[Race]

Hi, I’ve been getting weird swirls on my silver using the Bosch Random Orbital Sander. I’m using 9, 15,and 30 micron polishing paper on foam applicator pads. Is anyone else getting swirls?

[Race]

Where do you get foam polishing pads for the Bosch model sander? Is there a way to secure 3-M polishing papers to the sander?

Thanks,

Race

[Race]

For you guys that need mercury, don’t break those antique thermometers. I buy vats of "triple distilled" mercury from Post Apple Scientific. Here’s their website:

shop2.chemassociates.com/

As soon as I remember the place were I buy my liquid bromine (not bromine water) I’ll let you know. The HAZMAT shipping fee is sky rocket! Before you purchase this lethal chemical, please buy a PTFE bottle for safe storage use!-Race G.

[Race]

Hi Andy,
My fume hood is the G-30 Containment hood, part of the G series by Airfiltronix -"Clean Air for Industry, Medicine and Research". It works great and is affordable! I use two filters, One iodine and mercury filter. 1: Mercury Filter, 2" Deep, 3 Per Box $865.00 & Radioactive Iodine Filter, 2" Deep, 3 Per Box $655.00. Here is their website, http://www.airfiltronix.com/containment-hoods.htm.

The mercury pot was made by a fabricator Here in San Diego, California. Made from stainless steel. The mercury cup is threaded so that you can screw it off and safely store the element. I don’t use a thermometer probe, although I should. It’s all done by guess work (checked every 2 minutes). Surprisingly, I’ve been getting great results with no fogging.

Q: Do beginners ask to many questions?
A: No, especially in this type of art! When it comes to your health and safety, ask as many question as you want! Consult a chemist.

-Race Gentry

[Race]

Are the clad plates better than electroplated plates? 19th century style quality sounds pretty good ” title=”Very Happy” />

[Race]

Thought I you would show my set-up. The pot is made for half plates and sixth plates. I keep the mercury, bromine, and iodine inside the fume hood at all times (not shown in picture ). When I first began using bromine, the chemical company that sold it to me sent it in a regular glass bottle with a plastic cap! It should have been sealed with a special lead stopper! Anyway, their were burn bubbles forming on the plastic. I accidently cracked the glass which made it worse. The contents had to be poured into another plastic capped bottle, which started forming bubbles. That night I bought a PTFE 100ml bottle from a company in England (overnighter). It works very well! While I was pouring the bromine into the new bottle I accidently spilled some on my fingers (what a "daguerreotype recruit" thing to do). Let’s just say it burned like a muther @#!%&^$%! I stuck my whole hand in a big bowl of cold sodium thiosulphate for a good 5 minutes. Eliminated most of the pain and turned my burns bluish-grey. I took myself to emergency. "Everything will be alright" said the five foot two eyes of blue nurse, no amputations, no skin graphs, plus, the fine looking young lady (college medical student not much older than me) that was attending was also interested in old photographic practices! We talked for quite awhile. Anyway, that was about four months ago. Now that summer is over back to school I go (college). Another year of "no free time all study." I count myself very lucky if I’m able to make a few dags or pop off a few rounds at the shooting range once in a while. At least I get the whole month of December off! Daguerreotypemania here I come!!

The classy daggist,

-Race G. ” title=”Wink” />

[Race]

Wow… I just got my plates today in the mail. I spent $400 and my plates look as if a five year old silvered them Not only do they have deep scratches but silver dust clumps all over the place. What a mediocre plating company

[Race]

I think it’s time to find another silver plater! I feel very "cash raped".

[Race]

I took my copper plates to Sheffield Platers to have them silvered. It cost $400 to silver (.0005) nine 1/6 plates! The price of silver is through the roof ! Does any pay this much to have them plated ???

[Race]

I polish my copper plates with slurry pumice stone using a palm sander ( felt in place of sand paper) for about 1 minute. It gets rid of all the mill marks and should have a matte finish to it. Then I send them to the platers. Does it make a difference if the copper had a mirror finish as opposed to a matte finish?

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