press n peel test 25
Date: October 10, 2013
Room Temperature: 66 degrees Fahrenheit, low humidity, cool
Researcher’s Name: Kristin Fitzpatrick
Test Summary
The purpose of this test was to bypass Photoshop and create a variety of tonalities in pen and pencil to see how that translated into print.
Plate Material: .032 Copper Plate Size: 4.5″ x 6” Room Temperature: 66 degrees Fahrenheit, low, cool
Plate Preparation . The plates were beveled, polished with 00 grade steel wool, and degreased with soy sauce and bon ami.
The image was printed on the PCB film with a Brother HL2280DW laser printer. The copper plate was placed on a phone book and the film was placed on its surface print-side-down. The film was carefully heated to the plate with a tacking iron for 8 minutes at 300 degrees F.
Testers found that backing the plate with contact paper was most pragmatic AFTER the plate had been ironed and cooled and with the film still adhered to the plate
Etching Notes: The plate was etched in a 39 degrees Baume Ferric Chloride bath in a vertical tank.
Time in Bath: 30 minutes
Removal of Grounds : Plates were saturated with SoySolvII cleaner and left to soak for 5 minutes. Ground was then wiped off easily with a rag.
After Bath Evaluation: Transfer looks good.
Inking Methods:
Plate was inked with Graphic Chemical Etching Ink in Bone Black, applied with a piece of mat board. It was gently wiped in an outwards motion with a piece of tarlatan. Then paper wiped.
Paper Type: Hahnemuhle, white
Paper Soaking Time: 30 Minutes
Press Blanket Setup: Takach pressure at 5.5, 2 blankets, sheet of newsprint
Test Conclusion
The image wasn’t inverted so the lines were protected by the film and all the space around the lines open bit. Something like this might work and the image would have to be inverted before being printed on the film and the lines would etch black and the space inbetween the lines. This could be done again and test the midtone acting like an aquatint.