# Black Reflective Stand



## MartinPens

I bought this black reflective stand at Alzo with a gift certificate. (Their products are available through Amazon) I like what it does.

Biggest con is the fact that it's a giant dust magnet.
I have got to find a different place to do photography and figure out how to keep my area dust free. Where is that giant plastic bubble!!

Martin

p.s. The pen is an Imperial with Afzelia Burl. Enjoy


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## Buzzzz4

Definitely a beauty. Like the light reflection. Not quite like a mirror which is a good thing.


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## bitshird

Beautiful picture of a knock out pen.


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## Edward Cypher

Like the reflection properties.  Nice pen great photo.


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## PTownSubbie

Martin,

I like the look! I have also looked on the Alzo site but can't find anything like you show here.

Can you help out with a link or some more detail please?

Thanks!


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## OKLAHOMAN

Fred here is a link to Amazon.coms site

http://www.amazon.com/Riser-Platfor...r_1_20?s=photo&ie=UTF8&qid=1301447212&sr=1-20


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## MartinPens

Thanks Roy for the link.
I don't know if I would have purchased this without the gift certificate. I was thinking that If I could find someone who works with plexiglass I might be able to get it cheaper - but then I'm not very good at waiting!  If the dust doesn't drive me crazy, I think I'll use it often.  It made metering really different. Everything was overexposed and I had to really crank down the exposure.  I won't use it all of the time. Sometimes a pen won't look good on black and sometimes I like setting up a little scene with a journal or some stones.  Thanks for the comments!

Martin

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## ctubbs

For the dust problem, check out an antistatic spray, dryer sheet or anything similar.  that will help lower the static that attracts the dust.  It will not completely stop the dust problem but it will help.

That is one beautiful pen you have on display and the black stand is a knock out.
Charles


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## robutacion

ctubbs said:


> *For the dust problem, check out an antistatic spray, dryer sheet or anything similar*.  that will help lower the static that attracts the dust.  It will not completely stop the dust problem but it will help.
> 
> That is one beautiful pen you have on display and the black stand is a knock out.
> Charles



Yeah, I'm 100% with you on this one but, I also found that for the cleaning or dust removal from the area just prior to use, nothing compares with those magnetic fluffy dusters, they're cheap and very damn effective...!

Cheers
George


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## MartinPens

ooooooo, a dryer sheet. Brilliant. And I'll look into the antistatic spray.  I need to get my light tent really clean and make sure to close it off when it's not in use. I've been lazy and right now it's a big dusty mess.  I used a swiffer duster and it was a nightmare. The static sucked all the fine dust off the swiffer and onto the stand. I used pledge, but ... duh - it left a residue that had to be cleaned off.  Thanks for the tips. I think it will be worth it to find something that works.

Martin

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## toolcrazy

Novus #1 Plastic Clean & Shine. Works wonders for me. But, I use white plexi most of the time. Some pens get lost on black.


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## MartinPens

toolcrazy said:
			
		

> Novus #1 Plastic Clean & Shine. Works wonders for me. But, I use white plexi most of the time. Some pens get lost on black.



I'll look that up and give it a try. Yeah, the black has its limits. They had black and clear.  Where do you get your white?  I remember in high school, eons ago, working with plexiglass - bending it and making stuff out of it.  Any experience in what it takes to bend it?  A flat piece with a slow 90 degree slop on the back is all that is really needed.  How hard can that be?   I just wasn't patient enough to wait and get the materials and make it myself.  So.... now I'm going to have make myself a white one and see if I can spend less than I spent on the black one. (taking the gift certificate into consideration)  Thanks for the tip.

Martin

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## wizard

Martin, That is a gorgeous picture of a beautiful pen. I really like the reflective effect it gives. May try one of those. The black velvet I use is a major dust magnet. I imagine that static charge building up on plastic makes it a dust magnet too.
Thank you for showing. Regards, Doc


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## MartinPens

wizard said:
			
		

> Martin, That is a gorgeous picture of a beautiful pen. I really like the reflective effect it gives. May try one of those. The black velvet I use is a major dust magnet. I imagine that static charge building up on plastic makes it a dust magnet too.
> Thank you for showing. Regards, Doc



I was just looking and commenting on your stars and stripes pen and wondering what you use for your black background. Yeah, black can be a great background at times but has it's drawbacks with dust and certain colors.  Sure would like to see that magnificent purple swirl pen you made on a white background. That is a beautiful pen.  Thanks for the comment.

Martin

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## wizard

MartinPens said:


> wizard said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Martin, That is a gorgeous picture of a beautiful pen. I really like the reflective effect it gives. May try one of those. The black velvet I use is a major dust magnet. I imagine that static charge building up on plastic makes it a dust magnet too.
> Thank you for showing. Regards, Doc
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I was just looking and commenting on your stars and stripes pen and wondering what you use for your black background. Yeah, black can be a great background at times but has it's drawbacks with dust and certain colors.  *Sure would like to see that magnificent purple swirl pen you made on a white background. *That is a beautiful pen.  Thanks for the comment.
> 
> Martin
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Forum Runner
Click to expand...


Martin,
I think you're right about the white background..will try it this evening and show it. Doc


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## moke

Martin,
When we photograph on that type of surface we use dryed air from a compressor followed by an old anti-static brush to clean it. ( The brush is left over from the days we used our darkrooms for more than storage)  We also use the micro fiber towels and cleaners used for LCD monitor cleaning. It is still an issue to keep in clean, even after that. That glass creates what is called a "first side" reflection.  Most mirrors will give you double reflections that give the illusions of soft focus and a general confusion in the reflection. I am not familiar with Alzo reflective glass, but generaly those types of surfaces are very delicate. We stopped using dryer sheets as they scratched a first side mirror we used to use, and it showed dramatically.


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## MartinPens

Great info Mike!  That's one of the things I love about this forum. In a couple days I can get a variety of information and learning without having to recreate the wheel - and ruin a couple wheels in the process.  The learning curve is changing here and I appreciate your info very much. Will check out your site later on. I'm on my iPad and it doesn't do certain sites that use FlashPlayer.

Martin

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## TexasTaxi

I think it adds a *very* professional touch, to the picture, but I don't know what your pictures looked like before, so it might not be that much of an improvement! :wink:

That's a beautiful pen, too!


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## moke

Martin,
I failed to mention that the photograph is exceptionally well done and could pass for anyone's professional commerical work.  Kudos!

Digital has killed the commerical photo industry. Art directors and owners are doing most of their own work. We do maybe 10% of what we used to do. Mostly now we do large items. Small product work is what has  really suffered. My concern, and the reason I mention this, is I have concerns how long companies like this can hold out economically. We have seen the collapse of many companies like this that make awesome items. It is sad, but it is the way it is.


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## ctubbs

Mike, I forgot all about the old anti-static brushes.  That is the way to go if they are even available anymore.  The brush was very soft camel hair with a radioactive source by the head.  Best I remember it gave off Beta particles or were they Alpha.  Either way, the rad killed the static and the brush removed the dust.  I guess I spent too many years soaking my hands in Kodak rapid fix and hardener.  Thanks for the memories.
Charles


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## moke

Charles--
We used to have a large lab...I have two of the 4x5 neg versions of the "staticmaster" left.  The cartridge said it died in the early 90's, but it still seems to work.  Now I must say I don't do the reflective surface much at all anymore, but it seems to work well when I do.

We do fire up a smaller version of our b&w lab a few times a year, and I must say when we mix the Rapid Fix I can "taste" it in my mouth for days!  I have many B&W lab pieces of equipment I paid good money for in our basement, I need to throw it away, but I can not bring myself to do it!!!


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## ctubbs

Tell me about it, Mike.  I am still dragging around most of my old studio and darkroom equipment years after I quit doing anything with them, enlarger, trays, tanks, tongs, timers you name it, just dust collectors.  I hate to throw it away.  I wish someone wanted it.
Charles


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## MartinPens

moke said:
			
		

> Martin,
> I failed to mention that the photograph is exceptionally well done and could pass for anyone's professional commerical work.  Kudos!
> 
> Digital has killed the commerical photo industry. Art directors and owners are doing most of their own work. We do maybe 10% of what we used to do. Mostly now we do large items. Small product work is what has  really suffered. My concern, and the reason I mention this, is I have concerns how long companies like this can hold out economically. We have seen the collapse of many companies like this that make awesome items. It is sad, but it is the way it is.



Mike,

Everyone is looking to find a corner to cut to best survive this economy or just to make the most profit, which just seems to be "an" American way. (I won't say "the" American way as I still hold out that we can value small businesses and the services they offer)

It used to be that, when I was in graphic design ten years ago, even if someone could take a good shot on their camera they had no idea how to take that shot and get it "print ready."  I guess for personal use and self printing it works fine - or for the web where everything is jpg or gif based, but it used to be that printing presses functioned in CMYK.  I imagine all of that has come to pass, but I'm not really sure since I haven't been in it for a while.  I do know that if I take a digital shot and want it to turn out like I see it on my calibrated monitor, that I had better get the printer profiles and apply those in Photoshop.  Otherwise there is no matchup.

Of course all of this is off topic somewhat, since forum shots are jpgs.  Thanks for the tips.  Not to sure about the brush that emits radiation, but I may look into some other options mentioned. : )

Martin

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## MartinPens

ctubbs said:
			
		

> Tell me about it, Mike.  I am still dragging around most of my old studio and darkroom equipment years after I quit doing anything with them, enlarger, trays, tanks, tongs, timers you name it, just dust collectors.  I hate to throw it away.  I wish someone wanted it.
> Charles



Charles,

Some things definitely don't come back. There will be a small group who like to learn how things were done.  I sure enjoyed my darkroom days - from all the B&W work to the color slide developing.  It was a great place to bring dates as well!! : )

Join a photography club and ask around and you might be surprised (or not) at who is interested in doing things the "old way."  But there sure is a lot of it out there. Onward!!

Regards,

Martin

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## Fred

I walk out of my computer room and right next to it is a fully equipped commercial B&W lab ... everything is just like it was back in 1987 when I did my last "job" for pay. I just go in there now to was my hands after putzing around.

I can't give the Kodak Royal Print Processor away, nor the Hope film machine. Both are just collecting more and more dust.

Anyone need a Sinar 4x5 view camera? I believe I used it for a week before putting it back on the shelf. I checked into getting a digital back for it once a few years ago and was shocked to find that I could buy a house for a little less money.

Oh well, ain't it hell to grow older!


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## Canadian_Kid

You need a heat strip to heat the plastic and then a nice corner to bend it over.



MartinPens said:


> I remember in high school, eons ago, working with plexiglass - bending it and making stuff out of it.  Any experience in what it takes to bend it?  A flat piece with a slow 90 degree slop on the back is all that is really needed.  How hard can that be?   I just wasn't patient enough to wait and get the materials and make it myself.  So.... now I'm going to have make myself a white one and see if I can spend less than I spent on the black one. (taking the gift certificate into consideration)  Thanks for the tip.
> 
> Martin
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Forum Runner


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## moke

Guys--
We off topic here but I just wanted to make a small clarification, when I said I was concerned for small companies in the Photo industry I meant Alzo, not me...we actually went to making an emphasis in team and sports indidvduals about 15 years ago and now I am really doing well, and while I sometimes miss the old "film" days...I certainly do not miss living in a darkroom like a mole.  I just hate the fact like some of you that I have many thousands of dollars of equipment I am going to turn in for scrap....anyway Martin...nice photos!!


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