 Jennifer Webster |
dirty neg I processed two rolls of film today and placed them in a shower in a bath room we don't use to dry. When I tried to make prints the negs are flithy. I used some anti-static to clean them but it didn't work. Please help me save these negs! Also, any advice on how to dry without this problem in the future. Thanks,
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Christopher A. Vedros |
Jennifer, You can clean your negatives with Photo-flo solution and a film squeegee. If you don't already have these, you can find them at Porter's online store HERE and HERE. Try this next time you hang film: While you are processing your film, go turn the shower on HOT in your drying bathroom and let it run for a little while, until the room gets steamy. Then turn it off about five or ten minutes before you hang your film. As the steam settles, it will pull most of the dust out of the air. Don't run a heater or vent in the bathroom, as it could circulate the dust again. Good luck. Chris
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Jennifer Webster |
Chris, Thank you for the information. I did use Photo-flo but I did not squeegee. I will try the shower thing next time. I think I will re-wash this film and try that technique. I didn't use the fan in the room because I didn't want this to happen, maybe I need to clean my house better. LOL. Thanks again,
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Mark Feldstein |
Greetings Jen: That's a neat trick Chris offered with the steam. For your immediate problem, load the film back on the reel, rewash it (making sure you haven't got a grit problem with your plumbing). Then toss in a cap of photo flo and hang it up using Chris' suggestions. I would avoid the squeegee and just let the film drip dry. In my experience, squeegees trap particulate matter that can scratch film emulsions. AND, if the film already has grit, the squeegee can just serve to embed it in the film anyway or cause scratching. Also, running a good air cleaner for awhile before you set-up might help if the room is small enough. Take it light.
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Jennifer Webster |
Thanks, Mark. I was wondering if it could be a water problem, since the first neg I was tring to print only has "dirt" in a line. The second one only has a few spots, but that was at the end of the roll. Maybe I rolled it wrong or my it could be my water. I will be re-washing over the weekend. Thanks,
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Mark Feldstein |
You know Jen, that's really another thing you should do is check your film reels and tanks for things like grit, water deposits, etc. and give them a good cleaning with something along the lines of an old toothbrush or bottle / dishwashing brush to get into small spaces. Don't use cleanser of course, cause that can leave grit. Liquid Cascade dishwasher soap cleans and gets rid of calcium deposits, and if they're really caked on, a light solution of LimeAway might help. Gotta really rinse thoroughly though cause soaps may compound your problems and leave a residue that mixes with your chemistries. I tend to use plain water with a brush, give them a heavy scrubbing and really rinse them off well, leaving them on a clean towel to air dry. If I'm not using one-shot chemistry, like developers, I filter it through a coffee filter/funnel back into the working solution bottle. That process picks up a lot of particulate matter left behind with development and agitation. As far as loading the reels wrong, that's pretty tough to do I think cause you'd end up fighting the thing like a boa constrictor in the dark. (Been there, done that) (Photography can be pretty scary sometimes) LOL !!! Costco, btw, sells Purian Water Filters and cartridge refills that just thread onto the kitchen faucet. They really work quite well for two darkroom related tasks: Mixing chemicals and rinsing film. When they're not needed, the filter can be turned off by flipping its handle. If these things don't work...try Hints from Helouise. lol !! Take it light.
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Jennifer Webster |
Thanks again, Mark. The tank and reels have only been used twice, but I will clean with a water and toothbrus. I will try the coffee fliter idea. I was already thinking about the water filter idea, great minds. LOL Thanks again,
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