Curling Drying?

[cosmonaut]

When I dry out my TriX negs I always get a curl. I mean across the negatives from top to bottom. I think this effects my scans and throws them a little soft. I try and put them in sleeves and flatten them in a book before I scan, but I still have a slight curl. Any tricks to getting flat negs?

 

[oftheherd]

I put mine in negative sleeves and then in a three ring notebook with heavy covers. Seems to work for me. There was a thread a couple or three months ago with some good suggestions. You might google for it.

 

[newsgrunt]

if you dry them on reels but reversed ( emulsion out) they'll dry flat as a board. gotta be careful you don't pinch a frame though

 

[finguanzo]

Hey newsgrunt, so you respool the film wet backwards on the reel.?

 

[Frontman]

Hey newsgrunt, so you respool the film wet backwards on the reel.?

Actually, you can thread the film onto the spool this way when you develop it. I haven't tried this method, but then again I haven't really had a problem with film curvature affecting my scans. I often make A3 size prints, so any problems should be easy to notice.

You can try Rollei films, they are very flat,

 

[JayGannon]

You can try Rollei films, they are very flat,

Pan 25 certainly aint, curls back as if it was on the spool again and also curls along the other axis. Most difficult film as regards curling I have ever used.

 

[ZeissFan]

I've loaded some films reversed and then processed and dried on the reel. Other films are really difficult to load reversed. I've found the Rollei Retro 400 to be crazy curly. I had to flatten the negatives for a week.

 

[wildsheep]

I've been trying this recently:

http://forums.photographyreview.com/showthread.php?t=38376

Make sure to roll the page such that curvature is reversed. Seems to work better than inserting pages in a book and placing a heavy weight on top. Takes up less space too.

 

[maddoc]

The problem occurs only in winter when air is dry, in humid summers as here in Japan, the film is always flat (and also less brittle). To get film flat in winter time, I keep the film closely rolled with emulsion outside for at least 12 hours before scanning.

 

[cosmonaut]

I've been trying this recently:

http://forums.photographyreview.com/showthread.php?t=38376

Make sure to roll the page such that curvature is reversed. Seems to work better than inserting pages in a book and placing a heavy weight on top. Takes up less space too.

I know the Mod, should have ask him first.

 

[charjohncarter]

I tried something different yesterday, so I don't know if is a 'find' yet. Instead of loading my reel with the film (TriX) curling in the direction of the reel, I reversed it. That is: I put the emulsion side out. This roll was available for scanning within a couple of hours after drying and pressing.

 

[robbeiflex]

I tried something different yesterday, so I don't know if is a 'find' yet. Instead of loading my reel with the film (TriX) curling in the direction of the reel, I reversed it. That is: I put the emulsion side out. This roll was available for scanning within a couple of hours after drying and pressing.

Doh!

If only I had read this three hours before you posted it, then I wouldn't have to wait until Wednesday to scan the negs I just developed. :bang:

Thanks for the tip though, will try it next time.

Cheers,
Rob

 

[calebk]

The major concern with emulsion side out is accidentally damaging the emulsion while handling it. How do you guys ensure no damage done to the emulsion, especially the outermost part of the roll?

 

[charjohncarter]

Doh!

If only I had read this three hours before you posted it, then I wouldn't have to wait until Wednesday to scan the negs I just developed. :bang:

Thanks for the tip though, will try it next time.

Cheers,
Rob

You are welcome, I would like to know if it makes a difference for you; I have only done it once with this intension. But I have done it by accident a few time and never thought about it.

 

[charjohncarter]

The major concern with emulsion side out is accidentally damaging the emulsion while handling it. How do you guys ensure no damage done to the emulsion, especially the outermost part of the roll?

I don't know what 'outermost part of the roll' means, but I don't use cotton gloves. I wash my hands before I do anything with film, but I haven't seen any problems from my mistakes or this time:

This is a DIY lightbox shot, but I did not find any fingerprints or scratches on any of this roll (at the end of the roll, if that is what you are thinking):

 

[Rezultz]

I also had a problem with tri-x curling, thus making poor scans. I've since switched to HP5 which is a thicker film. Dries straight, scans beautifully.

 

[rover]

And I just threw away a paper towel tube... I will have to save the next one.

ALL of my film curls in this way. Every brand, no matter what I do. ALL of them. I normally cut them into strips, put them in a page and lay them between books on a book shelf for a number of days. That works out pretty good, but I will try to roll them next time.

 

[dyao]

Film curls because of low humidity - the emulsion dries too fast and 'pulls' the plastic inwards along the long axis, causing the curl.

Make sure the humidity is above 60-70% if you want flat negs.

Another method is to wait for the negs to dry, then reverse roll and stick them into the plastic containers that film comes in. Leave for a few hours

 

[rover]

Film curls because of low humidity - the emulsion dries too fast and 'pulls' the plastic inwards along the long axis, causing the curl.

Make sure the humidity is above 60-70% if you want flat negs.

While I agree with you 100%.... unfortunately no film I have developed and took care to place in a humid environment has agreed. I have just not had any luck so I have just learned to deal with it.

 

[dyao]

rover, is it warm where you dry your film?