So Tired of Destroyed Negatives

[leicapixie]

So many good ideas here and the best thing, an actual reply from Ted!
Too often, ideas, opinions and experiences are simply left without a reply!
Even IF one has no dust or drying problems NOW, it don't mean always so..
It was thru other folks warning about old fixer and white spots..
Best of luck Ted.

 

[stevierose]

You're welcome!! 😉

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

 

[Ccoppola82]

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

This is the one I have. Paid $200. Worth every penny. I would probably make the trip to get one if it was a days drive.

 

[Highway 61]

Ted : hang your negatives (after having let them soak for 10 minutes in the wetting agent solution) in the bathroom over the tube or the shower unit after having let some hot tap water run so that you've damped the bathroom atmosphere. The window must be closed as well as any high or low ventilating grid or hole. If air conditioned in the house, switch it off thirty minutes before you go to the bathroom to hang the negatives. Once the negatives are hanging go away slowly without shaking any air and close the door fully and slowly.

Do not go back to that room before the negs have dried in full (6 hours at least).

If you can do this, there is no need for some expensive drying cabinet - really.

 

[Ted Striker]

Ted : hang your negatives (after having let them soak for 10 minutes in the wetting agent solution) in the bathroom over the tube or the shower unit after having let some hot tap water run so that you've damped the bathroom atmosphere. The window must be closed as well as any high or low ventilating grid or hole. If air conditioned in the house, switch it off thirty minutes before you go to the bathroom to hang the negatives. Once the negatives are hanging go away slowly without shaking any air and close the door fully and slowly.

Do not go back to that room before the negs have dried in full (6 hours at least).

If you can do this, there is no need for some expensive drying cabinet - really.

I am going to give this a try. Clearly it's the most cost effective solution out of all offered in response to my query.

 

[Larry Cloetta]

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.
.

Bob,

Thanks for this, will need to try the “End Run”. I don’t have a problem with dust drying on the negs, but have a huge problem here with static drawing dust to the dried negatives when trying to scan. If this product actually works to prevent that, it would be great.

 

[Fraser]

Dust on negs for me anyway was never a problem years ago when printing with an enlarger but I've always found it more of a problem with scanners. I first bought a Durst ut 100 collapsable film dryer/cabinet but it takes up quite a bit of space in my little office, then by chance I found and bought a Ross desktop film dryer and its brilliant dries the film while its still on the reel in about 15mins.
You could always change what wetting agent you are using I have found the Tetenal stuff is much better than the Kodak and also make sure the list wash is in filtered water.
Good luck.

 

[jbharrill1]

Pics or it didn't happen.

Hahaha.

But really though, can you scan some in so we can see what you are working with?

I was getting dusty negs for a little and I was drying them in a bathroom that I would steam up prior to drying. I've started drying mine in a closet that is devoted to rolling and drying film. Nothing else goes on in there so I feel like that keeps a lot of the extra dust down. I hang them, then shut the door for the next 6-8 hours. There is a towel stuffed under the door on the inside that keeps any draft that may be blowing around under control. We are constantly running a fan in the living room about 10 ft away and I havent had any issues. I also hit them with an anti stat brush before I cut and sleeve them.

 

[sepiareverb]

Bob,

Thanks for this, will need to try the “End Run”. I don’t have a problem with dust drying on the negs, but have a huge problem here with static drawing dust to the dried negatives when trying to scan. If this product actually works to prevent that, it would be great.

I can only believe it is the End Run, I have a very dusty house, on a busy road. You’ve gotten me thinking �� I might start treating the prints I make to scan....

 

[Dan Daniel]

Bob,

Thanks for this, will need to try the “End Run”. I don’t have a problem with dust drying on the negs, but have a huge problem here with static drawing dust to the dried negatives when trying to scan. If this product actually works to prevent that, it would be great.

These are great for scanning-
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/24592-REG/Ilford_1203547_Antistaticum_Anti_Static_Cloth.html

It has a very light wax embedded in the cloth (I think it's wax) but leaves no residue unless you really wipe. Meaning don't use to clean glass, but can be used to get dust off of glass with a light brushing.

Cut into 4-6 pieces when you get it- no sense getting the whole clothe dirty. I take a piece across my palm and hold it in place with my thumb. Negative on top, then fold cloth over and pull negative through without any pressure- let gravity apply the force. Turn neg over and repeat.

Each section will lost a month or so of regular use. Also good for wiping down negative holders on scanners, everything.

Also either Brillianize or Novus #1 plastic polish for surfaces of scanners, etc. Both are basically thin wax in a carrier emulsion. Both are anti-static. Again, not for cleaning glass.

 

[BLKRCAT]

Hahaha.

But really though, can you scan some in so we can see what you are working with?

Kind of what I was getting at before I got berated out of the thread. OP complains about dusty ruined negs and doesn't post any examples.

It would be easier to see the best course of action with an image. Who knows maybe it's just a 5 minute cleanup in photoshop with the healing brush.

 

[sepiareverb]

These are great for scanning-
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/24592-REG/Ilford_1203547_Antistaticum_Anti_Static_Cloth.html

...

You tried those on prints Dan?

 

[Larry Cloetta]

These are great for scanning-
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/24592-REG/Ilford_1203547_Antistaticum_Anti_Static_Cloth.html

It has a very light wax embedded in the cloth (I think it's wax) but leaves no residue unless you really wipe. Meaning don't use to clean glass, but can be used to get dust off of glass with a light brushing.

Cut into 4-6 pieces when you get it- no sense getting the whole cloth dirty. I take a piece across my palm and hold it in place with my thumb. Negative on top, then fold cloth over and pull negative through without any pressure- let gravity apply the force. Turn neg over and repeat.

Each section will lost a month or so of regular use. Also good for wiping down negative holders on scanners, everything.

Also either Brillianize or Novus #1 plastic polish for surfaces of scanners, etc. Both are basically thin wax in a carrier emulsion. Both are anti-static. Again, not for cleaning glass.

Thanks, Dan. Might give that a try as well. It is a big problem here. I have tried a Zerostat, and an expensive Japanese brush with some kind of mystery anti static fibers, and a variety of other things. I don’t have any trouble getting the dust off, but you can see it zip back on in the few seconds it takes to put the carrier in the scanner. It isn’t falling on due to gravity, it is attracted to the film by static electrical forces, looks like iron filings jumping on a magnet. Yet I don’t have a problem with dust settling on the film as it dries, so it must be a moisture/dryness thing.
I spend a lot of time in Photoshop.

 

[Ronald M]

Remove dust from air, cabinet, small room, hepa filter,etc.

Turn off forced air heat & A/C and allow hours for dust to settle. Morning is good if A/C has been off.

I allow 2 minutes after wash with reel on the side so water runs off short direction.
Tap edge gently.

All wash water must be filtered. Your house pipes are full of garbage because everyone`s is.

Use glass bottles and keep clean between use. Film tank and reel in plastic bag.

Lots of stuff you think is dust is contamination of chems or equipment.

Throw away the dirty film sponge or squeegee. And fingers are not clean either because the tap water is dirty.

I will also say if you reuse fix, some silver precipitates out and settles on next film.
TF4 is the worst. Acid fix less. Nobody has ever explained how film labs handle it.

 

[DHK]

Those drying cabinets weight a ton (but are worth the speed)

 

[Dan Daniel]

You tried those on prints Dan?

No, I haven't tried them on prints. I would probably not use them for that unless the print surface is very strong and scratch-resistant. The cloth is smooth and a bit on the heavy side, with a feeling of weight from whatever Ilford puts into it. It's easy to handle and deal with the heft on a small object like a negative. But I could see it getting heavy going across a print.

Here's something I've used in framing on the glass and acrylic-

https://www.redimat.com/products/framing-accessories/anti-static-tiger-cloth.html

It's lighter weight. Might be worth a try for prints? Framers are the people to talk to about handling paper surfaces.

Oh, forgot to mention, anti-static dryer sheets are, well, anti-static! Used to use them to prep surfaces before applying clear coat paints. A cheap material for wiping down surfaces, work areas, etc. I wouldn't trust their wax on negatives or prints, though. And get the odor-free ones or your whole shop will smell like 'april showers' or some other chemical waste dump.

 

[rfaspen]

I have a special anti-static/dust brush that is supposed to be used with vinyl records -- its fairly old and special. I believe it has Polonium at the base of the bristles. If its not Polonium, its some rather rare and exotic, very radioactive stuff. They do not sell these things any more. More dangerous than Radium dials on watches...