Dusting Negs: Cloth or Brush???

Max Power · Jun 18, 2005

Yesterday I went to the local photo shop to buy some paper and chemicals. I was also looking for a 'Staticmaster' brush; it was recommended in an article on dust control by Tom Halfhill.

The salesman said he had never heard of a Staticmaster brush and only had Ilford static cloths. When I said that my readings had led me to believe that wiping negs with a cloth was a bad idea, and that a brush was the way to go, he looked at me like I was an idiot and said that he would never use a brush for negatives, only a cloth.

So, what is the opinion out there?

Kent

lee · Jun 18, 2005

Max,

the guy is an idiot. Find another store quick. Staticmasters are the standard of the industry. He doesnt have one so he cant sell you one but he is trying to sell you a cloth. I have a cloth too. I used it to wipe the glass negative carriers on my Durst 138s.

lee\c

bazz8 · Jun 18, 2005

I agree with lee never trust a salesman who does not have the product you have asked for(me I use a modified asma air pump and use a shot of air.

regards
Bazz8

shyguy · Jun 18, 2005

the brush and compressed air are the trick.

S.

MurrayMinchin · Jun 18, 2005

www.kinetronics.com (click on "photo products") works for me. When I switched to a glass negative carrier and using masks dust became a HUGE issue. Now I lay my carrier on a Tiger Cloth when changing negatives, and use a 4x5 sized Ministat (double brush gizmo) on all negatives and masks...dust is no longer a problem. They also make anti static gloves.

Murray

Claire Senft · Jun 18, 2005

My own experience has lead me to conclude that the staticmaster brushes are no better than an untreated brush. I have been buying makeup brushes from Walgreens that are sort of like an oversized lickstick tube with a cover on one end that the brush retracts inside of. For wiping negatives and glass I have been using a micro-fiber cloth. Although I have not used them I am of the opinion that the electrically charged brushes that Kodak used to be make and which were sold by and may still be available from Calumet as a Zone VI product may have been useful. I have yet to use a Kodak product that did not work well. I also believe that the One-Pass roller/paper system would work well since it has its origins in clean room technology.

Monophoto · Jun 18, 2005

I really prefer a blast of air, but I don't have either an air pump or a cylinder in my darkroom, and I have a philosophical issue with paying money for air. So I have defaulted to a brush.

My brush is a Staticmaster - but I've had it so long that the ionization function has died of old age. Frankly, I can't say that I noticed that its performance deteriorated as the radioactive element exceeded it's half life. I keep it in the original box, and I only use it for negatives, and I suspect that discipline has helped keep it clean over the years.

Incidentally, while a blast of air is the best approach, it is critical that the air be dry and oil-free. Ordinary compressors, including those at the gas station, can put both water and oil into the compressed air.

Kirk Keyes · Jun 19, 2005

MurrayMinchin said:
Now I lay my carrier on a Tiger Cloth when changing negatives

That Kinetronics Tiger cloth looks EXACTLY like my Ilford antistatic cloth.

Jan Pietrzak · Jun 19, 2005

Kent,

When I first started in this game, some 35 years ago, some one show me how well a small sable paint brush worked. A nice size number 3 or 4 round just does the job. Some years later when I started teaching one of may student kept getting all sorts of scratches on his negatives. They showed me the neg/static cloth they used and how they used it. All my advanced student end up changing to a simple brush paint/watercolor, static master to much money, a soft make-up brush just fine, or the Kinetronics big or small. Just remember to keep them clean and free from dirt or oils.

Jan Pietrzak

eagleowl · Jun 19, 2005

I've only ever used...

...a blower brush.
The only exception to this was when I mis~handled a neg and got a nasty fingerprint on it-then I used the cotton glove(which I should have used to handle the neg :rolleyes: ).

gnashings · Jun 19, 2005

Jan Pietrzak said:
Kent,

When I first started in this game, some 35 years ago, some one show me how well a small sable paint brush worked. A nice size number 3 or 4 round just does the job. Some years later when I started teaching one of may student kept getting all sorts of scratches on his negatives. They showed me the neg/static cloth they used and how they used it. All my advanced student end up changing to a simple brush paint/watercolor, static master to much money, a soft make-up brush just fine, or the Kinetronics big or small. Just remember to keep them clean and free from dirt or oils.

Jan Pietrzak

When I first bought the Ilford orange cloth, I thought it was magic! Wiped everything that even went near my photo related process with it! And I have to say, I got fewer dust specs. But I have to say its quite coarse by feel - so I just common-sensed my way to not using it on negatives. I think the brush is a great idea, as long as you remember that it will be only as good as its own cleanliness. Anything that moves dirt (other than perhaps air) does so by trapping it - even a brush to some extent, so make sure those brushes are clean!

BTW - You are not that Jan Pietrzak, are you?

Flotsam · Jun 19, 2005

I use an untreated brush and an ear syringe as a blower. Works pretty well but I'm always willing to hear what is working for others.

Jan Pietrzak · Jun 19, 2005

ps

Keep it clean, the first thing is that students want to do is put it on there face the first thing I do is to toss it. Being a person of the 60/70's the ear syringes work very well for me. Just can't get into canned air/stuff.

Jan Pietrzak

pps gnashing,

Which Jan Pietrzak would you like me to be.

gnashings · Jun 20, 2005

Jan Pietrzak said:
pps gnashing,

Which Jan Pietrzak would you like me to be.

Sorry - just a by-product of growing up in Poland in the 1980's. There is a performer who was/is quite famous there, who shares your name. It just jumped out at me. I hope you didn't take any offense to my question.

bill schwab · Jun 20, 2005

I have "wired" my darkroom and dry working area with 5/8 inch air hose that is connected to an air compressor and moisture filter(VERY important). Air compressor is set to 30 psi. I have 3 stations with coiled hose coming down from the ceiling with spray nozzles on them, the enlarger, matting area and mount press. Dust has not been a problem since. In most cases while printing, a quick swipe with a Staticmaster followed by a blast of air on both sides of the neg does it. Once the paper is in the easel, another quick blast over its surface to remove anything that might have fallen on it and I'm ready to expose. It works great and I highly recommend the system.

Bill

www.billschwab.com

Sparky · Jun 20, 2005

billschwab said:
I have "wired" my darkroom and dry working area with 5/8 inch air hose that is connected to an air compressor and moisture filter(VERY important). Air compressor is set to 30 psi. I have 3 stations with coiled hose coming down from the ceiling with spray nozzles on them, the enlarger, matting area and mount press. Dust has not been a problem since. In most cases while printing, a quick swipe with a Staticmaster followed by a blast of air on both sides of the neg does it. Once the paper is in the easel, another quick blast over its surface to remove anything that might have fallen on it and I'm ready to expose. It works great and I highly recommend the system.

Bill, I've done the same thing in my NEARLY FINISHED darkroom (actually just an exposing room - I have a separate wet room). Anyway - I really wasn't sure what sort of tubing to use for the air - so I used 1/2" copper plumbing tube. I'm HOPING there's a way to connect the proper air fittings onto the end of it. Because I'm sure as hell not going to be digging that stuff back out of the wall with all the layers of wiring and plywood and drywall and compound on there...!! Anyway - any ideas about mating the copper lines with the right air fittings?
thanks.

thedarkroomstudios · Jun 20, 2005

Blow, Brush & Wipe... anybody ever heard that mantra before? Blow off the big stuff, brush off the static-y fibers and wipe only if something stubborn has remained in place.
(As far as stubborn things, Rexton is okay but nothing beats Pec12)

Sparky, there's a whole mess of compression fittings out there, I'm sure one will convert to the size tubing you'll need to hook up to your compressor... make sure you flush the lines out real good before use, you really don't want any stray flux spitting out onto your negs.

Paul Howell · Jun 20, 2005

I use a batter operated vacuum that was made for computer keyboards, I have seen any for the past fews years but I assume that they are still in production.

David A. Goldfarb · Jun 20, 2005

I'm also a fan of the wide Kinetronics brush for negatives, carrier glass, lenses and vinyl LPs. I use Dust-Off as well.

p.s.--I think that Jan Pietrzak is alive and well and performing cabaret in Warsaw.

Bob Carnie · Jun 20, 2005

Sparky
be very careful with the copper tube system, have a filter very close to the end where you are spraying, I have worked in labs in the past with copper tubing for air line and every lens was coated with pits and oiled. A filter should be helpful.

bill schwab · Jun 23, 2005

Sparky said:
Anyway - any ideas about mating the copper lines with the right air fittings?

You'll love it when it is done. I'm not sure about fittings, but I am sure you will have no trouble going back to hose as there are a million different compression type fittings out there. I would be sure to give it a good blasting to clean out the copper lines though. I would be concerned about left over flux from sweat soldering the fittings. Perhaps a filter before you go into the hose again would be best just in case. I used flexible air hose... and you're right... I wouldn't want to have to dig that stuff out again. I'm hoping to have moved by the time it needs replacing!

Good luck with the project and new darkroom!

Bill
www.billschwab.com

Gerald Koch · Jun 23, 2005

I use makeup brushes -- they come in a container that looks like a large lipstick. Buy them in a dollar store for a buck apiece. I also use them on my cameras to clean the inside and also for lenses.

mkravit · Jun 28, 2005

The absolutely best way that I have found after 30+ years of printing is to use a dust roller. These are rollers that attract dust and are then rolled over a sticky pad to remove the dust.

I roll over my negative and no dust.

I also roll the glas in my nagative cariier. I find these work better than Static-Master brushes and compressed air which only blows the dust around the darkroom.

I also print 16x20 palladium prints from 16x20 negatives. The ONLy way to keep these puppies dust free is with a dust roller.

Check it out at http://www.startpcb.com/items/dust_removal_system.asp

My best
Mike

PeterB · Jun 29, 2005

mkravit said:
The absolutely best way that I have found after 30+ years of printing is to use a dust roller. .......Check it out at http://www.startpcb.com/items/dust_removal_system.asp

Wow, those rollers certainly aren't cheap. Have you ever had any residue remian on the surface that you're trying to dust after using it?
This product reminds me of the thing I use to remove dog hairs from my clothes and furniture at home ! Its a lint roller - just like fly paper on a cylinder, and you just tear a piece off when it loses its sticy-ness. (http://www.lintroller.com/australia/products.html)

Although it may not be that great for use in the darkroom - since I imagine that it could release some adhesive where you don't want it to.

Anyway, back to the darkroom topic at hand, personally I use compressed air and lint free tissues to clean my negs and the glass carrier plates.

regards
Peter Badcock

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