Film coating machine (homemade) on Flickr

EASmithV · Jun 5, 2009

Captain_joe6 said:
I think PhotoEngineer needs one of these. Let's all pitch in $1 and get him one for christmas, so that he build his own film manufacturing empire and supply us all.

I wouldn't be suprised if this WAS PE's.

Photo Engineer · Jun 5, 2009

It is not mine. I may have access to one similar to it later this summer.

PE

Mustafa Umut Sarac · Sep 10, 2009

1920 - 1930s music

If you want to listen music as heard as vacuum tube video , i advise you to go to radio dismuke , register and listen the music when chrysler building first opened to the public . They were listening same music as radio dismuke played.
I hope one New Yorker from apug visit the building and feed my hunger eye with the art deco architecture photography.
Is there a NY person who can digital feed me ?
And is there anyone who knows the source of marble , granite or whatever stone dark red orange color flamed at the lobby. I want to build my MURA ultra ultra low res - 60 pixels not million only 60 - art deco camera with this stone

Best ,

Mustafa Umut Sarac

Istanbul

Simplicius · Nov 3, 2009

this guy needs to be followed by a film crew to document this, it is fascinating and PhotoEngineer needs to be flown out to Oz to contribute and develop a new "APUG" film ...

This is the most interesting post I have read in ages, I hadn't a clue how film was made until reading this .... I am certainly thinking of visiting Ilford Harman factory if possible when next tour comes along....

Thanks to All for their contributions

kompressor · Nov 3, 2009

This is a superb tread!

hrst · Nov 3, 2009

Yeah, it's cool, and don't forget that this is just the coating machine. You also need to make the emulsion you are going to coat. It needs also much work and much hi-tech machinery can be used.

Photo Engineer · Nov 3, 2009

Please note that this work seems to have stopped. There is no further information on this anywhere.

PE

PeteZ8 · Nov 3, 2009

Photo Engineer said:
Please note that this work seems to have stopped. There is no further information on this anywhere.

PE

A few posts up you mentioned you may have access to something similar by summers end. Any updates on that?

Photo Engineer · Nov 3, 2009

No. It will take a while for this to happen I guess.

Also, there is the matter of getting film support. We don't seem to be able to get any so getting the machine is a moot point if this turns out to be true.

PE

hrst · Nov 3, 2009

Maybe we have to start subbing the base by ourselves. Plastic like PET will always be available for many purposes.

I noticed (by accident) that ammonia dissolves PET. Maybe it could be used in the subbing layer for PET .

Photo Engineer · Nov 3, 2009

PET is often "subbed" by electron bombardment followed by a layer of gelatin with hardener. Or, PET is coated directly with the bombardment in a sequence called ILEB (In Line Electron Bombardment).

Other supports are often subbed by an organic polymer, a solvent and which is mixed with acetic acid which is then coated and evaporated evaporated. Gelatin is placed on top of this.

Ammonia and most other alkalis dissolve gelatin by denaturing or hydrolysing the amino acid links.

PE

PeteZ8 · Nov 3, 2009

Photo Engineer said:
No. It will take a while for this to happen I guess.

Also, there is the matter of getting film support. We don't seem to be able to get any so getting the machine is a moot point if this turns out to be true.

PE

By film support, you mean customers?

I wish I still had my machine shop; I would have been more than happy to contribute to the project.

hrst · Nov 3, 2009

PeteZ8,

Film support is the same as film base, meaning the thin plastic sheet on which the film emulsion is coated. It is usually triacetate celluloid or PET. Problem is that it has to be subbed, meaning there is a layer that helps the emulsion to adhere properly and surviving the process without loosening.

Photo Engineer · Nov 3, 2009

Hrst is right Pete. But, your post really gave me a good laugh. I'm sorry and apologize in advance, but this was a real HOOT to me!

Please forgive me.

I could use a good machinest!

PE

PeteZ8 · Nov 4, 2009

I knew what he meant, I guess I should have punctuated it with a but I wanted the joke to be more tongue-in-cheek than anything.

Glad a few people got a laugh out of it though With all the bad news to come down the pipe the last few weeks you have to laugh at the situation a little bit.

A small, efficent specialty coating machine could really be a profitable venture these days though. As demand shrinks for niche products, full scale manufacturing simply becomes impractical. While a small niche product may be a drop in the bucket to a company like (like Kodak) to consider worthwhile, investing in small scale manufacturing could make an individual a pretty good living.

photo researcher · Nov 4, 2009

Photo Engineer said:
Please note that this work seems to have stopped. There is no further information on this anywhere.

PE

No PE, The coating machine project is very much alive and kicking. Since the last post ,additional equipment has been installed ( multi emulsion delivery system, new drive and pumps etc), this together with much emulsion research to produce the emulsions and blends, interlayers etc for the color reversal film (Kodachrome type) that I am working on has, and still is occupying virtually all my time. With the emulsion blends for the three records nearly complete a four slot slide hopper will be installed so the film can be coated in just two passes, which will save time. The viscosity strata of the emulsions will then have to be adjusted...more work!
I know that there is a lot of interest in this project so please be patient and
more information will be forth coming.

Photo Engineer · Nov 4, 2009

I am very very glad to hear that I was wrong. And I am very hopeful that your work pans out. I had some incorrect information.

My best wishes.

PE

AgX · Nov 5, 2009

photo researcher,

Welcome to Apug! It's great to hear from you at this place.

photo researcher · Nov 5, 2009

AgX said:
photo researcher,

Welcome to Apug! It's great to hear from you at this place.

Thanks AgX, I have been in the background for too long.

Ray Rogers · Nov 5, 2009

photo researcher said:
Thanks AgX, I have been in the background for too long.

Yes!

I too would like express appreciation for your presence here!
Emotions sometimes reach intense levels, but there is also much passion involved. I truely hope you never regret your choice to "surface".

I never doubted that you were progressing and have long wanted to learn more about your progress, your ups and downs and so on.

Welcome!

hrst · Nov 5, 2009

WOW, now we have Photo Researcher and Photo Engineer at APUG! Maybe I should change my nickname to Photo Developer!

Welcome!!! If you happen to have any spare time, post some examples of your work! We have seen pictures of the coating machine, but I bet there is much interest in emulsion making too.

rmazzullo · Nov 5, 2009

I can't wait to see more of this....and PE's DVD / book combo.

Christmas is coming.

Bob M.

Emulsion · Nov 6, 2009

Dear Photo Researcher,

Welcome to APUG! We are all very impressed by your coating machine and results. I'm sure I speak for all of us when I say that we would like to learn as much as possible about your experiments.

Personally I'm very keen to learn about your emulsion making techniques. I'd love to hear your recommendations and would be VERY keen to see some photos of your emulsion making gear.

Keep up the excellent work. It is really inspiring what you have achieved with a non-commercial setup.

Thanks From,
Emulsion.

mikecnichols · Sep 14, 2010

This is sweet.....very interesting. Definitely complicated, but neat nonetheless.

alexhill · Sep 16, 2010

Welcome photo researcher! I remember being a lot younger when I first saw those photos and thinking, "Death of film? Not for him, He's nuts!" It probably contributed quite a bit to my collecting and storing of analog equipment.

Film coating machine (homemade) on Flickr

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