Washing film - How do you do it??

[stompyq]

Probably a silly question but just curious how everyone washes film after fixing? I put my reel in to a plastic bucket and change the water a few times before adding Kodak HCA. Once that is done i go through at least 10 changes of water all the while violently agitating (kipping?) the reels. Then i use photoflo and hang them to dry. How do you do yours (or do you not care??😱)

 

[Steinberg2010]

Ilford wash sequence:

Fill the tank with water, invert 5 times and then empty.

Repeat with 10 inversions, 15, 20, 25, 30

Then photoflo and hang!

~S

 

[Papercut]

Same. Uses very little water and takes just a few minutes.

Ilford wash sequence:

Fill the tank with water, invert 5 times and then empty.

Repeat with 10 inversions, 15, 20, 25, 30

Then photoflo and hang!

~S

 

[Bob Michaels]

I use the Ilford wash sequence but follow the Ilford recommendations of 5 inversions, then 10, then 20. I do not do the extended inversions of the previous posters. Then a few drops of PhotoFlo in distilled water.

 

[kdemas]

I hook up my Patterson tank to a Patterson hose and run luke warm water through the tank for 10 minutes. Photoflo follows with distilled water.

Has worked nicely for me but I'm tempted to try the Ilford method with distied water sometime.

 

[Papercut]

Actually my sequence is somewhat in between the official Ilford recommendation and Steinberg's. I do 5, 10, 15, 20 ... I suspect that it doesn't matter that much either way, but I still "waste" the ~250 ml per roll of water as a bit of "fudge factor insurance" I guess.

I use the Ilford wash sequence but follow the Ilford recommendations of 5 inversions, then 10, then 20. I do not do the extended inversions of the previous posters. Then a few drops of PhotoFlo in distilled water.

 

[Nomad Z]

Mixer tap set to 20°, firing down into the middle of the Paterson tank, running for 15 minutes or so, followed by the wetting agent.

 

[znapper]

Ilford method

 

[DNG]

Place my 2 reel Patterson under my Filtered Kitchen Tap for 20min, I get 4 changes per minute.
So about 80 tank changes, then Photo Flow, hang in a humid bathroom (AC/HEAT OFF & no squeegee) to dry for 3 hours. 99% air-born dust-free. Cut and sleeve.

 

[Vics]

I use the Ilford wash sequence but follow the Ilford recommendations of 5 inversions, then 10, then 20. I do not do the extended inversions of the previous posters. Then a few drops of PhotoFlo in distilled water.

That's my method too. I don't use photo-flo, though. I have the supreme luxury of having two Honeywell Kleen-Dri film dryers. I love those things!

 

[maddoc]

Washing, either Ilford method (5x, 10x, 20x, 40x) or tap-water (in summer about 22C constant and then wetting agent with fil still on the reels. Since I use stainless steel reels, I don`t need to remove the film from the reels for the wetting agent bath as in case of plastic reels.

 

[kdemas]

Washing, either Ilford method (5x, 10x, 20x, 40x) or tap-water (in summer about 22C constant and then wetting agent with fil still on the reels. Since I use stainless steel reels, I don`t need to remove the film from the reels for the wetting agent bath as in case of plastic reels.

I actually Photoflo in the plastic reels and then rinse the reels for 5 minutes after the film is removed to get rid of the residue.

 

[sepiareverb]

Gravity Works film washer. I'm lazy.

 

[zsas]

^Me also (well its a Hurricane Washer, but same principal)...

For 10:30

 

[stompyq]

Looks like none of you are using hypo clearing agent or permawash

 

[ornate_wrasse]

Looks like none of you are using hypo clearing agent or permawash

I use hypo clearing agent. After the fixer, I do a short wash, THEN use the hypo, THEN do a 5 minute running water wash with the Paterson tank directly underneath the tap. After the running water wash, I use Photoflo and then hang the negatives, with a clothespin at one end, in the film dryer.
About 20 minutes later, I cut them and put them in their sleeves.

Ellen

 

[Gerry M]

I use a vertical, cylindrical washer that is hooked to a tap set to 68'. Wash film for 5 min after each chem. Water is not in short supply where I live. We have ~70"+ annual rainfall.

 

[John Bragg]

Ilford mehod. It has proven reliable for me over 26 years of processing. No hypo clearing as it is not needed for film. Use it for fibre papers if you like. No signs of deterioration in my negs after a quarter of a century. Guess the boffins at Ilford were right. :-D

 

[brbo]

Ilford method + photoflo with negative still on the reel.

Since I'm fairly new at developing... How will I know if my film is not sufficiently washed or better what does washing the film accomplish? Thanks!

 

[John Bragg]

Washing removes the fixer and any nastys left over from the development. The Ilford method works well if a non hardening fixer is used. Insufficient or improper washing leaves traces of fixer and it will make the film stain and deteriorate. Sounds like you are doing it right.