Doubling up sheet film on hangers

I don't have much experience using sheet film hangers, but is it OK to double up the film by loading them base side facing each other so the emulsion faces out? Or is it a no-no? :confused:

I've never tried that. But my fear would be that once they became wet the base sides would stick together, thus preventing the anti-halation coating from dissolving away completely. You could, however, give it a try with a pair of test sheets just to see what actually happens.

Ken

There can be the risk of solution carry over, so the prudent measure is to use extra rinses between steps. In the longer processing time I could be part way running the next tank.

Then you need to wash, and that includes getting the anti haliation dye off of the back of some films.

I am not sure what the deal is, as in, is the wet post fixing image gelatin suceptible to absorbing any backing dye still migrating off?

Plus you need to wash the doubled up films individually, and then on what? I find the emulsion is most delicate after procesing, so what am I going to do with the extra films pieces doubled up if I have no spare hangars for them?

I just process 6 hangers, one piece on each, at a time in my daylight 4x5 tank, use a water stop, and TFF3 or 4 fix, so that washing time can be short.

I then shake the hangers out once the films on them are soaking in the wetting final rinse before being hung to dry.

I find I can load the next round of films to be processed while the occasional drip of water remains on the hanger from the previous run.

Mike Wilde said:

I just process 6 hangers, one piece on each, at a time in my daylight 4x5 tank, use a water stop, and TFF3 or 4 fix, so that washing time can be short.

I then shake the hangers out once the films on them are soaking in the wetting final rinse before being hung to dry.

I find I can load the next round of films to be processed while the occasional drip of water remains on the hanger from the previous run.

Click to expand...

This is exactly what I do as well. Except that I have over 30 hangers so can just keep on loading and processing while washed negs are hanging to dry. Hangers are cheap, get a bunch of them.

Eric

Thanks everyone for the great tips. One sheet per hanger it it. I always shoot myself in the foot by trying to be cheap or efficient. Cheers!

Despite all the reasons for not doing it,
some have claimed a degree of success - using a barrier of some kind -screen mesh? between the backs of the twin sheets.
At some point in the process the separator would need to be removed,so the backing layer/anti-halation dye was uniformly exposed to fixing and washing steps.
No experience myself,but I am sure I heard of the process here..try a Search.

Second Smudger's screen idea, I've done this to keep the back of film separated from a tube, for the same reason of ridding the AH layer/die. It's a bit awkward in loading, but might be worth it. As suggested, test it.