Film dryers - how do they work?

MTGseattle · Feb 4, 2024

I've got dust everywhere. Older house, unfinished basement, various ongoing house projects, etc. I've almost given up on the film side of things. When I print, it's some rocket air blower action, anti-static cloth and if things are really bad, I bust out film cleaner

koraks · Feb 5, 2024

loccdor said:
What is your wiping method?

Usually just my (clean) fingers.

cliveh · Feb 5, 2024

pentaxuser said:
"Never" is certainly a very absolute term. Do you know this to be the case from experience and if it is from experience what was your set-up i.e. did your dryer have proper filtration where the fan drew the air in.

Maybe I have just been lucky and after about 18 years of using a dryer my luck based on "never" use a dryer must now be getting into the astronomical realms

If Steven had not reported a problem and offered what he believes may be cause, I wonder how we'd have responded. I have a feeling that if he or say a newcomer to film processing had simply asked what we thought of the potential pluses and minuses of a film dryer our responses might have been different and possibly more balanced

pentaxuser

I have never had or used a film dryer at home, because I have never needed one, but have seen plenty of films dried that way in colleges. Most with a good filtration system work well. However, I have also seen plenty of negative strips dried in film dryers, with embedded dust when dried in this way.

pentaxuser · Feb 5, 2024

OK cliveh and thanks.

pentaxuser

cliveh · Feb 5, 2024

loccdor said:
What is your wiping method?

As I never get drying marks, I don't wipe my own negs. However, I have wiped plenty of negs for others who have had drying marks. Drying marks only occur on the back of the film (shiny side). What you need to do is lay the negative strip emulsion side down on something clean and soft like a negative page and breathe on the shiny side as you would to mist up a mirror. Then using a soft lens cleaning cloth, wipe the negative. Hey Presto - drying marks disappear.

grain elevator · Feb 5, 2024

I'll just toss this into the discussion: Anti-static rinse. I use the Tetenal stuff, I don't if the Kodak wash aid has anti-static properties. I haven't done any comparisons but I'm inclined to believe it helps.

Sirius Glass · Feb 5, 2024

I use PhotoFlo mixed as directed, not pouring a splash in the water, hang in a shower to dry and use a paper towel to draw off any liquid excess at each bottom corner and never wipe or touch the film. I leave it over night to dry. If the dried film is curled, run the shower to build up steam and then rehang to dry.

Film dryers - how do they work?

MTGseattle

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