hudge carbon filter. The college I was ttending used it for model painting. They moved it from one building to another and it stopped working. The college management said they would not spend money on an elctricain, so it ended up outside. I asked whether I could have it.I got it home and with 1/2 hr I had it working. (Someone up there wanted me to do this I think)

It is about £3000 new and is a current model. You cannot smell anything when it is running.

I know I am lucky, it is a shame that a college doesnt have the forsite to save these things.

I went back a while ago and the guy who gave it to me said they scrapped another one recently!

[drdag]

I will sew and remove staples.I will then sew in 2 end leaves with a w fold on each end so that I can stick the cover to one of each of those. Then the usual card ends and some .2mm goatskin…Someone has too much time on their hands. It will be thin but should be okay if the end leaves are slightly thicker paper.

( I did a bookbinding module as part of my photography degree)

[drdag]

Mine arrived very quickly, personally I think I will hard bind mine.

[drdag]

Mistakes like that is how things get discovered….

[drdag]

My local gallery gives me offcuts for nothing , bits of 5×4 are aplenty in his recycling box

[drdag]

Quote:

I just tried to gild my first ever plate. Absolute disaster! Completely ruined.

The small alcohol lamb that I bought didn’t show up, so tried to use my propane torch. Even with a light touch, those plates heat up FAST. Practise, practise, practise.

I am sure we have all been there. I f***ed up a really special one early on

[drdag]

for your sake, practice on a non important plate first.

[drdag]

I have a cabinet that travels with my dags, it is aluminium, with glass, it has 6 small halogen lights and its own hanging bracket. Very modern and unobtrusive. I bought it after my first show, when no one could see my images properly. I will never show without it again (except places like Bry where they know what they are doing). It cost me £350 and when not out, it is in my office with my latest works in it.

http://www.selquin.com/en/products/Wall-Cabinets.aspx

I was worried that it wouldnt work, but they said I could return it if it was not suitable. The only thing I did was to put black velvet on the glass selves.

[drdag]

I have an exhibition starting tonight at The Photographers Lounge, 38 High Street,Swanage, Dorset, UK.

It runs for one month. There are 4 images from La Nature Morte and I from my Pierrot series.

[drdag]

ooh, I’m famous!

[drdag]

Crumbs , you are clever, you will be splitting the atom next!

[drdag]

The platers cannot have put much silver on, my ‘plated’ plates have lasted at least 50 polishes each and no sign of copper.

[Author]

Posts