Working on the Press Room

A while back I had a flood in my home after a pipe burst during winter. When everything thawed the water came running down. I discovered it within a day but a fair amount of damage had been done. After a tear out by the insurance company, I am hiring contractors to fix up the damage, I will also do some of the work myself to save money.

I will use the room for the new Etching Press. It will be a tight fit but doable. I will put the press on 2 sheets of 3/4 inch plywood to help support the weight. I will also have to maneuver around the floor level root cellar door. 

After the room/floor and wet drywall was removed. I took out an old stove, microwave, dryer and clothes washer yesterday.

Got the install of upstairs and downstairs drywall at a good price. Thank you Shally.

Note* Tomorrow the taping and mudding happens, then the linoleum/vinyl floor is put. I will paint it room myself.

Bought Me a Press!

 

Bought the Etching - Press, $3800 CAD!! I was very undecided and confused about whether I should buy it. Then I thought why not, do it while you can, do not be afraid, live life to its fullest.

I am 62 and will most likely be gone before 83. I will use the press to make limited edition photogravure prints of my life’s work in photography. I can make 10-20 photogravures of each of my projects and place them in box-sets.

 

THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY

THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP

MY FATHERS LAST DAYS

BODY SELLERS

KODOKU

3 HEARTS

  

HUNTER PENROSE LTD.  No. 8 Etching and Printing Press 

Video: Nick Working His HUNTER PENROSE LTD. No. 8 Etching and Printing Press

 Here is a video of Nick working his press. A lovely old tool, look at this beautiful baby work!

Etching-HUNTER PENROSE LTD. No. 8 Etching and Printing Press Printing Press for Photogravure Prints?

I have an opportunity to buy a large high end printing press! Could use it for photogravure and other printing processes.

It is a real dilemma for me. Buying it could be a mistake, a big mistake or it could lead to the creation of a lasting and important body of work.

I cleared an area in the basement that might work for the press. Need to replace floor and drywall in the area after a broken pipe caused water damage.

Cost around $4000 CAD

HUNTER PENROSE LTD. No. 8 Etching and Printing Press

Will it fit? Not sure! It will be tight on the wide end and the door in the floor cannot be covered as it leads to a root cellar.

Fixing up Fanny and Freddy!

 

1 Year Already!

A year now and I am still in Canada. I need to get back, make more photos, do donation work.

I told the old ladies under the freeway that I would be back, NEXT YEAR.

From original Facebook post, made 1 year ago. Tired looking selfie (61) in the subway washroom mirror after a day of shooting in the slum. Second image "under the freeway". Photos made a few weeks back,

 

Almost Ready!

Freddy the wet plate darkroom trailer is ready for action!! Filled the tires and greased the trailer wheel bearings!! All the chemistry, water and glass loaded. I need to pack all my camera gear, then we are a go. Will take the trailer out next week Ambrotype making!

Grocery Store Shopping, Ambrotype Making!!

Everything Belongs To Everybody

 

Quote: Auguste Rodin (Sculpture)

 “The artist simply gives shape to his own dreams.”

Greasing Darkroom Trailer Tires

I greased the darkroom trailer wheels for the second time today. A messy job that requires you crawl under the trailer to jack it up. Not the funnest task but necessary to maintain Freddy! You add the grease to the 4 tires as you spin the tires. When your new grease colour comes out you’re done that tire.

I learned how to do this greasing work from YouTube videos. Today I also had to watch several videos on how to change the grease in a grease gun. You gotta love YouTube as it gives me knowledge I never had growing up. Dad never did mechanic work, so I never learned from him. With the invention of YouTube I now have worldwide instructors.

Note* Last night also watched vids on using torch wrenches, changing inner dually tires on a RV and how to use an impact driver. I want to be able to change my dually tires in the fuels if necessary.

6 Years Ago!

Gosh 6 years ago, before the darkroom trailer was scared with silver nitrate and other stains! The ice fishing tent is also for wet plate work, only used it a few times.

Beauty Emiily Carr Book

Got me a beauty Emily Carr book today, All her collected writing. She was such a talented painter and author! I have always found her work very inspiring. Her forest scenes have been a direct influence on the Ambrotypes of forest scenes for the Ambrotos Kanata project.

The book cost $2.25 CAD at the thrift shop but retails at $40!

Tying Down the Large Black Trays!!

I keep trying to streamline and lock down all the moving parts in the darkroom trailer. Its an ongoing battle. Here is how I am currently doing the large trays. Having some carpentry skills (boxes and table tops) is helping things a bit!

First trays to use.

Extra trays to use, you can never have enough of these babies!

New 6V Batteries for Fanny the Motor Home

Got 2 new 6v batteries for the motor home Fanny. The old ones were all used up and would not hold a charge. Cost was $480 CAD, got a $40 rebate on the old batteries.

The motor home has 4 batteries. A 12v motor/ignition battery, a 12 volt  in RV underneath box (2nd ignition battery? and generator starter battery). 2 6volt RV interior power batteries combined to create 12volt.

These batteries will help with longer boon-docking in remote locals while shooting AMBROTOS KANATA. 

The complicated battery wire hookup. I need to do a better job marking what wire goes where!

New Inverter Installed in Fanny

 

Put a new 2000 watt inverter in Fanny the motor home. The inverter changes battery DC power to AC power. It will create a backup power source in the RV and allow higher wattage items like a toaster or other appliances, while boon docking (no AC plug in). Cost $180, glad I got it working.

The inverter will help with longer boon-docking in remote locals while shooting AMBROTOS KANATA.  

2000w inverter placed behind the driver seat in the RV Fanny

Big Wet Plate Chemistry Order

Spent a bunch of money on AMBROTOS KANATA today, feel a bit bad about it, but it needed to be done. 200 grams of Silver nitrate and 2 litres of USP Collodion purchased. I have lots of Silver Nitrate but with the $72 in FED EX shipping costs I decided to order some more. The shipping cost remained the same with no silver or with 200 grams.

Total cost $1064 CAD, at lot of money when your retired and unemployed. I hope I can sell some plates this year to offset costs somewhat.

Mixed Up Some Collodion

Mixed up 2000ml of fresh Gerry Collodion Have some very old stuff which I will try to use but the new mix is more likely to work well. 

Note* The collodion turned orange/red fast, no yellow stage. That is probably because the USP Collodion is older. It should still be OK to use, but likely slower. I will order more USP Collodion.

Cadmium Bromide is Carcinogenic, so I wear the ventilator just to be safe.

Washing Glass, 11x14 and 14x14 Inch

The darkroom trailer is a wonderful working space. There is a peace here, free from distractions. I have a heater, lights , running water and cd player. Doing some glass cleaning tonight, while listening to some old films. 

Hopefully I can make some Ambrotypes on Friday!

Using the glass carrying boxes I made last year

Best Book Buy During Short Calgary Trip

17 Thrift Store book buys today. Best book is this wonderfully inspiring Claude Monet book. It was the last book of a long and tiring day (buses, 2 restaurants and 5 thrift shops, while lugging bags, a backpack and a cart). Sometimes an extra effort when your tired is rewarded!!! It will inspire me to make Ambrotypes. Got it free off points.

Best value was 6 books for 33cents a piece. Got a Obama, Aids in Africa, Lincoln, Berthe Morisot, Fish, Taliban books for $2.

GOTTA LOVE BOOKS!!

 

Note * ended up with 19, new/used books.

 

Love My Freddy

Working on. Freddy my wet plate trailer. Silver in, chemistry n, water in. painted counter done. Cleaning and remaining things I do not need to carry. Charging all batteries (4 lead acids).

Working on Freddy!

 

Quote: Bill Brandt (Photographer)

“Shameless Hussy”

My 33 cent book on Berthe Morisot. A creative person ahead of her time. Was reading how she outsold Monet, Sisley and Renoir at their 4 person Impressionist exhibition, 1875. How people derided their work, placed ridiculously low bids etc. Most of the exhibition sales were to friends and family. 

At the first public showing of the exhibition Renoir claimed someone yelled out “Shameless Hussy”, which was directed at Morisot.

First Day, 2 Flat Tires!!! on Fanny

Unlucky start! Got a flat tire, inner dually drivers side. Waiting on AMA to come and change  the tire. Will need to go get the tire repaired after. Bad luck screwing up the first day. Losing 4-5 hour on this.

Update. AMA DOES NOT CHANGE DUALLY INNER TIRES. WE WILL HAVE TO GET THE ENTIRE MOTORHOME TOWED TO A TIRE SHOP IN WETASKIWIN THEN REPAIRED THERE.

Big operation towing Fanny our class C motorhome.  Big tractor trailer truck plus a big tow truck and a 3/4 ton truck. 3 men, 3 large trucks. Just to take her to there repair shop 17 km away!!

They did a good job, very knowledgeable men in the field and at the Fountain Tire Shop. It took around 5 hours and cost $405 for the tire work, AMA covered the tow. 

One tire (inner dually) had a 10 inch gash in the tread, tire needed replacing, the second tire (outer dually) had a leaking stem valve, repaired. 

Overall the guys did a great job, thanks.

Fanny loaded on a semi truck trailer with b2 flat tires

Link: Victoria’s Camera Club Talk Confirmed!

Will do a ZOOM talk for the Victoria Camera Club on Thursday January 14, 2027. They will pay $250 CAD, money to be used to help the people in the pictures.

Victoria Camera Club