How long to let negative dry & how to remove dust

[cannotShootStraight]

I have some questions regarding the handling of a negative:
- how to you apply photo flo? Do you put it into the last rinse-water or do you apply it directly to the film once you hange it to dry?
- how long do you let your film dry? I observed that the majority of the film is dry after 15-20mins using photo flo, except the area where the clips are holding the film. But sometimes I have individual drops of water on the film which take forever to dry (these did not run down the film and got stuck at some point).
- how do you remove dust from the film? I had some problems where I put a not completely dry negative on my light plate and it gathered some dust. But in general my apartment seems to be quite dusty
- also how do you keep your light plate dust free (in case you scan with a digital camera)?

 

[Scott J.]

1) Yes, after completing the post-fixer water wash, submerge the film in a solution of PhotoFlo and water. Follow the instructions on the bottle for correct dilution (e.g., for Kodak PhotoFlo 200, it's 1 part concentrate to 200 parts of mixed solution). Do not apply PhotoFlo concentrate directly to film.

2) If you're using passive drying (i.e., no forced air or heat), it'll generally take a minimum of 90 minutes for film to adequately dry at 20 degrees C and average humidity. Your film isn't dry after only 15-20 minutes -- it may look dry, but the gelatin is still wet.

3) Regarding the dust that gets onto not-quite-yet-dry film, it'll have to be rewashed in water and gently wiped clean (e.g., with your fingers), then re-rinsed in PhotoFlo. The problem in that scenario is that the dust has become stuck -- embedded, really -- in the gelatin of the film, so a simple brushing or blow from an air duster won't dislodge it.

 

[cannotShootStraight]

Hi Scott!
Thank you. So would you say 120min is on the safe side for drying?

 

[Scott J.]

So would you say 120min is on the safe side for drying?

That's generally what I do. A common technique people employ is to use a bathroom as a film-drying space, wherein they run a hot shower for a few minutes to get the room all steamed up before hanging the film to dry. The steam helps clear the air of dust (i.e., the moisture attracts/encapsulates the dust particles and they fall out of air suspension). Generally, though, any room that doesn't see much foot traffic and doesn't have carpeting (hence, little suspended dust) can be reliably used. I bought an inexpensive steel locker (the kind you might find in a locker room) a few years ago and turned that into a film drying cabinet. It remains sealed nearly all of the time, so stays pretty dust-free.

 

[Sirius Glass]

I have found that sometimes film is still not completely dry after twenty to thirty minutes and I have taken to let the film dry overnight, In my setup, the film does not collect dust overnight hanging in the shower. YMMV

 

[logan2z]

This may be overkill, but I generally don't cut/sleeve negatives until they've hung to dry for 24 hours.

 

[MattKing]

It varies with humidity, temperature, air flow and, to a certain extent, film type.
I prefer to leave them overnight.

 

[gorrrbb]

Just a note to say thank you for asking these questions and for the folks that provided answers. I appreciate it.

 

[blee1996]

To keep the surfaces of my light table and flatbed glass clean, I use this for many years with good results. They are about $16 and last a long time.

Ilford Antistaticum Anti-Static Cloth - 13 x 13"