So Tired of Destroyed Negatives

[Roger Hicks]

From http://www.rogerandfrances.com/subscription/ps how process 35-120.html


Drying

The ideal way to dry is in a drying cabinet fed with filtered air, and this is what we do. For reasons we have never understood, unheated air gives fewer drying marks than heated.

Before we had a drying cabinet, we used to hang films diagonally to dry them. They dry MUCH faster (and therefore cleaner) this way, even in unpromising locations. In our house in Bristol, which we left in 1987, we used to pin them diagonally across the kitchen door, which opened onto the back yard, and they were still remarkably clean. You want them at least 10-15 degrees from the vertical, and 30 degrees is probably best. The water runs down to the edge of the film, where even if you do get drying marks, it won't matter.

A useful trick with 35mm film dried diagonally is as follows. Pin the top, but at the bottom, bend a paper-clip into an S-shape. Hook one end into one of the perforations of the film, and hook a short elastic band over the other. Loop the elastic band over the lower pin. The film is then kept straight during drying, but the inevitable slight shrinkage of the film does not rip the lower pin through into the next perforation.

There's a picture there too.

Cheers,

R.

 

[p.giannakis]

Very good suggestion, thanks.

From http://www.rogerandfrances.com/subscription/ps%20how%20process%2035-120.html

Drying

The ideal way to dry is in a drying cabinet fed with filtered air, and this is what we do. For reasons we have never understood, unheated air gives fewer drying marks than heated.

Before we had a drying cabinet, we used to hang films diagonally to dry them. They dry MUCH faster (and therefore cleaner) this way, even in unpromising locations. In our house in Bristol, which we left in 1987, we used to pin them diagonally across the kitchen door, which opened onto the back yard, and they were still remarkably clean. You want them at least 10-15 degrees from the vertical, and 30 degrees is probably best. The water runs down to the edge of the film, where even if you do get drying marks, it won't matter.

A useful trick with 35mm film dried diagonally is as follows. Pin the top, but at the bottom, bend a paper-clip into an S-shape. Hook one end into one of the perforations of the film, and hook a short elastic band over the other. Loop the elastic band over the lower pin. The film is then kept straight during drying, but the inevitable slight shrinkage of the film does not rip the lower pin through into the next perforation.

There's a picture there too.

Cheers,

R.

 

[leicapixie]

When i started to scan, the results were really bad!
I remember before the sky fell, digital era, i had shot a photo-copier,
for a mailing card, actual machine a stamp size (1" x 2") on card.
The 8 x 10" photo of copier to be reduced..
On the print were a few dust-marks that i knew would disappear.
The Art Director told me he understood "the difficulties of printing in a Sahara dust storm but...)

I filter all my chemicals including stored water for developer.
Coffee filters are fine. Following wash use filtered water after Photo Flo,
to pour down film as it hangs to dry.

Fixer that is exhausted can make spots.
Filter filtered solutions before all use!

Wash again and rinse carefully to loosen hairs, dust and debris.
Kodak powdered chemicals used to contain the added ingredients,
including fumes making my transition to Ilford.

Best of luck!

 

[Timmyjoe]

PhotoFlo and hang in an used bathroom. Dust is minimal.

Best,
-Tim

 

[Ted Striker]

When i started to scan, the results were really bad!
I remember before the sky fell, digital era, i had shot a photo-copier,
for a mailing card, actual machine a stamp size (1" x 2") on card.
The 8 x 10" photo of copier to be reduced..
On the print were a few dust-marks that i knew would disappear.
The Art Director told me he understood "the difficulties of printing in a Sahara dust storm but...)

I filter all my chemicals including stored water for developer.
Coffee filters are fine. Following wash use filtered water after Photo Flo,
to pour down film as it hangs to dry.

Fixer that is exhausted can make spots.
Filter filtered solutions before all use!

Wash again and rinse carefully to loosen hairs, dust and debris.
Kodak powdered chemicals used to contain the added ingredients,
including fumes making my transition to Ilford.

Best of luck!

I did my last 3 wash cycles with filtered drinking water. Next time I'll try the same with fresh fixer.

Thank you.

 

[Ted Striker]

From http://www.rogerandfrances.com/subscription/ps%20how%20process%2035-120.html

Drying

The ideal way to dry is in a drying cabinet fed with filtered air, and this is what we do. For reasons we have never understood, unheated air gives fewer drying marks than heated.

Before we had a drying cabinet, we used to hang films diagonally to dry them. They dry MUCH faster (and therefore cleaner) this way, even in unpromising locations. In our house in Bristol, which we left in 1987, we used to pin them diagonally across the kitchen door, which opened onto the back yard, and they were still remarkably clean. You want them at least 10-15 degrees from the vertical, and 30 degrees is probably best. The water runs down to the edge of the film, where even if you do get drying marks, it won't matter.

A useful trick with 35mm film dried diagonally is as follows. Pin the top, but at the bottom, bend a paper-clip into an S-shape. Hook one end into one of the perforations of the film, and hook a short elastic band over the other. Loop the elastic band over the lower pin. The film is then kept straight during drying, but the inevitable slight shrinkage of the film does not rip the lower pin through into the next perforation.

There's a picture there too.

Cheers,

R.

I shall study the contents of this link in great detail at a later time. Thank yo very much.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

I have finished basement. If basement is not finished, paint the floor. It makes big difference.
Dry in washroom, I'm using dress hangers on the ceiling lamp. Kodak PhotoFlo 200 before drying and rocket blower every time I use negative.

 

[Roger Hicks]

And always strain all tap water through a Paterson filter. Look at the picture in http://www.rogerandfrances.com/subscription/mt paterson water filter.html and you'll see why.

My negs are MUCH cleaner now I do this.

Cheers,

R.

 

[sepiareverb]

I learned this method in 1982 from Paul Krot, and have rarely ever had dust problems, despite drying film in an open closet off a hallway in a house with cats, dogs, kids and a forced hot air heating vent at the other end of said hallway for almost 15 years. Before that I worked in a darkroom in a Northern New Mexico adobe house from the 1870s. The darkroom was a wide hallway behind a curtain, (again a house with dogs and cats) and I hung the film from the ceiling, which was made of sticks and mud with straw in it.

After washing I treat the films in Sprint EndRun, mixed as per instructions (I use distilled water in this current space, our water is less than ideal). Films are then wiped down in one continuous motion with half a KayPee wipe (these were available as "Photo Wipes" for many years, but have since been taken out of the catalog. Same item, only 4-ply instead of 3-ply). I then hang to dry with a clothespin at the bottom, or the 35mm cassette pinched on the bottom.

The wipe can be cut in half, and then that half is folded up to make a pad about 2¼ x 7" which is folded around the film.

The Sprint EndRun has anti-static agents, which really do seem to work.

TidiProducts makes the KayPees, available as a medical supply item these days from Amazon by the case or from other medical supply places in boxes of 50.

In all my time using this method for roll films I have had to clean only a few negatives each year - and then for a single dust speck or hair from my handling of the film when loading the enlarger I suspect. They blow off, nothing stuck on. I have one memory of a negative I had to rewash, not really sure what was up with that it was many years ago. I'm writing this from the darkroom, and I can wipe my finger across this desk/light-table and come up with a dusty finger every day. My space is never anywhere near immaculate. This current darkroom that I've been in for 7 years is at the bottom of the basement stairs in a stacked stone foundation basement in an 1890 victorian house, ceiling is the joists and subfloor for the dining room upstairs.

I know this is not "standard practice" by any means, but I have never found any need to bother with changing my method as I have never had dust problems. I still use the EndRun & wipes even tho this current space has a film drying cabinet. And still no dust. Note that the EndRun can be mixed at half strength for sheet films, which are not wiped down and this has always worked equally well for me since I started shooting with a view camera in 1986.

 

[Laterna Magica]

Ted, I run the shower for a couple of minutes to get the water to cut any dust, then hang them to dry in the shower on a line strung between the showerhead and the curtain rod. I've been doing that for years with both roll film & sheet film & it works like a charm.

Very similar method is used by me:
I take the shower head and shortly wash all four sides of the shower cubicle with water. By that
- the dust is washed away
- by evaporation of the water on the sides also dust in the air is bound.
I have a wooden stack with nails for hanging the film which is put above the shower cubicle sides from one side to the opposite side.
Then the films hung there in the shower cubicle to dry.
Works perfectly, I don`t have any dust on my negatives, no matter whether color or BW negative or slides.

 

[Ted Striker]

Very similar method is used by me:
I take the shower head and shortly wash all four sides of the shower cubicle with water. By that
- the dust is washed away
- by evaporation of the water on the sides also dust in the air is bound.
I have a wooden stack with nails for hanging the film which is put above the shower cubicle sides from one side to the opposite side.
Then the films hung there in the shower cubicle to dry.
Works perfectly, I don`t have any dust on my negatives, no matter whether color or BW negative or slides.

Wonderful ideas in this thread. Thank you very much!

 

[BLKRCAT]

It's a dust haven it seems and all my film from my last trip is 100% ruined.

Pics or it didn't happen.

There's a lot of good advice in this thread. You can rewash and try again. The negatives are only ruined if the emulsion comes off, they get scratched, or you cut them in the wrong place.

All other stuff, fingerprints, dust, water spots can be fixed.

The sky isn't falling and for all else there's photoshop.

 

[NY_Dan]

You could buy a storage locker like this one: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Salsbur...ocker-Unassembled-in-Gray-61152GY-U/203843579

Modify it so you can hang film. Use a hair dryer for medium hot air. Maybe drill some extra vent holes at bottom.

 

[rfaspen]

Wow!

First. I'm so glad to see I'm not the only person dogged by dust. Hate dust!

Second. Nice to see so many (many!) ideas for dust-free drying.

Since I don't have the money or space for a dedicated film dryer, I use the bathroom shower method. I run hot shower for a minute or two, close the heater vent to the bathroom, and hang the negs in the shower stall (with bathroom door closed). Even though its a bit humid in the room, I find an overnight stay usually results in dry negs (or dry enough).

I've also used the hanging plastic clothes "box". It seemed to work, but I can't find a spot in my house to conveniently hang the darn thing, and its a little tricky to actually hang the films inside the "box".

In my next life, I plan to have a film dryer. I will probably build it myself, and I will have some dedicated space for it. I just might be able to squeeze one into my current life if I got creative. I just need to find the time and money......ah, never mind.

 

[Ted Striker]

You could buy a storage locker like this one: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Salsbur...ocker-Unassembled-in-Gray-61152GY-U/203843579

Modify it so you can hang film. Use a hair dryer for medium hot air. Maybe drill some extra vent holes at bottom.

Very interesting idea. Thank you kindly!

 

[Ted Striker]

Wow!

First. I'm so glad to see I'm not the only person dogged by dust. Hate dust!

You are certainly not alone. I have been meaning to post a thread like this for months. This weekend's film pushed me over my resistance, it was so bad.

I'm glad you find this thread useful too.

 

[Highway 61]

PhotoFlo and hang in an used bathroom. Dust is minimal.

Same method here, for more than 30 years and in five different houses. No dust problem whatsoever.

 

[helen.HH]

well there is always shooting some Digital !

thats what I do when I have a mishap in developing 😉

 

[stevierose]

Well, if you live anywhere near this guy you can buy yourself a pro film drying cabinet for $163. These sell for two grand new. If I wasn’t a nine hour drive away I would buy it. It’s tall but has a small footprint.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Arkay-CD-4...456470?hash=item2cda9fa496:g:V-wAAOSwPCtbVnfF

 

[finguanzo]

Damnit, you really had to put that auction up..
Only an hour drive..