My first really bright DCG hologram!

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Colin Kaminski

My first really bright DCG hologram!

Post by Colin Kaminski »

Joe Farina wrote:I forgot to mention that the plates need to be kept in airtight containers in the fridge. I use lock & lock containers. Also, when coming out of the fridge, water will likely condense on them, like it does when any cold thing comes out of the fridge. There are a couple ways to deal with that. The whole container can be taken out, and allowed to reach ambient temperature, before taking the plate out. This takes considerable time, so I don't do it. Instead, I open the container while still in the fridge. With my other hand, I hold a hair dryer set on high, blowing cold or warm air, and have it turned on and going. Then, immediately after pulling the plate out of the fridge, I apply the forced air to the emulsion side. I try to get the maximum airflow to the emulsion, and hold the hair dryer close, maybe a couple of inches from the surface. Condensation doesn't get a chance to form.
Thank you for that tip Joe.
Dutchelm05

My first really bright DCG hologram!

Post by Dutchelm05 »

Joe Farina wrote:
JohnFP wrote:Gosh I miss holography.
Well John, now would be a good time to return :wink:
Based on what Dave and Thieu have done, it looks like all you need is a $50 diode and a very modest driver/power supply. Also, if you refrigerate your DCG plates, you can use them for at least a month with no problems. For me, it would be extremely impractical to always coat and shoot within a couple of days. If a little refrigerator is used to store the plates, all you need to do is have your laser warmed up, take a plate out of the fridge, let settle/equilibriate, expose, soak in warm water, dehydrate in 99% IPA, and blow dry. With Knox gelatin, I needed no fixing when the plates had been stored in the fridge for a while.
Hey Joe, great tips.
I have a question though.
Since Fixer takes the CrV and changes to CrIII and which crosslinks gelatin more . The CrVI is then washed away leaving the crosslinked area in tact.
How does age do the same thing?
While in the frig, dark energy crosslinks the film making it harder.
But doesn't that mean there is less CrVI to crosslink when light is exposed to it?


Thanks,
Tony
Joe Farina

My first really bright DCG hologram!

Post by Joe Farina »

Hi Tony,

I don't know. But storing the plates in the fridge works well, and the dark reaction is very slow. The hologram I sent you was stored in the fridge for one month before making the exposure.
dave battin

My first really bright DCG hologram!

Post by dave battin »

Joe Farina wrote:Hi Dave. Let me elaborate on this. In my opinion, refrigeration of the plates "enables" DCG. Without this, it usually requires at least 2 or 3 full (8-hour) days to make any progress. That's very demanding. And after this kind of session, other obligations pile up, and this makes us reluctant to have another go. Maybe a week or two goes by, and no time is spent in the lab at all.

With refrigeration, we can work 3 hours a day for a month or more, from a single batch of plates, if enough are made. The hardening due to ageing in the refrigerator is no big deal at all, simple adjustments can be made during exposure/processing.
yes yes totally agree! when i was doing the Dip-N-Shoot method i liked this very much! having the ability to pull the plates from the fridge, dip them, and well, you know the rest of the story ......
Locked