Squeegee or not?

[robert blu]

I never squeegee my films, but after rinsing I make an additional final wash with distilled water an a little amount of Ilford or Ornano wetting agent ( 1-2 minutes) than I put the spiral with the film in a salat spinner (+ one empty to balance it) and spin for 30"- 40" and all water drops go away and the film is ready to be hang (in the wet shower cabin).
robert
PS My wife was very surprised when she got a new salat spinner...

 

[Requin]

After a photo flo bath I put my film (on reel) in a salad spinner and let the film rotate. All water is "centrifugated" off and no need to touch the delicate wet film with fingers. Works for me since decades. Then it hangs down to dry.

 

[Keith]

Old thread now!

I still squeege 135 mm but I have learned not to do so with 120 film ... I don't know why but it seems the emulsions are softer and although you don't see scratches as such there appears to be faint tramlines in under exposed areas occasionally after scanning.

 

[Fotohuis]

35mm is about 135um thin and roll film about 100um thin. So it's more difficult to squeegee a roll film. The emulsion is about the same.

 

[taskoni]

No squeegee, hanging it wet after photoflo it, trying to touch the negative as less as possible. If some little water spots are left, I use pantiliner 😱 to wipe it out carefully.

 

[whitecat]

I use a regular clean sponge not used far anything else. I wet it, squeeze dry, fold and run it over the 35 or 120 thru it ONE time.

 

[d_ross]

I've been using a Jobo squeegee for a while now but every time I use it I scrub the blades with a stiff brush under running water for a second or two. Depending on air born dust it can be a better option for getting the emulsion surface tack free in less time and a resulting cleaner negative ... provided the squeegee is used effectively and carefully there is little problem IMO!

This what I do also, I thoroughly wash the squeegee blades in warm water before, and don't have problems, essential though to use fresh solution if you don't want water marks whatever you do I think.

 

[DNG]

Drip Dry....After a minute in Photo-Flo 1:200, takes 2 hours in a humid bathroom with no AC/Heat on...

 

[kokoshawnuff]

I use latex/acrylic gloves when developing so I don't get chemicals on my hands or finger prints on the film, after a small amount of photoflo I hang the strips and lightly 'squeegee' the film with my gloved fingers (removing excessive bubbling or large drops of water)

 

[zauhar]

Earlier in this thread I admitted to using a squeegee - now I have to reconsider.

I see some very faint scratches in a recent negative, which are long and must have come from the squeegee. Can only see them in bright light and with the film held "just so". No problem when scanned, but it is showing up when I print using the enlarger.

No more squeegee for me. I shoulda listened.

Randy

 

[jawarden]

not lookin' for problems where there aren't any. No squeegee.

 

[mdarnton]

Final minute or two rinse with distilled water, no wiping, no Photo-Flo. Works fine. When I used to use Photo-Flo, I wiped down each side separately (no squeezing), very slowly to allow the water to soak in, with a folded paper towel. That worked well, also: no scratches ever. But I like distilled water the best.

 

[PrimeTime]

Final minute or two rinse with distilled water, no wiping, no Photo-Flo. Works fine.

^ Agree 🙂

 

[dmc]

Squeegee with two fingers dipped in photo-flo. Never a scratch in 45 years.

 

[Bob Michaels]

.................... and i put my 120 or 135 film in a salad spinner and ....................

I was intrigued when the salad spinner got brought up earlier (thanks, if that was you Thomas). Since I do not have a salad spinner, I tried flinging my extended arm around holding a reel of wet film in my hand. I do it four times with each half of the reel facing forward. It does fling almost all the water off so that I no longer have to squeege it to have it dry quickly with no dust. So after many decades of using a squeege with no problems, I no longer even bother.

 

[RFH]

No squegee for me. I'm too paranoid about scratches. The problem isn't water on the negatives, it's what left of it once it has dried.
I found that using destilled water for the final rinse and just wiping the film between two moist fingers before drying gives me absolutely spotless negatives, even if they are quite wet when I hang them to dry. I mean super clean and shiny. I was very impressed the first time I tried it.
Even putting a cloth or some other filter around the faucet makes a difference if you don't have any destilled water at hand.

 

[Rob-F]

I cut a grocery store sponge in half. It stays in a ziplock bag, kept moist with photo-flo. With one sponge behind the film, the other in front, applying just enough pressure to keep the sponges from falling (almost no pressure against the film), I move them very slowly down the film, allowing enough time for the water to transfer from film to sponge. One pass only. No scratches in 30 years of doing this.

 

[jerrybro]

I use my fingers as a squeegee

 

[mfogiel]

The squeege dilemma is a non starter. If you do not use it, you never risk to scratch film, on the other hand, if you use it, it never adds anything to the process of film drying, that could not be achieved without it, I never squeege, and never have any drying marks on my negatives - no scratches either.

 

[Stdon]

Last rinse in photoflo and two wet finger strip and hand to dry no issues for me.