Contact Printing 120

[Ed Sukach]

This is one of those nagging problems that I've been struggling with for many moons...

Does anyone have any suggestions/ information of a device for holding 120 film - 4 exposure "sticks" x 3 rows; of 2 1/4 x 2 1/4 frames each, for contact printing?
What I would really like is some sort of hinged glass, where I can position - somewhat accurately- , the individual frames, and securely locate the paper below them, for exposure in the enlarger.
I have progressed through a number of devices in the last (grumble - grumble) years so far, without real success.
The best I've devised so far is the "Print File" hinged glass frame - modified by taping one of those clear plastic "Sheet Savers" to the glass, placing the Print File polypropylene sleeve containing the negatives between it; placing the paper - tough to locate it - on the foam plastic; closing everything up and firing away. - A "jury rig", at best.

I've seen a few "contact sheets", one in "Darkroom Photography" and those on Demarchelier's web site - and they are most informative. Probably a submission of this sort - a contact sheet giving some insight into the sequences - and indirectly, the thought processes - and STYLE of the photographer, would be of significant instructional use.

So, gang, any help will be greatly appreciated.

 

[Aggie]

All I do is leave them in the plastic sleeves, place a sheet of paper underneath that, and then a piece of glass over that on the baseboard. works for me.

 

[Dave Miller]

Paterson make a 6 x 6 contact printing frame. Several are currentl advertised on the UK eBay site, in the darkroom section. www.ebay.co.uk I have both the 35mm and 6x6 versions and they work very well. They contact print onto 8x10 paper.

 

[Nige]

I do mine on the baseboard. Paper, negs , glass. I pull the negs out of the clear files (I got bad results trying to print thru them). I can do a proof sheet like this very quickly. I also do my 35mm like this as it's way faster than loading up my 35mm proof sheet frame. My only advice is to get a piece of glass wider than the baseboard so it hangs over the edges enough that you can grab hold of it and lift it off easy. keeps any fingers prints to the edges and out of the way too.

 

[blansky]

Ed,

I'm not sure what your having problems with. I have the printfile unit, it sounds like the same as yours. I place in the paper, put the negs in the printfile sleeves on top and close the glass on them. Sometimes I'll put a bit of hand pressure to flatten them completely.

Is it that you don't want to print throught the printfile sheets? They do soften the image a little.

Michael

 

[Ed Sukach]

Is it that you don't want to print throught the printfile sheets? They do soften the image a little.

I do want to avoid the "softening" and any other "artifacts" left from minor grunches in the Print File Sheet. That, and I'd like to position the entire array accurately on the paper.

I've found that, on the average, the two layers of polypropylene absorb about 1/2 stop of light. I haven't really "wrung out" the effect on color balance.

 

[photomc]

Ed, I think you already know this but Patterson does make a 120 contact printer, but it takes 4 strips of 3 I think and is horizontal, not 3 strips of 4 as you were asking for. I find I have to watch just buying the PrintFile sheets because they come both ways.

 

[SteveGangi]

I bought a cheap frame at KMart, and it was just what you want.... two pieces of glass taped together at the top, with a small base at the bottom. It was under 10 dollars (probably around 5 or 6).

 

[happysnapper]

Steve...

A little problem with two sheets of glass is the light hitting the baseboard and reflecting back onto the target paper... I would modify that and use a piece of black plexiglass for the backing board and then some plate glass (available as scrap size at 11x14 from most glass shops, but be sure to have the edges sanded so you don't inadvertently add unwanted red color to the print). This set up will only need the tape replacement as it wears out from repeated use. Be sure to tape both inside and outside to allow for the thickness of the materials being placed in the "sandwich".. lettuce excluded.