Home replacement for photoflo

[fotch]

I dip my Jobo rubber squeegee in photo flow, give it a good shake, and gently wipe the film that just came out of the photo flow. Never ever a scratch, however, I only used Kodak or Ilford roll or 35mm film. Other brands that are softer, I would try it on a test roll, they may be more fragile.

 

[nworth]

Typo on my side, just look at the bottle and it says 10% anionic surfactants...

Non-ionic and anionic are different. Anionic implies something that might react with silver. Although a problem in this case seems unlikely, it is best to stick with things that are known to be photographically safe.

 

[michaelbsc]

Jet dry works great. And at dilution there is no color to speak of.

I used jet dry until I ended up with what seems like a hundred year supply of Photoflo.

I'd bet that Jet-dry is similar to photo-flo, but Jet-dry has colorants and probably other junk in it I wouldn't touch with my negatives.

Use Photo-Flo if you have issues with spotting. If you don't have issues, then just use plain tap water or distilled water. I personally don't have problems with spotting, so I don't use Photo-flo. Freestyle sells their brand of Photo-flo, and there are several other producers that make a similar product that is cheaper than Kodak's, but in reality you use the stuff in such high dilutions and it lasts so long that I would just buy Kodak to avoid any possible QC issues.

 

[Sirius Glass]

At the hesitation of many saying I'll scratch my negs...Does anyone else very gently, carefully squeegee their negs to get rid of excess water (and any inherent salts pollutants, in that water)??

I use a very soft small wiper blade, carefully inspected, and kept clean. It cuts drying time therefore reducing dust contamination, and the negs are nice and spot free. By the way my last rinse before squeegeeing is photo flo.

Sirius and Photoengineer, do you have a take on this matter??

When I use PhotoFlo, I never wipe or use a squeegee. I let the water flow off on its own, even though the water in my area is very hard. I never have spots or streaks. YMMV, I only have 50 years experience with this.

Steve

 

[PeteZ8]

I can't belive this thread is still going! People spend hundreds or thouands on camears, $3-9 on a roll of film, $1/sheet for printing paper, hundreds or thousands on darkroom equipment and chemicals, film tanks etc, and the one item that costs $7.99, lasts nearly forever, and may make the difference between clean, archival negatives and ruined ones sparks an 8 page debate on using household chemicals?

Perhaps we need a thread on loading 35mm cameras in changing bags so the film leader doesn't get wasted...

Seriously there is some interesting technical discussion here that I have enjoyed reading but... really?

 

[Sirius Glass]

With little effort on everyones' part we could make this as long as a Kodachrome thread.

Steve

 

[Fanshaw]

Many dish washing liquids have skin softeners and perfumes which are not good for negative. Have you ever used a liquid soap and later found that your hands still smell of the soap no matter how many times you rewash your hands.

Feel free to use all the dish washing liquids on you negatives, just don't bother to come back here and complain about it later.

Steve

I am not likely to do so. I have been using dish washing liquids for about 50 years and even my earliest negatives are in excellent condition.

 

[Kirk Keyes]

With little effort on everyones' part we could make this as long as a Kodachrome thread.

Steve

That's easy - just "delete" it!

 

[Aurum]

With little effort on everyones' part we could make this as long as a Kodachrome thread.

Steve

That sounds like a challenge Sir !!!!

 

[Sirius Glass]

That sounds like a challenge Sir !!!!

Sir?!? Sir?!?

Damn it! I am not that old!

Steve

 

[wogster]

I can't belive this thread is still going! People spend hundreds or thouands on camears, $3-9 on a roll of film, $1/sheet for printing paper, hundreds or thousands on darkroom equipment and chemicals, film tanks etc, and the one item that costs $7.99, lasts nearly forever, and may make the difference between clean, archival negatives and ruined ones sparks an 8 page debate on using household chemicals?

Perhaps we need a thread on loading 35mm cameras in changing bags so the film leader doesn't get wasted...

Seriously there is some interesting technical discussion here that I have enjoyed reading but... really?

Yes 9 pages and the FIRST reply answered the question! I think it was the 4th or fifth that confirmed it, so the thread could have gone away at that point.....

As for the Kodachrome thread, I think it finally went away.....

 

[Sirius Glass]

As for the Kodachrome thread, I think it finally went away.....

No, it is like the dead in the Night of the Living Dead! It will haunt us forever!

Steve

 

[brofkand]

It's a classic example of penny wise pound foolish in my opinion.

 

[Sirius Glass]

It's a classic example of penny wise pound foolish in my opinion.

Well said.

Steve

 

[Kirk Keyes]

It's a classic example of penny wise pound foolish in my opinion.

Isn't that "penny wise, dollar foolish" here in the States?