4by5 Negs

[ashokgoyal42]

Hi,

How does one dry 4by5 negatives - should they be hung straight or diamond diagonal? Also, the water/sticky residue collects at the lowest edge ... is that normal? (My 120 seems to work out fine ... been facing problems with 4by5's).

Thanks in advance.

Ashok

 

[whlogan]

Diagonal
Logan

 

[asp.artist]

i'm in the diagonal club. Water collects on lower corner, drips off, neg drys. I do use photo flow first to aid the drying.

 

[drpsilver]

05 July 2010

Ashok:

You should hang the negatives in a "diamond diagonal" orientation to dry. The water/sticky residue should not occur if you have washed the negatives throughly, and treated them with Photo-Flo. Remember it is better to have a too dilute solution of Photo-Flo than too concentrated.

When a little bead of water forms at the bottom corner of the negative touch a paper towel, or other as lint free as possible cloth, and draw the drop of the negative by capillary action. Avoid touching either face of the negative.

Hope this helps.

Regards,
Darwin

 

[Mainecoonmaniac]

I hang mine up on a diagonal with wooden clothes pegs.

 

[ashokgoyal42]

Thanks everyone !

I've been using a wetting agent (Ilford) for a minute, after a thorough rinse post fixer. I leave the films in a tank of water again for about 5 minutes at the very end. I'll try diagonal and tilted. I read in some posts that the stickiness is due to the fixer process not being followed through fully - thoughts ...

Ashok

 

[Rick A]

Do I read you correctly that you do a 5 min soak after the fotoflo? You should go from the wetting agent to the line, hanging in a diamond diagonal. I use plastic clothspins (not wood) for this. Resoaking after the wetting agent invites water spots.

 

[MattKing]

Thanks everyone !

I've been using a wetting agent (Ilford) for a minute, after a thorough rinse post fixer. I leave the films in a tank of water again for about 5 minutes at the very end. I'll try diagonal and tilted. I read in some posts that the stickiness is due to the fixer process not being followed through fully - thoughts ...

Ashok

You may be defeating the purpose of the wetting agent if you put the negatives back into water after the wetting agent.

 

[ashokgoyal42]

Hmmm,

My procedure sheet says I should remove excess wetting agent - maybe I've been messing up and leaving it a water tank for far too long. Back to basics ... I will end process seconds after wetting agent.

Thanks.

 

[Ian Grant]

Leaning against the wine bottle you drank while the negatives washed

Ian

 

[ashokgoyal42]

Getting innovative not realizing the negatives have their own dictates ... the wine helps too! LOL

 

[Sirius Glass]

I have a stack of 4x5 dip and dunk frames. After using PhotoFlo can I leave the negatives in the frames to dry?

Steve

 

[richard ide]

I guess you could but not recommended. I remove the film and hang with clips. I then give the hangers a good washing in hot water. You do not want any buildup of residue on the hangers. I have been doing this for 30 years and my hangers are clean.

 

[Vaughn]

Hung from one corner with a SS clip (4x5 to 11x14 negs).. with a dip in slightly weak Photo-flo right before hanging. I use a paper towel to get the drop off the bottom corner to speed up drying.

 

[Shawn Dougherty]

The wetting agent is the last step before hanging to dry. Since fresh water quality varies, I suggest mixing the wetting agent with distilled water instead of tap water, and using about half the recommended wetting agent concentration. This will give you perfect drying.

This has been my experience as well.

 

[Pete H]

I use plastic clothes pegs on the diagonal. Once I used wooden ones, but they left nasty marks and I wondered if it was the acid in the wood which caused that. No problems with plastic.

 

[bdial]

I have a stack of 4x5 dip and dunk frames. After using PhotoFlo can I leave the negatives in the frames to dry?

You can, but I get better results hanging them on their own, as described in the other replies. If you leave them in the frames the water doesn't drain very well, and the edges of the neg stay wet longer.

 

[Kevin Kehler]

Les McLean gave one of the great tips several years ago; throw a capful of 99% isopropyl alcohol in with the Photoflow solution for quicker drying and fewer wet spots. I started doing this on his recommendation and have never had a problem since (and a lot less dust stuck to the negatives since it is wet for less time). The only thing to remember is to get the 99%, not the more common 70% which has some form of oil/mineral in it that can leave residue or streaks on the negatives.

 

[frobozz]

Darn, all I have is 91%. I'm not sure I've ever seen 99%!

Duncan

 

[Kevin Kehler]

Darn, all I have is 91%. I'm not sure I've ever seen 99%!

Duncan

I had to hunt in 3 pharmacies before I found it; even then, there were 4 rows of 70% and 2 bottles of 99%. I have never found it at Wal-Mart or a big box store (Costco says they carry it behind the pharmacy counter but my branch is always sold out), so you have to find a more well-stocked pharmacy.

As all you are using is a cap at a time, a half-litre ($3.79) lasts years.

 

[fschifano]

I use the 91%. Been using it for a long time. It works fine. I've used the 70% too, and no problems there either. The only difference between the two is the amount of water.

 

[phaedrus]

Fujifilm Acros has a neat little hole at one corner that you can hang it from diagonally (using a paperclip). Sitting in dilute wetting agent (Tetenal Mirasol in my case) for 5 mins before hanging up, NO squeegeeing.

 

[ashokgoyal42]

I have a stack of 4x5 dip and dunk frames. After using PhotoFlo can I leave the negatives in the frames to dry?

Steve

You could end up with streak of dried water on the edge that touches the frame. Better to hang them. I've just discovered Patterson's clips ($12.50 a pair!!!!!) they have a visible needle which you can pin on the edge of the neg and diagonal dry it.

 

[2F/2F]

I use Photo Flo 200 at 1:200, and then hang diagonally. I stand there and dab the water from the lowest corner using a paper towel until most of the Photo Flo is gone, then I come back periodically to do the same until the film is dry. I use wooden racks in a drying cabinet at a community lab, or a steamed up shower stall with a line at home, both using metal clips. I have never had a problem with film damage, dust, or spots.

 

[ashokgoyal42]

Here's an update. Based on the suggestions here I corrected my process. But I still get that sticky drop on the edge of the film.

After the fixer, which I timed (clearing time X 2) I rinsed for 10 minutes and finally the wetting agent before I diagonal dried my 4by5's. I developed 12, 8 were superb, but 4 still had a sticky wet drop at the edge of the film ! What is that? Is it left over fixer? Is it my rinsing process? (I don't rinse in Tap Water because it's impure, instead I dip and dunk the films in a bucket of mineral drinking water for ten minutes.)

Ashok