Drying After Varnishing, 14x14 Inch Plates

Varnishing some 14x14 inch Ambrotypes from September 2024.

Retirement?!!

 

Vancouver Island First?

 

Boxes for Ambrotypes

After my recent plea for ways to store my Ambrotypes from the project AMBROTOS KANATA. I received the following. I think I can make some of these with my new woodworking tools.

DW - My suggestion would be to go out to your woodworking shop and make cases sized to fit. A box is a relatively easy thing to make, with the only consideration is to weight: the heavier the plate totals the sturdier the box needs to be. To give a really rustic look, butterboxes can be found at any antique store, just fabricate the slots to hold the plates in the vertical position. This apothecary style cabinet holds 26 glass plates per drawer, or back-to back 52 aluminum per drawer.

Meanwhile this 5x7 road case uses 3D printed slots and holds 18 plates. I no longer use the 3D slots as they make more noise than wood grooves as the glass rattles when "driving down the road."

BR-big boxes for the 20x24 need the plates spaced out better. I alternated the grove is the bottom so every other plate is higher in the box makes it easier to grab hold of.

DW-Here is your guide to making the "racks" for inside the box.  I use low grade poplar available at any building store. You want on the sides AND bottom. The trick here is cutting the slots with a 60 degree bit on the router table. If you look long and hard, Craftsman used to make a moulding blade for table saw, one of the blade was a 45 degree bit, and that works.  If you have a sled made for your table saw, it would be the easiest and fastest. (You should have a sled - it will make all your crosscuts so much easier and far more accurate)

DW boxes

BR boxes

Ambrotype Storage Plea

Sent this out to my Facebook friends

Hey good folks, some suggestions please. 

As my long term Ambrotype project of Canada progresses (AMBROTOS KANATA) I am collecting more and more larger plates. I have spent the last several days varnishing 12x20 and 11x14 inch glass plates. I will be shooting 24x24 inch plates this summer. Eventually I might have over 1000 ULF Ambrotypes.

Here is the question. 

What is the best way to safe guard and protect the plates? How and in what way should I store them? 

My hope is to shoot over the next 15 years and them donate it all to somewhere that cares. Before that happens I need to protect the plates from damage.

Photographing the Coliseum

I have a bit more time to make my ambrotypes of the old Northlands Coliseum before it’s gone. Part of the AMBROTOS KANATA wet plate project. Hopefully next summer. 

The demolition will cost 35 million and is at least 2 years away. It is such a historic building for Edmonton, where Gretz and the boys won their cups! I just gotta shoot it!

Retirment Fast Approaching

Note* My security license expires March 27, 2024. That might be my last day of work.

The Grand Canadian Landscape

I am thinking more and more about “The Grand Canadian Landscape”. The Arctic, the coasts, the mountains, the oceans, the rivers and the plains. With my ultra large 24x24 inch Ambrotype plates, diptychs and triptychs would sing telling the landscape story of Canada, They could then be displayed in my beautiful handmade frames, at galleries across the country.

More thought needed.

Made Two Submissions

I just made 2 gallery submissions to the main gallery at CASA in Lethbridge, Alberta. It is a nice facility with an CARFAC artist fee of $1500+. I submitted THE FAMILIES OF THE DUMP and AMNBROTOS KAANATA. Families would be printed in 11x14 P.latinum-Palladium with wooden frames and AMBROTOS would be Ambrotype of various sizes, also in my handmade wooden frames.

Pretty tough to get into a place like this, and they favour local folks, making it even harder, but thought I would give it a go. I really need to start exhibiting AMBROTOS KANATA. The problem is all the time required to make up all these submission. I basically spent the best part of 3 days working on these 2 submissions. I hope in that I can use some of the same material for future submissions to other galleries, saving on submission work time.

CASA Art Gallery in Lethbridge, Alberta, photographer unknown

Photo Idea: Multiple Ambrotypes to Tell One Story

This is today’s work. A 14x14 inch Diptych frame from pine wood. I just applied the 3rd coat of charcoal stain, might do a 4th. We shall see how it looks after drying. Then I need to add a coat of semi gloss.

As I was working on this frame tonight, I had an idea. What if I found a worthy subject then photographed it from multiple angles or lens, then made a Triptych frame like this to tell a more complete story. Heck I could even place 4 or 5 ultra large Ambrotypes in one very long and large frame. That type of art work would be unique and beautiful. Now that I am making my own frames, the creative possibilities seem to be expanding.

What would they be called? Diptych, Triptych, then? Quadtych? Pentatych? 

I have at least 3, possibly 4-14x14 plates of this Saskatchewan Church that might work. Still need to finish them up (varnish). Might make a frame for that. If I ever get an exhibition for the Ambrotypes AMBROTOS KANATA project, a large artwork like that should command the wall.

This idea might work best with the immense Canadian landscape, large forests, flowing plains, mountain passes, and huge churning ocean quadtychs!!!

Or even larger. What if I had 5-24x24 inch Ambrotypes in one long Pentatych (5 image) frame. One huge work with a grand theme.

Something like that would be extremely challenging and damanding to make. Might be worth a try thou. What the heck else is life for? You need to chase difficult, near impossible dreams.

After the 3rd coat of charcoal stain

Saskatchewan church

Why Rough Frames?

 

I had a person on Facebook ask me why I am using cheap pine wood, why not use a more expensive, better quality wood? Here is my answer. 

“ JS- I am a beginner at this, started making frames 1 month ago. On this frame, I made 2 measurement errors! Might go to more expensive woods later when I feel more confident. Or might stay with the cheap stuff. 

I kinda like the rougher look of this wood. It fits my rougher looking Ambrotypes. I am even working with FREE pallet wood I got out of the garbage. See sample. 

I feel that the frame and ambrotype can tell a story together, if done right. Am searching for that creative connection of two hand made things, working in unison, to tell a common story. 

At least that’s the hope 🙂”

Note* I am also limited by my lack of woodworking skills!

First 14x14 Inch Diptych Frame

Trying a 14x14 inch Ambrotype diptych frame today. My workspace is too small to make frames this size easily. The frame is 1x4 pine wood that will be stained Charcoal.

Thought I would share the process. Making a frame is like making an ambrotype, many steps that you improve at with practice.

Note* I got the center divider right on the first try today. Yesterday it took me 8 tries to do the 8x10 diptych frame divider.

First Diptych Frame Build

Trying to do my first diptych frame for 2 vertical 8x10 inch Ambrotypes. I had some issues with the middle dividing piece. It took me 8 tries to get something that kinda fits. On the good side, I improved at making the dividers.

This is the third time I have tried to use the biscuit joiner I’m a frame. Gluing the corners requires a system and needs to be done fairly quickly. My first attempt was a comedy of errors.

I am still learning my tools. I used the miter saw, the jigsaw, the biscuit joiner, the belt sander amd the router on this frame build. I will be using the orbital next before staining.

Plenty of struggles today but things are moving forward! I want to try a 14x14 inch diptych frame soon.

Too short middle pieces

8x10 Diptych Frame

More Frame Making Tools

I will buy more used frame making tools over the next few days. The frames will be used for my Ambrotype, Platform -Palladium, salt and gelatin silver prints 

Facebook Story on the tools.

Tonight, I am buying more tools to help with the photography frame making. Got me a used BISCUIT JOINER delivered to work.

A fun tool. Basically, it cuts a hole in the wood, that you use to add a wooden biscuit with glue into. The wood biscuit expands as it dries and provides a much stronger joint connection at the miter (corner) of the frame. I think it will be very useful when I start making the big frames for the ULF Ambrotypes.

I don't want the frame to break in transport or fall apart on a gallery wall and let the ambrotype coming crashing down! The joiner should make things nice and strong. Am trusting woodworkers here, people who know more than I do, many recommend biscuits!

- Dewalt corded biscuit joiner. New price is $289 CAD. My used price will be $130 CAD with a delivery to work today.

Dewalt biscuit joiner

- A Dewalt cordless /20v circular saw. New price is $189 CAD. My used price with delivery to work is $80 CAD

20v cordless Dewalt circular saw

- 27 Bessey style clamps, $233 CAD, with delivery to my house. The new price for the same clamps would be at least 2 times higher.

- Craftsman minibus quit joiner. My used price is $30 CAD. This tool is no longer being made but is supposed to be a real gem.

I will use the biscuit joiners to add biscuits to the miter corners of my frames. Biscuits are supposed to add a ton of strength to glued joints.

The Finished Form. Is the Best!!!

What I love most about the framed Ambrotypes, is that they are in their final and finished form. There is real pleasure and beauty in seeing Ambrotypes this way. This is the way they are supposed to be seen, 

Being a creator of Ambros, I see them in all their multitude of stages, to see the final framed, no more touching stage is very rewarding. Not many of my AMBROTOS KANATA project images are framed and, on a wall, to see them that way, brings joy to my heart. All the work seems more than worth it.

I believe I will make photos of the framed Ambrotypes for all my gallery submissions. They are complete in the frame. The gallery should see them that way as well. I will probably throw in some videos each submission as well. Clear glass Ambrotypes are best viewed when you place them in good light and move your head around the image, soaking it in from every anlage, videos do that.

Stacked the Free Pallet Wood

Some of the boards are too short. I need to be more selective on what type of pallets I grab. There is a surprising degree of pallet variety. I chose these in the dark and cold night, not ideal!

To make the wider 8x10 Ambrotype frames like I did last week I need a minimum board length of 18 inches. The wood in the middle of the photo measure just over 18 inches. 

Not sure how I will use the shorter boards, probably for smaller 8x10 frames and for diptych 8x10 frames as the middle section.

I might also be able to make smaller frames for a 8x10 Platinum-Palladium series I am planning.

If I want to make larger frames from pallet wood, frames measuring 14x14 inches and larger, I wood need to include the pallet nail holes. I could fill the holes with wood filler putty then paint them. I believe stain and wood filler do not work well together.

I guess it would be smarter, easier and faster to just buy wood but the idea of making something from garbage appeals to me. It just seems the right thing to do. I think back to the carpenters I photographed in Klong Toey slum in Bangkok. They were able to make the most beautiful things from discarded pallets. Things like tables, books shelves and dog houses. Emulating those hard working men just seems right. It’s a good story for my artist talks  as well!

Free pallet wood

Cottonwood trees in pallet wood stained frame

Cut Up 6 Pallets After Work

Cut up 6 pallets on getting home. Some pieces will be too short, other pieces cracked but some should work well for Ambrotype frames. I will need to double check for nails or staples in the wood.

I might be able to make smaller 8x10 frames from the shorter pallet wood pieces. I would use them for a collection of small platinum- palladium prints I want to make of my favourite social documentary images.

Free Pallets From Work

When I bought the Beast 1 ton truck in May, I was not sure I had done the right thing. Now I am sure it was a good buy. The truck has been an important and even vital tool in my wet plate project. I can use it to tow the darkroom trailer, as a large Ambrotype making worktable and for hauling pretty much anything.

Tonight, I picked up some free pallets from work. I got 14 loaded on the truck. That should be enough wood to make 28-35 small 8x10 frames, maybe some 8x10 diptych or triptych frames as well.

I need to get the pallets home and stored before the heavy snowfall. 

Loaded down pallet truck!

8x10 pallet frame

Pallets from Work?

Am trying to get some free pallets from where I work as a security guard. The petrochemical plant I have worked at for 29 years, has a whole bunch of stacked pallets in the back by the warehouse. I am trying to get some of them for my frame making. It would be cool to have an exhibition of frames made from discarded garbage pallets. I like that idea of bringing something back to life and not wasting it. There is an artistic beauty to it. 

I hope I can 5 or 10 free pallets!

Cottonwoods in recycled pallet wood frame

Bertha Point in recycled pallet wood frame

Diptych Frame Design Ideas

Tonight, I have been trying to figure out how I will make my Ambrotype Diptych frames. I have several designs drawn out. I will make an 8x10 Diptych frame next week off. Later on, I will do 14x14 inch Diptych and possibly a Triptych frame for work I shot in Saskatchewan and Manitoba over the summer. It should not be that hard, step by step, we will get the work done.

The plan is to use these frames in gallery exhibitions. I will also photograph the work in frames, to make submissions to galleries nationwide. It is important that I start pushing the AMBROTOS KANATA Ambrotype work into galleries. More shows will lead to more picture making opportunities, and from there, on and upward for the Ambros!

Diptych frame design ideas

How to Make a Dip-Trip Frame

Been trying to figure out how to make my Ambrotype dip and triptych frames. I have a couple of ideas. I will start with a 8x10 diptych frame for two of the “Bertha Peak” images before moving up to the larger 11x14, 14x14 and 24x24 inch diptych/triptych versions.

I am pretty sure I can make them. Am gaining some confidence in my recently acquired woodworking skills :)

I think I will try to make a 8x20 diptych frame my next week off.

Winter Shooting!

 

Video: Bertha Peak Framed Ambrotype

Bertha Peak, 8x10 Clear Glass Ambrotype, AMBROTOS KANATA, Waterton National Park, Alberta, 2023 

The frame was my second attempt using discarded, garbage pallet wood, with a charcoal stain.

When it Works!!

It is so nice when you have a creative vision that turns out pretty well exactly as you planned. That happened with both this Ambrotype plate and the frame.

Cottonwoods in Pallet Frame

Video: Louis and Me, A Wonderful World!!

 

Video: Pallet Wood Frame, 8x10 Cottonwood Trees

Cottonwood Tree, 8x10 Clear Glass Ambrotype, AMBROTOS KANATA, Waterton National Park, Alberta, 2023 

The frame was my first attempt using discarded, garbage pallet wood, with a charcoal stain.

I have started to make my own frames. I invested in all the wood working tools (around $3000 CAD) to make frames for the long term Ambrotype project, AMBROTOS KANATA. 

The cost of framing from shops is mind boggling expensive. My thinking is that after an exhibition or two with the Ambrotypes in home made frames, the carpentry tools will pay for themselves. 

In the future I will need super large frames for 24x24 inch Ambrotype dipdychs and triptychs. If I can become a better frame maker, those framing costs will also come way down!

The part that surprised me was how much fun woodworking can be. It is a creative and meditative experience. Reminds me of photography!! Who knew!