AchimBauer
Hello,
Now that my Beseler project has been put on hold, I had a look today to see what’s left of my old darkroom.
It’s all still there, and even more besides. A few years ago, my regular photo supplier closed down their business because their younger brother, who helped out, had also reached retirement age and the landlord claimed the premises for his own use. So a lot of their stock ended up with me when they were clearing out.
I have a few questions about this:
Can I use my old Ilford Multigrade lamp with all my Varicontrast papers?
And what are the lamp filters (heirlooms) Agfa 103, Agfa 107, Mafi yellow-green, 166 or 991 (depending on how you turn them), Kindermann 2123, Kindermann 2053, used for?
And then, how long does black-and-white photographic paper last? I have two boxes of photographic paper from my photography dealer’s estate, some in large formats, some smaller, from Mimosa Kiel, Leonora, Argenta, ORWO (state-owned production), Tetenal, Ilford, Labaphot, Tura, Agfa, Agfa Graphic, Anofot light-sensitive coated aluminium plates, Geavert Copyline Contact, Agfa Geavert Rapidoprint, Tetenal Fotografik paper for the Fotografik Kit, and if I have a closer look, I’m sure there are other rarities too.
Is it worth trying out one or two of these? Or should I bin them and use the nicest packaging for my photo display cabinet?
Tandemfahren
Hi Achim,
You can use your Ilford lamp if it has red and orange filters. If it’s old, you’ll need to do a veil test first – but please use fresh paper.
You can bin old filters; glass filters might be worth a try, at a push.
You can forget about the old photographic paper; it’s only good for photograms or similar playful stuff. We’ve been through this just the other day. By the way, I think the idea of keeping the packaging is quite charming!
Erm, well, and I really don’t like playing the schoolmaster, but a little more effort when writing would be appropriate. I feel a sense of irritation rising within me when the meaning only becomes clear on the second reading.
Or perhaps you’re a foreigner; in that case, I naturally don’t want to have said anything. (Except: anyone who spells ‘nählich’ with an ‘h’ is...) :-)
Bright regards
OStR Frank
AchimBauer
Thanks for the info,
I’m glad I can still use the Ilford lamp, because when I stopped running the darkroom, Ilford was still the only VC material available. I did revive my darkroom just once more, using Tura roll film for four posters in my first flat, where I had everything I needed except space for the darkroom.
As for my writing, I’m not a foreigner, and I deliberately don’t make an effort, because I’ve had a spelling weakness since childhood; I deliberately don’t call it dyslexia because I don’t know if there’s ever been an official diagnosis.
And if you have a spelling weakness, you don’t earn your living by writing on paper, so my keyboard skills (they used to call it typewriting skills) don’t go beyond the one-finger Adler system (circling and tapping). And when it comes to capital letters, I sometimes end up hitting the wrong key with my other hand as well.
I could practise spelling, as I did before the reform. I practise typing occasionally, but it wouldn’t help me professionally because to reach the next level I’d need a degree (Dipl. Ing) with a university qualification, only to end up earning 40 euros less because my grandfather clause for the old pay scale would have expired.
No, I’d rather own up to my weakness – writing is quicker and there are no more cold sweats, anxiety attacks, etc.
But thank you very much for your feedback, because there are plenty of people with a knack for spelling who think that in the internet and text message age, we no longer need to pay attention to any of that. And they often don’t have my ability to compensate for weaknesses in other ways.
Best regards,
Achim
Tandemfahren
Hi Achim,
Your last sentence really speaks from my heart...
You explain it so eloquently – have you had to explain it once or twice before?
My best mate is a diagnosed dyslexic; if you watch him writing, you’ll get cramps! Well, not YOU, but ME! --
As for the reform, I prefer to stick to the rules I learnt back in the day rather than mess everything up with the new ones. By the way, I’m not actually a senior teacher, but a boat builder.
Enlightening light
Frank
