Film drying options

[Truzi]

I mix Photoflo with distilled water and some isopropyl alchohol. After a soak, I shake out the reels and put them on a lint-free towel for 10-15 minutes so the water can drain off with the film horizontal. The idea is to get most of the water off the film - not to let it dry this way. Then I pull the film from the reels and hang to dry from the curtain rod (I have a bathroom, not a darkroom).

It's not the best solution, but I was finally able to avoid drying marks this way.

 

[logan2z]

I had similar concerns about using a squeegee. I was skeptical when an online friend recommended Kimwipes instead. But I learned that they are specifically made for such delicate tasks. I have been using them to wipe down my negatives for more than five years and have never seen a scratch or any contamination. And my negatives dry much faster than before I started using Kimwipes, which means less dust on the dried negatives.

I use Kimwipes to 'squeegee' my film as well and have not noticed any issues from doing so. Before I do that, though, I drop the reel into 32 oz. of distilled water and let it soak for 5 minutes. I then remove the reel and add two drops of LFN to the distilled water and mix well. Then I open the reel and release the film into the distilled water/LFN mixture and agitate the film for 1 minute (as stated in the LFN directions). Then I remove the film strip from the water/LFN, hang to dry with film clips (top and bottom) and, finally, gently squeegee each side of the film strip twice, each time using a clean Kimwipe. This leaves me with virtually no fluid left on the film strip and no drying marks or streaking.

 

[Agulliver]

After reading a post on here some years ago I prepare my Photoflo thus:
2.5ml Kodak Photoflo
25ml isopropyl alcohol
Make up to 1 litre with distilled water

I squirt a few drops of this into the sink when I'm giving my film it's final rinse with lukewarm water, hang it to dry on the shower rail vertically with a clip at the bottom.

I do not wash the film in distilled water (difficult to purchase in my area and I have nowhere to put it. I obtain 1 litre from work to make up my Photoflo as I have a water still in my laboratory). I do live in a hard water area but it doesn't seem to cause any problems. Maybe one film in ever five I have a couple of water spots towards the end of a film? These can be carefully wiped off. Dust is more of an issue where I live. I minimise dust by closing the bathroom door and usually developing film not long after someone has taken a shower. I blow air over my negatives before scanning or printing.

I have never squeegeed or run fingers down wet film.

My bottle of Photoflo may well live longer than I do as I use so little this way. The alcohol prevents any fungal growth. It still seems to do the job I bought it for.

 

[MattKing]

After reading a post on here some years ago I prepare my Photoflo thus:
2.5ml Kodak Photoflo
25ml isopropyl alcohol
Make up to 1 litre with distilled water

Similar to the Resource of mine I linked to in post #25, except this recipe results in 1:400, rather than the "Kodak" specified 1:200 - i.e. half strength.

 

[Ben Hutcherson]

I always mix Photoflo in distilled water, and yes I reuse.

With that said, I find I get a lot of foaming and a tendency toward "scummy" deposits(especially at the end of the roll) that I later have to wash off when I mix at the recommended 1:200. FWIW, I buy gallons of distilled, and add 19mL of PF to a fresh gallon.

1:400 gives me nice "sheeting" of the water off when I hang to dry but almost no foaming. To keep it easy, I go with 10mL to a gallon.

As an unrelated question, does anyone know of the shelf life of PF concentrate? I'm still using a "beehive" bottle that I bought in 2007, and at the rate I use it I'm probably going to have that bottle for a while longer. I'm wondering if it's worth buying a fresh bottle, but nothing about my concentrate says it's reached EOL.

 

[Sirius Glass]

I use Kimwipes to 'squeegee' my film as well and have not noticed any issues from doing so. Before I do that, though, I drop the reel into 32 oz. of distilled water and let it soak for 5 minutes. I then remove the reel and add two drops of LFN to the distilled water and mix well. Then I open the reel and release the film into the distilled water/LFN mixture and agitate the film for 1 minute (as stated in the LFN directions). Then I remove the film strip from the water/LFN, hang to dry with film clips (top and bottom) and, finally, gently squeegee each side of the film strip twice, each time using a clean Kimwipe. This leaves me with virtually no fluid left on the film strip and no drying marks or streaking.

Kimwipes can scratch film, be careful or do not use them.

 

[logan2z]

Kimwipes can scratch film, be careful or do not use them.

I'm careful. Never had it happen.

 

[Pieter12]

Kimwipes don't seem very soft. If I were to use such a method, I would probably use PecPads.

 

[Doremus Scudder]

...
As an unrelated question, does anyone know of the shelf life of PF concentrate? I'm still using a "beehive" bottle that I bought in 2007, and at the rate I use it I'm probably going to have that bottle for a while longer. I'm wondering if it's worth buying a fresh bottle, but nothing about my concentrate says it's reached EOL.

I have old bottles of Photo Flo (200 and 600) that are likely a full 20 years older than your bottle. They are still going strong. The concentrate seems to last indefinitely.

Best,

Doremus

 

[bernard_L]

In the camp of no wiping, no squeegee.

1. Possibly the urge to wipe comes from seeing small bubbles embedded in the PhotoFlo solution at the surface of the film, and the fear that they will dry in place and leave an imprint. To put that to rest, once the clips are in place at both ends, I do one pass (see-saw) of the film loop in the photoflo solution, in the open tank, slowly enough that any bubbles remain at the surface of the liquid rather than being carried up by the film. Then, for good measure, hold the film stretched at 45° before hanging it.
2. I use tap water for film processing (dev, stop, fix, wash --Ilford method) BUT all that water went through a 5µ filter. And the photoflo is prepared with so-called "de-mineralized" water (what is sold in France for steam irons) no distilled water on supermarket shelves around here. This is to guard against mineral deposits.
3. Drying. I think (anecdotal evidence, no A/B experiments) that fast drying is conducive to film curl. Just hang the film in a temperate room with no air currents.

 

[MattKing]

As an unrelated question, does anyone know of the shelf life of PF concentrate?

It is probably determined by the shelf life of the bottle and cap.
I decant the new stuff into a vintage glass Photoflo bottle - it should last forever.

 

[romosoho]

1. Drying. I think (anecdotal evidence, no A/B experiments) that fast drying is conducive to film curl. Just hang the film in a temperate room with no air currents.

Depends on what you mean by "fast." I've used film drying cabinets that are slow enough that it didn't introduce much in the way of curl on normal thickness (e.g. not Foma) emulsions. When I dried using a hair dryer, it was super curly (admittedly on the reel, though, so that's inherently conducive to curl, so not a good test).

I advocate for slow drying, in a humidified room, using distilled with phot flo, too. Just offering some info.

 

[bernard_L]

As an unrelated question, does anyone know of the shelf life of PF concentrate?

Still using the same bottle (HDPE) of PhotoFlo bought... 40 or 50 years ago. That is the 1+600 type, that was sold to amateurs back then.

 

[MattKing]

That is the 1+600 type, that was sold to amateurs back then.

In the EU, but not in North America, where the 1+600 was marketed to commercial labs.

 

[Sirius Glass]

I'm careful. Never had it happen.

Never say "Never". PAX

 

[logan2z]

Never say "Never". PAX

I can confidently say it's never happened yet. I won't confidently state it won't ever happen in the future