Wet mounting help: 35mm and medium format

[James1]

Apologies if this has been asked before, I've Googled can't find an answer...

There are several good tutorials, both written and on YouTube, regarding the effective wet mounting of film onto a drum. However, most of these tutorials appear to be biased toward sizes of 4x5 and up.

I don't have a camera that size - I'll only have to mount 35mm and medium format strips.

The trouble I have is that I cannot understand the correct sequence of mounting several strips to the drum since it looks like many tutorials advise that the film should not, where possible, be taped directly to the drum.

Is this correct? Will I have to tape each strip to the drum, with fluid on the emulsion side, squeezing out excess each time as appropriate? Will the whole drum then require covering with a sheet of mylar/PET and fluid?

I also have many 'historical' family negatives and transparencies that are cut into single images where the above issue is likely to be worse...

Any pointers or descriptions of individual workflow would be much appreciated!! 😀

 

[brbo]

Do you have mounting station?

Here's how I do the 35mm strips (pretty standard procedure I think):

1. Tape one end of the mylar to the drum
2. Slide the first strip between the drum and the mylar (the long side of the strip goes along the long side of the drum)
3. Apply some mounting fluid between the drum and the film and between film and the mylar
4. Roll the drum and then repeat for the remaining film strips.

With mounting station it's really easy.

 

[James1]

Yeah, I have a mounting station.

Thanks also for the tips. Coupler of follow-up questions - how do you hold the second, or subsequent strips in place for proper alignment?

The other thing I am still not sure about is how (if using the above steps) the strips don't move about (or fall off the drum) before the mylar is securely taped.

Any ideas about film cut into individual images?

 

[brbo]

Well, once mounting fluid is applied and the roller rolls over the film strip the film doesn't move at all. Are you using too much fluid?

Alignment? OK, you have the roller pressing down on the mylar, just push the film strip between the drum and the mylar, but don't force it so you don't lift the roller. The alignment won't be 100% and you will need to correct this in Photoshop (as is the case with the scans from any other scanner.

 

[James1]

Thanks again brbo. To be honest, I haven't yet done any wet mounting, I have just been trying to ascertain the correct technique!

Correcting alignment in PHotoshop shouldn't be any problem...