Da: 35mm Curl

peter k. · Jun 16, 2015

This may be obvious and a dumb question to most... but I learned how to develop with 4x5 large format... B&W... several years ago.. then learned color and B&W in MF.. now low and behold.. I'm been shooting some 35mm in B&W and color.. and for the first time developing myself... but my goodness the curl longways ... today in Tri-x .. is this normal Tri-X phenomenon?
Can't really get it to lay down in the film holder for scanning.

Peltigera · Jun 16, 2015

I find that if I weight the film while it is drying there is very little curl - never used Tri-X mind.

Rick A · Jun 16, 2015

Hang to dry with a weight on the end and leave over night.

peter k. · Jun 16, 2015

Well I use a large clip on the bottom, but maybe will add more weight next time.. and over night,,, here in the dry southwest with the other formats.. never had to do that.. but maybe with 35 its necessary .

Ricardo Miranda · Jun 16, 2015

Nah, it is just the way koda does it.
Ilford and Foma 35mm films dry flat as a pancake.

Keepfilmalivetyler · Jun 16, 2015

Google weighted film clips, they are the best, but if you shoot older expired film you'll need to rinse it longer than suggested and hang them 24 hrs.

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Jim Jones · Jun 16, 2015

In the good old days, film wallets were available that stored strips of film face-to-face and back-to-back. Over time this eliminated the curl. The same idea might work with the sheet files.

cl3mens · Jun 16, 2015

I stopped using Tri-X mainly because of this. The negative strips curled so bad that they almost looked like small pipes. I use clips with a (small) weight in them. Ilford and others dry flat for me. But if you want Tri-X, try putting the sleeves under a pile of books overnight.

Sirius Glass · Jun 16, 2015

Hand a weight and also have some humidity in the room. Example while it is drying, take a shower and the steam will relax the curl.

frobozz · Jun 16, 2015

If you want dead flat negatives, in both dimensions, I highly recommend Double-X (5222) but you have to roll your own.

Duncan

peter k. · Jun 16, 2015

Thanks fer the replies.. like the Tri-x and will try the books.. and will order some Ilford for 35m, to see how that does... for some reason didn't like it in 4x5, but that's when I was first learning how to develop, so you may well have been that.

gone · Jun 16, 2015

Every thing mentioned here works. Tie a bolt or something to the end when hanging them, and they'll be flat the next day. Or just cut and sleeve them, and in a few days they'll be flat if you keep your print files in a binder.

MattKing · Jun 16, 2015

I've shot and developed Kodak black and white film almost exclusively for 40+ years - much of it 35mm - and I've n ever had problems with curl when the film was within five years of being within date.

That being said, I live in a temperate client, and rarely experience extremely dry conditions.

If you are having problems with curl, I'd suggest adding some humidity.

Saganich · Jun 17, 2015

As a TriX user I use weighted clips and curling is reduced...Also I find less curling if I cut film as soon as it is dry..about 2 hrs in my climate. Also sometimes I run a house fan to quicken the drying and cut ASAP..no curling. I think the longer you leave it hanging the more curl you get.

Xmas · Jun 17, 2015

peter k. said:
This may be obvious and a dumb question to most... but I learned how to develop with 4x5 large format... B&W... several years ago.. then learned color and B&W in MF.. now low and behold.. I'm been shooting some 35mm in B&W and color.. and for the first time developing myself... but my goodness the curl longways ... today in Tri-x .. is this normal Tri-X phenomenon?
Can't really get it to lay down in the film holder for scanning.

Hi

It probably is the Az climate I only get curl one day a year normally relative humidity here 40-80% with indoor temp 10c dries slowly so you could try a humidifier to slow the drying process. Don't use Tx much but it does not curl too badly even compared with Foma or ilford.

HP5+ has a softer toe than Tx if you meter carefully and wet print I'd use 200 ISO for first try. I normally have zone 1 shadow extraction problems Microphen or Tmax developer can make things worse but try 250 ISO.

And you are probably a better printer than me.

Noel

peter k. · Jun 18, 2015

Yes ... I think it is the low humidity. My developing takes place in the camper... can leave everything out until its time to hit the road. I dug out our old vaporizer, last year to give it try... but it just didn't seem to want to get going, but didn't have it on very long... as I thought of it just as I was hanging some MF. So I think I will try it again.
As for

"And you are probably a better printer than me."

Not there yet... scan.. but the camper has a AC, and the only time its been used is when I go in to develop in the afternoon.. so Have been having thoughts of doing the rest of the story and picking up and enlarger and some trays.

Da: 35mm Curl

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