CIBACHROME RING-AROUND HOLDER

(Ken Smith Area 4.).

If you make prints from slides using Cibachrome, this home-made gadget could prove useful for the determination of exposure and/or filtration. I have always found ordinary test strips to be somewhat misleading because of the varying density and colour of the image along the strip. This ring-around holder enables four test exposures of the most important part of an image to be
made on a single sheet of paper, thereby ensuring constant processing so that a true comparison of exposures and / or filtration can be made.

In use, it is first necessary to frame up and focus the enlarged image onto the back of a scrap print held in the holder with all flaps open. Then, in complete darkness, the old print is replaced with a fresh sheet of Cibachrome the correct way up. The flaps are closed before turning on the enlarger so that the chosen part of the image can be framed up on flap no. 1. The enlarger is then switched off, flap no. 1 is opened and the first test exposure given. After closing flap 1, the enlarger is switched on again to enable the same part of the image to be framed up on flap no. 2. After switching off the enlarger flap no. 2 is opened and the second test exposure is given. Flap no. 2 is closed and the process repeated for flaps 3 & 4.

When testing for exposure I have found it advisable to stick to the same filtration for the four exposures. Then having determined the correct exposure further tests on filtration can be made if necessary. Always keep notes relating to tests.

To make this useful gadget the following materials will be required:- A piece of hardboard 10 inches square. A piece of 2mm card (mounting board) 10 1/8th x 10". A sheet of good quality strong white paper cut to 101/8th x 10" Glue such as `UHU`. Paste which can be made by diluting Evostick wood glue (PVA) with 25% water.

Referring to the diagram it is important to mark out and cut very carefully.

When glueing the 1" wide strips of card B onto the hardboard A it is recommended to use a scrap 10" x 8" print as a guide to accurate positioning. When the glue is set the four flaps of B should fit neatly between the 1" wide strips. The extra width of the flaps is to give a good finger grip when hinging the flaps in the dark. If the paper C is pasted all over the underside and positioned carefully onto the assembled A and B it can be left to try before cutting through between the flaps where shown dotted. All that remains is to number 1 to 4 adjacent to the flaps.

In addition to being an aid to making test exposures the ring-around holder can be used as a mask for making four 5" x 4" prints on a single sheet of paper.