I am thinking honey might be the way to go with the whole keeping my plates wet longer thing. Vegetable Glycerin works well but is more expensive than honey. I can buy 5kg (pail) of honey locally for $45 CAD. I will dilute the honey with water, not sure how much just yet, but 5kg should last a long time. Plus the honey thing goes along with my buying my wet plate chemicals form the grocery store theme, white vinegar, sugar, distilled water etc.
Note* The plan being to coat the plates with a mix of honey and water after fixing and a short water bath. I can then transport the Ambrotypes to a place where they can be thoroughly washed. You have to go from wet to dry with Ambrotypes, if you dry and rewet the collodion emulsion is likely to come off. In olden times, photogs used honey to keep the plates wet. I am following their well-trodden path!
