Is there a way to shorten film drying time?

[sanmich]

Isopropyl alcohol evaporates MUCH slower than does methanol. If you prefer ethanol, get lab grade denatured alcohol - it is ethanol denatured with 5% methanol and 5% isopropyl alcohol. The mixture all evaporates together.

If by much slower you mean a matter of tens of seconds instead of a matter of seconds, that's fine really, and IPA is readily available and non toxic...

I just want to avoid the tens of minutes range.

 

[sanmich]

Tried alcohol based last rinse, I think Tetenal made it, but I did not really like it. Never trusted it when it turned pinkish (maybve did not rinse Tri-x well enough with water). So now I use a salad spinner to dry my negs, but if you follow this link http://public.fotki.com/BlueWind/drying-film/

you can find a more portable, but similar solution.

If you travel by plane you will have to source the alcohol locally all the time as I think you are not even allowed to put it in the luggage that will be carried in the planes hold.

The salad spinner seems a great idea.
About alcohol in checked in luggage, I found THIS confusing

 

[JohnTF]

isopropanol and water actually form a liquid liquid solution, most of the stuff I see in pharmacies are 70 percent often with something else added.

I used to have access to lab materials with the 100% or close stuff, it behaves quite differently , IMO, drying a lot cleaner.

It will pick up water from your film as you continue to use it.

You might find some commercial suppliers for it, in the US Flynn Scientific is a good source in general.


I would give serious thought to a fix with hardener and very good film squeegee to quickly wipe off the alcohol.

You saying there is not a setting on the coolscan for hypo saturated negs?

Regards, John

 

[hexiplex]

Was just thinking about this, will hopefully be doing some nature shots in the archipelago towards the end of summer and the only flaw in my plan to develop film whilst actually away from all civilization (or in the least, the film processing parts of civilization) was the film drying aspect of things, a wet negative in a forest, even when under a tent and a tarp is a surefire way to make a mess of that negative. Thank you all for the replies.

 

[Chinasaur]

Any reason I wouldn't be able to dunk my plastic reel in the alcohol bath and then unspool and hang for a bit?

 

[JohnTF]

Any reason I wouldn't be able to dunk my plastic reel in the alcohol bath and then unspool and hang for a bit?

Most of the alcohols mentioned are not ones that will dissolve any plastics in any tanks or spools I have seen, which is not to say it might not happen, I have used Mostly Paterson tanks for a long time, some reels I believe, are nylon?

You can always do a one drop test.

Regards, John

 

[summar]

There's a useful-looking plan for a simple $30 DIY film drying enclosure from Shutterbug,
http://www.shutterbug.com/content/do-it-yourselfbrbuild-low-cost-film-drying-cabinet
I've been meaning to make myself one of these. Meanwhile, since I live in a dry prairie climate (Calgary, Alberta, Canada) I just rinse the film in PhotoFlo, no wiping, and hang it to dry in the darkroom. Takes only 20-30 min. where I am.

 

[Chinasaur]

Bought some 91% IPA and used today. Dipped the entire reel with film still loaded into a bowl a few times and then hung. Was scanning 30 min after hanging. I did notice more little threads, but less big ones. And no large surface defects. Good idea and thanks to all for recommending! 🙂

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