Dropping film... because I'm a clumsy klutz sometimes.

dugrant153 · Aug 29, 2015

Hey folks,

So after washing and dipping my beautiful negatives in water wetter, I then proceed to hang them up. Being my clumsy self, I sometimes lose grip of the negatives (I'm wearing gloves) and they fall to the ground. Despite giving them another dip in water wetter, the negatives (once scanned) will show up with bits of fun dirt that .... ugh... frustrates me to no end.

I'll try to figure out how to be less of a klutz but am wondering if perhaps a second water wash (after I've dropped the negatives) would help in removing the bits of dirt and grime it's picked up from the floor?

Richard S. (rich815) · Aug 29, 2015

Yes, a full wash is always best after a drop in the floor.

summicron1 · Aug 29, 2015

take off the gloves. Museum workers handling centuries-old artifacts don't wear gloves for the very reason you are seeing -- gloves increase the chance of dropping things because you have a less-sure grip.

Handle by edges only, you have far less chance of fingerprints and a surer grip, especially of slippery wet films.

Sirius Glass · Aug 29, 2015

Richard Sintchak (rich815) said:
Yes, a full wash is always best after a drop in the floor.

summicron1 said:
take off the gloves. Museum workers handling centuries-old artifacts don't wear gloves for the very reason you are seeing -- gloves increase the chance of dropping things because you have a less-sure grip.

Handle by edges only, you have far less chance of fingerprints and a surer grip, especially of slippery wet films.

Both of these are correct.

Xmas · Aug 29, 2015

Something wrong? if it is roll film on a spiral after the spiral and film is removed from the final rinse you shake it dry and attach a toothed clip to the end of the film and remove the film holding on to the clip?
Hang the clip to drying line or drying bar. Attaching another clip or cloths pin to free end of film as a weight?
I've a bad habit of clipping the clip onto my hand...

Don't think any one else can be that clumsy?

Spilling blood on to a film is not good...

paul_c5x4 · Aug 29, 2015

Xmas said:
Don't think any one else can be that clumsy?

I've dropped wet negatives on the floor, so the OP is not alone. Yes, they pick up dust'n'crap from the floor, but a good wash usually removes the worst of it. Some of what remains can sometimes be removed with the aid of a toothpick or spotted out on the final print.

Xmas · Aug 29, 2015

paul_c5x4 said:
I've dropped wet negatives on the floor, so the OP is not alone. Yes, they pick up dust'n'crap from the floor, but a good wash usually removes the worst of it. Some of what remains can sometimes be removed with the aid of a toothpick or spotted out on the final print.

I ment no one else has clipped themselves, and spilt blood on film. Never dropped a film though. If you clip its end while it is still on the reel you are less likely to drop it?

Sorry.

Old-N-Feeble · Aug 29, 2015

Hmm... you bring up a concern I hadn't yet considered. Over the last few years I've become quite clumsy and accident prone. I haven't yet set up my new darkroom but when I do I'll keep this issue in mind. I guess keep the sink meticulously clean... work only over the sink... dryer at end of sink with door opening toward sink... dryer meticulously clean. That should minimize damage should I drop a film. And as others noted, remove the gloves once the film is in the final wash.

Gerald C Koch · Aug 29, 2015

summicron1 said:
take off the gloves. Museum workers handling centuries-old artifacts don't wear gloves for the very reason you are seeing -- gloves increase the chance of dropping things because you have a less-sure grip.

Handle by edges only, you have far less chance of fingerprints and a surer grip, especially of slippery wet films.

+1

There is a lot of tactile feedback between the hands and the brain. Gloves interfere with this. There are no dish washing machines in Buckingham palace. Everything is hand washed and they do not use gloves.

Ditch the gloves after you put the film to wash. They are ate needed. Actually they are not needed after the stopbath.

Sirius Glass · Aug 29, 2015

Old-N-Feeble said:
Hmm... you bring up a concern I hadn't yet considered. Over the last few years I've become quite clumsy and accident prone. I haven't yet set up my new darkroom but when I do I'll keep this issue in mind. I guess keep the sink meticulously clean... work only over the sink... dryer at end of sink with door opening toward sink... dryer meticulously clean. That should minimize damage should I drop a film. And as others noted, remove the gloves once the film is in the final wash.

I have to add the self cleaning feature to my darkroom. I will get back to you on this.

cliveh · Aug 29, 2015

Gerald C Koch said:
+1

There is a lot of tactile feedback between the hands and the brain. Gloves interfere with this. There are no dish washing machines in Buckingham palace. Everything is hand washed and they do not use gloves.

Ditch the gloves after you put the film to wash. They are ate needed. Actually they are not needed after the stopbath.

+2

StephenT · Aug 29, 2015

I agree with the recommendations to ditch the gloves and use a double clip. I use one on each end of the film. Just make sure you have a good connection before you let go of the end you are holding with your fingers.

See link for a pic.

http://www.pantheon.com.my/pantheon/image/cache/data/DOUBLE CLIP-500x500.jpg

Ronald Moravec · Aug 29, 2015

Use metal hanging clips. Pull 6" off the reel, hang, then pull down on the reel . When you get near the end, grab an edge and be careful it does not snap back at the very end. Clip on weight. If you do nor have a secure hang place, use some wire as a safety .

Wash down both sides with spray bottle of Photo Flo and come back in a few hours. Do not store this or you get mold in it. Just use what you used in the tank.

Easily done by even a klutz. Best of luck

mr.datsun · Aug 30, 2015

Hand Yoga. Seriously - my fingers are not as flexible or accurate as they were, either. I massage my hands and fingers after hot baths.

Here's something I found this minute.

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/mar/22/three-minute-fix-yoga-hand-exercise

Mind-body control relies on the tendons for accurate local positioning feedback to the brain.

There must be other exercises to improve accurate control of fingers, too.

Gerald C Koch · Aug 30, 2015

After my wrist was badly injured in an accident I was given the two following exercises. Get a roll of pennies and practice picking them up and moving them from one pile to another. Use not only your index finger and thumb but the others as well. This improves fine motor skills. Also get a solid foam rubber ball. Practice squeezing it. This builds hand strength.

Bill Burk · Aug 30, 2015

Many things in life make me happy.

Dropping washed film on the darkroom floor is not one of them.

The three second rule seems to be out the window on this one.

I sympathize but haven't got any advice

MattKing · Aug 30, 2015

I can give you some hard won advice.

Handle the film over some place clean, like the floor of a recently rinsed shower, or a clean printing tray.

Otherwise, re-wash.

In this case, Photo-flo helps protect the film from becoming permanently attached to the grime.

Sirius Glass · Aug 30, 2015

MattKing said:
I can give you some hard won advice.

Handle the film over some place clean, like the floor of a recently rinsed shower, or a clean printing tray.

Otherwise, re-wash.

In this case, Photo-flo helps protect the film from becoming permanently attached to the grime.

+1 <<smile>>

dugrant153 · Sep 3, 2015

Appreciate the feed back on this. A lot of good suggestions and will try as many of them as I can. Good to know a good second rinse through water may do the trick.
I think what I've been doing is taking the entire film off the roller and then it flips and flops all over the place as I leave it dangling and... yes, all while I'm wearing gloves.

I will probably put the clip on first (and I have plenty) when I pull a bit of film out from the roller, hang it, and then pull the rest out and place the weight on the bottom. And yes, I can probably take those gloves off by then.

Presume water wetter can be easily washed off?

Xmas · Sep 3, 2015

If you are in a hard water area you may need to use distilled water + surfant stock bottle for a final 2-3 minute soak as a final bath in tank

Shake reel dry.

Clip on to end of film.

Hang, cloth pin bottom,

Film squeegee.

The film squeegee needs to be cleaned before each film.

The film will dry a lot quicker and so you may have more curl problems.

You don't need gloves for acid fix or stop the developers are not as benign.

We put more acetic acid on fried potatoes before eating them.

MattKing · Sep 3, 2015

dugrant153 has nice, soft water (assuming he is on the regional water system).

But if you are putting your reels into the photo-flo, my advice is: don't!

Take the film off the reels, and then put them into a separate container with photo-flo. Then move that entire container to where you are hanging up the film to dry.

dugrant153 · Sep 3, 2015

MattKing said:
dugrant153 has nice, soft water (assuming he is on the regional water system).

But if you are putting your reels into the photo-flo, my advice is: don't!

Take the film off the reels, and then put them into a separate container with photo-flo. Then move that entire container to where you are hanging up the film to dry.

Thanks Matt. Why not leave them on the reels?

Sent from my C6502 using Tapatalk

MattKing · Sep 3, 2015

dugrant153 said:
Thanks Matt. Why not leave them on the reels?

Sent from my C6502 using Tapatalk

Because then the photo-flo gets on the reels, and it is hard to get the residue (photo-flo plus gelatin) off the reels.

You also end up handling both the slippery film and the slippery reels when you go to hang the film to dry.

I also wonder if the reels themselves might prevent the photo-flo from acting evenly on the entire surface of the film.

dugrant153 · Sep 3, 2015

Good to know. Thanks!

Sent from my C6502 using Tapatalk

Sirius Glass · Sep 3, 2015

dugrant153 said:
Thanks Matt. Why not leave them on the reels?

Sent from my C6502 using Tapatalk

Jobo stongly recommends not putting their reels and tanks in a surfactant [PhotoFlo et al] to avoid film loading problems. I follow those instructions. I do put my Hewes Stainless Steel reels in surfactants sometimes however I then thoroughly clean the steel reels.

Dropping film... because I'm a clumsy klutz sometimes.

dugrant153

Richard S. (rich815)

summicron1

Sirius Glass

Xmas

paul_c5x4

Xmas

Old-N-Feeble

Gerald C Koch

Sirius Glass

cliveh

StephenT

Ronald Moravec

mr.datsun

Gerald C Koch

Bill Burk

MattKing

Moderator

Sirius Glass

dugrant153

Xmas

MattKing

Moderator

dugrant153

MattKing

Moderator

dugrant153

Sirius Glass

Dropping film... because I'm a clumsy klutz sometimes.

Moderator

Moderator

Moderator

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency