Place prints without previous washing in the following combined toning and fixing bath.
2 ozs. Solio Toning Solution. 4 ozs. cold water.
Pour the toning solution into a suitable tray and immerse the prints one after the other. Five or six prints can be toned together if they are kept in motion and not allowed to lie in conta61. Turn the prints all face down and then face up and repeat this all the time they are toning. The prints will begin to change color almost immediately from reddish brown to reddish yellow, then to brown and finally to purple. The change will be gradual from one shade to another and the toning should be stopped when the print gets the shade desired.
Six ounces of the diluted toning solution will tone two dozen 4 x 5 prints ; after that a new solution should be made same as before.
When the proper shade has been attained in toning bath the prints should be transferred for five minutes to the following salt solution to stop the toning : Salt, i oz.
Water, - 32 ozs.
Then transfer the prints to the washing tray and wash one hour in running water, or in sixteen changes of water.
The prints are then ready for mounting or they can be laid out and dried between blotting papers.
If desired the amateur can mix his own toning bath, but in so doing should exercise great care in getting pure chemicals and using exactly the proper proportions.
A Hypo-sulphite of Soda, - S ozs.
Alum (crystals, ) - 6 ozs.
Sugar (granulated), 2 ozs.
Water, - So ozs.
Dissolve above in cold wafer, and When dissolved add Borax, 2 ozs.
Dissolve in hot water, - S ozs.
Let stand over night and decant clear liquid.
B Pure Chloride of Gold, 73,', grains.* Acetate of Lead (Sugar of Lead), - 64 grains.
Water, S ozs.
Solution B should be shaken up before using and not filtered.
To tone fifteen 4 x 5 prints take : Stock Solution A,- - - - S ozs.
Stock Solution - - - - i oz.
Place prints without previous washing into the above.
Tone to desired color and immerse prints for 15 minutes in following Salt Solution to stop the toning : Salt, - - - - - - 1 oz.
Water, - - - - 32 ozs.
The extra fixing bath should be used to ensure thorough fixing.
After the salt bath, give one change of cold water and fix for to minutes in the Hypo-sulphite of Soda, - - I oz.
Sulphite of Soda (crystals), - 6o grains.
Borax, - oz.
Water, - - 20 OZS.
Wash one hour in running cold water or in sixteen changes of cold water, when prints may be mounted.
The combined bath must be started cold, not above 50° Fahr., and must not be allowed to rise to temperature above 60° Fahr. This condition can be obtained by placing a piece of ice in the bath when toning. If the bath is too warm, you will get yellow prints with a greenish cast in the half-tones.
Use a thermometer and keep it in toning bath all the time.
The combined bath is an acid solution. The borax neutralizes only the excess of acid in the alum. Any attempt to neutralize the bath will precipitate the alum.
The combined bath should not be used a second time.
If troubled with white spots or blotches on prints, clean trays with nitric acid or sulphuric acid and water.