Printing On Fiber Paper

[PlantedTao]

Can anyone give me any tips on how to use VC fiber paper in the darkroom? How about a good beginner brand to use?
I currently use RC paper and was wondering what differences I will encounter. Is fiber something I could learn on my own or is a class required? I took one class already for the RC paper and general darkroom orientation, I would rather not have to put the cash down on another.
Also, how hard is it to use selenium (dangerous?) on fiber paper? Anything I should know about selenium? Brands? Concentrations?

I would like to make the jump to fiber and any help is much appreciated.
Cheers.

[Jacqui]

Hi, I'm responding out of memory, not notes, but I bet there are others that can verify. You don't need to take a separate class for fiber, it's very similar to RC.

Times - Double the time in the developer and the fix from what you would do for RC. After the fix, dip it in water (some people skip the water dip) and soak it in hypo clear for a few minutes (I forget how many minutes, maybe 5-10 minutes). You have to soak it in hypoclear or else your water rinse is going to be for forever because as it is, it's a 15-20 minute rinse. Agitation is still important throughout the process.

Paper quality - Fiber is beautiful paper but when it gets wet, it's soft, so be careful with the tongs on it.

DRYING - Let it dry flat, it won't hold its shape like RC does. It will be wrinkled when it dries so you need to press it in a hot press. Fiber will dry darker and flatter than how the print looks when it's wet so expose in the enlarger with this in mind.

SELENIUM - This is an archival toner and can add contrast to your final print. It is hazardous so you have to dispose of it property and make sure you get proper ventilation when using it. I would stay away from toning unless you really need it.

BRANDS and CONCENTRATIONS - I don't think there is such a thing as a "beginner brand" of paper, determine what your final output is and find the paper to match that need. Browse on the internet using key search terms. Good luck!

[PlantedTao]

Thanks for the help Jacqui!

I went to the darkroom this weekend and was able to work on one negative and ended up with six solid prints (although I haven't seen them dry yet). This whole process took about 4 1/2 hours.
Your advice is right and the difference is not that big between the two papers...fiber just requires a LOT more patience...but I think the results will be well worth it.

I will get to toning later but I think I have learned enough to keep me busy for the time being.

Thanks again.
Cheers.

[Jacqui]

Excellent! That's great to hear. :-)