Drying film getting water spots

[Hogarth Ferguson]

I am about at my witts end here. I've been developing my own film for about 7 years no with no issues, other than stupid mistakes.

Last year, I bought a film drying cabinet, and ever since, I'm getting water spots on my film. I've switched over to distilled water for every step of the process. I'm using photoflo and not using photoflo. I've turned the heat up and the heat down on the cabinet.

Normally, I can figure this stuff out, either by myself or through searching. For some reason, there is not much information on drying cabinets online. Does anyone have any suggestions? I'm about to go crazy.

 

[airfrogusmc]

I wouldn't put the heat on. Just let it hang dry at room temp. Photoflo always.

 

[Steve M.]

Don't use the drying cabinet? If that's all that has changed, that's the problem. It must be having the opposite effect on your negs.

I learned to briskly whip the film like a, well, whip a few times to shake off the excess water before clipping them to the drying line I had strung up in the bathroom. Worked beautifully.

The good thing is you should be able to re wet the negs and get the spots off. Might be awkward if you already cut and sleeved them, but doable.

 

[Hogarth Ferguson]

That is where I am leaning, no cabinet. But, i figured I'd ask if anyone had ideas about maybe something I was doing wrong in the cabinet. One of those "look idiot, you're doing xxx wrong" and I would then say "duh!" and have the ah hah moment. Oh well, no cabinet it is.

 

[jorgef2002]

water spots

water spots

Hello Hang the film to dry, I use a few drops of dish washer soap instead of photoflo, its been doing the trick for my for 54 years, good luck.



Jorgef2002😱

 

[PRJ]

I wipe the non emulsion side with a paper towel. Use a light touch. If your paranoid use a KimWipe, but Bounty works too. Does the trick. You can then put it in the dryer....

 

[Requin]

I don't wipe the film with anything but put it in a bath of wetting agent for 1 minute and then I put the film reels in an upright position in a salad spinner. Rotate the fim reels and hang the film to dry. No issues since decades.

 

[jbhthescots]

After 10min rinse, a wetting agent for 1min and don't ever wipe the film with anything. Nada. Zilch. Zero. Take the film off the reels, hold in each hand between thumb and fingers, and gently tug a few times to let excess flick off - then just hang. Also, best to hang in bathroom after running shower for 5min or so beforehand for some steam.

Oh, and the only cabinet you'll ever need to use is a drinks cabinet!

 

[Roger Hicks]

I've had a Marrutt drying cabinet for over 20 years.

With B+W, if I use heat, I get drying marks. If I don't (fan only), I don't.

No problem with warm air drying for colour.

Pro- and anti- wipers tend to hold to their convictions with religious intensity. I've tried most things -- chamois, sponge, squeegee, two fingers, salad spinner, doing nothing -- and have come to two conclusions:

1 The ones you're not using at the moment are generally best

2 The most important thing is to use filtered or at least strained water. My darkroom taps are fitted with Paterson filters. -- filters to 20 microns and can be reverse-flushed. Under £20/$20 each.

Cheers,

R.