AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHY. 



245 



water sufficient washing to produce a 

 negative that will last. It is further a 

 good idea to varnish negatives and give 

 them all possible protection from climatic 

 extremes, especially dampness. — Editor. 



RETOUCHING VARNISHES. 

 Please give me a formula for making 

 retouching varnish. 



Guy F. Meres, New York City. 



ANSWER. 



Venice turpentine, *4 ounce. 

 Spirits turpentine, to thin to i]/ 2 to 2 

 ounces. 



Another: 



A. Best picked sandarac, 60 grams. 

 Alcohol, 95 per cent., 300 grams. 



B. Castor oil, 20 grams. 

 Alcohol, 95 per cent., 40 grams. 



After both are well dissolved, mix A 

 and B and bottle. 



Sometimes the negative requires a great 

 deal of lead and it may be impossible to 

 retouch on the gelatine side. In that case 

 flow the following mat varnish on the back 

 and work on that when dry. This varnish 

 is also excellent for all thin negatives, as 

 it gives a ground glass effect on the back 

 and shows the printing: 

 ' Sandarac 90 grains. 



Best mastic (tears) 20 grains. 



Ether 2 ounces. 



Benzole 1 ounce. 



Less benzole gives less matt effect; more 

 increases it. The addition of yellow dye 

 for retarding printing is often resorted to 

 when negatives are extremely thin. — 

 Editor. 



FOLDING NEGATIVE RACK. 

 To make a cheap and practical folding 

 negative rack I took 2 thin strips, say, 

 3-16 inch thick, an inch wide and about 

 12 inches in length, and notched them 

 about 24 inch apart, making the notches 



wide enough to admit the edges of 2 

 negatives, which can be placed with their 

 backs together. Then of the same mate- 

 rial I made my standards, taking for a 

 4x5 camera one piece 6 inches in length 

 and one piece 8 inches. I tacked them 

 together, allowing 2 inches for the legs 

 and the remaining portion to support the 



crosspieces. In the top of the standards I 

 cut mortises large enough to admit an 

 end of the crosspiece. The crosspieces 

 may be easily slipped in and out of these 

 mortises, allowing the rack to be packed 

 in a small space. 



G. V. McAllister, Hamilton, N. Y. 



SNAP SHOTS. 

 Are there envelopes like enclosed on the 

 market already sensitized for blue print 

 pictures. If not, please tell me how to 

 prepare them. 



W. F. Bowker, Wakefield, Mass. 



ANSWER. 



The envelope you sent was sensitized by 

 brushing on blue print solution. They 

 do not come ready sensitized, but you can 

 easily prepare them yourself. Mix the 

 following: 



no. 1. 



Citrate iron and ammonia. . .64 grains. 



Water 1 ounce. 



NO. 2. 



Water 1 ounce. 



Red prussiate of potash 48 grains. 



Bottle in 1 ounce bottles and wrap in 

 black paper. To use, mix equal portions 

 of each. Brush on the envelope, postal 

 card or other paper with a tuft of cotton. 

 Brush first up and down and then across 

 to insure an even coat. Dry and print 

 until the shadows are bronzed, then sim- 

 ply wash in water. Sensitize in a dimly 

 lighted room. — Editor. 



Kindly give directions for tie manu- 

 facture of an apparatus with which one 

 can enlarge from a 4x5 negative "to any 

 size up to that of 20x25 or thereabout? 

 Where can one get lenses, etc., for such 

 an apparatus? 



George W., Rumford Falls, Me. 



ANSWER. 



Better than any description of such an 

 apparatus as you desire for enlarging 

 would be a careful study of the picture 

 of one. I advise you to get a circular of 

 the Brighton, a simply constructed ap- 

 paratus that Anthony & Co., 120 Fifth 

 avenue, New York, sell at $12. You can, 

 if you are something of a cabinet maker, 

 build one like it by buying a lens, some 

 kits for the front and one plate holder. 

 An imitation Dallmeyer Stereo lens is fine 

 for the purpose. I think Ralph J. Gol- 

 sen, 80 Wabash avenue, Chicago, may 

 have one on his bargain list, and if second 

 hand you might get it for $3 or $4.— 

 Editor. 



I received the set of Nchring's ampli- 

 scopes which you sent me as a premium. 

 The wide angle attachment reduces the 

 focus of my rectilinear lens about one 

 half and gives a good wide angle effect. 



