How to cut RC RA-4 roll paper to sheets?

To those of you who cut down Kodak Edge or Endura roll paper down to sheet sizes, would you mind briefly describing your tooling and technique? I'm considering trying it once I get my basic RA-4 printing techniques worked out.

I know that Kodak says that a number 13 safelight filter with a 7.5 watt bulb at least 4 feet from the paper can be used if absolutely necessary, but I'd prefer not to risk fogging the paper. My preference would be to cut the paper down in total darkness without any safelight.

I'm interested in knowing what size rolls you prefer to cut down, whether you made a cutting jig and how you designed it, and what tools you find most helpful for cutting the paper. Do you cut it with the emulsion facing up or down? If processing in a roller transport processor (e.g., Fujimoto CP-31), is it better for the curl to be in the long dimension or the short dimension of the sheet?

Ok,

First I do the cutting completely dark, no safelight.

I use a rotary trimmer somthing like this one.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/15509-REG/Dahle_508_508_Personal_Rolling_Trimmer.html

You will need a pattern so that when you pull the paper through in the dark you can feel where to stop.

Need a paper safe.

I use a short piece of PVC pipe as an axle and coat hangers to hang the axle and paper up above the trimmer.

The paper I've used has all been emulsion on the outside.

I thread the paper backwards so that the plastic guard on the trimmer holds the paper between cuts and I don't have to rethread for each sheet.

I use a #13 safelight filter and a 15 watt bulb. I usually cut paper for over an hour and haven't had any fogging problems. I don't pile the paper up under the safelight, it's off to the side of the room. As for jigs, it depends on the size I am cutting. Up to 8x12 I cut on my paper cutter. I put the paper on a stand with a metal bar through the center of the roll and cut with the emulsion up. I find that the most difficult part is keeping the paper straight in the cutter. I could probably cut 11x14 on my paper cutter, but I haven't bought any 11" rolls yet.
For larger sizes, I actually use my speed ez-els as cutting guides. I feed the paper into the easel and use the bar at the end of the easel to guide my knife. If you spend more than a few minutes in the darkroom, your eyes adjust to the safelight and it's bright enough to use a knife.
I like to use rolls that match the short dimension of the sheet. For example, if I wanted a 5x7 print, I would use a 5" roll. If you do that, the photos fit better in albums and sleeves.

Thank you both. The process seems quite a bit simpler than I was thinking. I can make a roll holder and use my Rotatrim.

Do you store your rolls in a refrigerator, or just leave them at room temperature?

Room temp for me.

I cut any size sheets I want from rolls that are 48-56" wide. I built a simple gig that stands upright. The jig is mobile, so I lean it on something at about a 20-30 degree angle. Gravity helps hold the paper flat because it has a hell of a curve to it. The base is 3/4" MDF approximately 60"x48". A 3/4"x60"x6" plate is screwed to the bottom to bottom out the paper. I built and attached holders out of MDF for the ends of a 1" black pipe (galvanized pipe, PVC, or wooden dowel would work too) that go on the top. The roll of paper goes on this rod emulsion side towards the base (less handling of the emulsion surface). To hold the paper flat to the base, I built two 12"x1.5" "spacers" that go on the top black pipe and hold a second black pipe. Piping works better here than wood because of the weight. The paper comes off the roll, under the second bar and sits flush with the bottom board. I worked at a community college and the welding department cut me a 60"x4"x1/8" steel sheet straight edge. I can cut any size I want; I just insert a couple of spacers below the straight edge that are 4" shorter than the desired length. The spacers also help to hold the paper flat. I drew a heavy black vertical line near the end where the edge of the paper goes so I can double-check the squareness. After that, I cut the other dimension on a rotary cutter. Mine can handle up to 18". I clamp a stop at the desired length. Sheets come out perfectly "square" and I have little or no waste. The edges are a little rough, but that can be trimmed later or hidden when overmatted. I cut my sheets at night in the basement at night and replace a ceiling light bulb with a 15 watt red safe light. Fogging has never been an issue. The cut pieces have quite a curve to them, especially when you get closer to the core; therefore, I don't cut more than 40 sheets per bag. Like Mark, I use a paper safe. I find that the curve is so strong on my MGIV FB double weight, that I have to tape the paper safe shut because the little clasp won't hold. I use small earth magnets on the blades of my Saunders easel to hold the paper down. Once the fiber paper is wet in the developer, the curve is no longer an issue.

Note that Walter is describing how he cuts black and white paper that permits use of a red safelight.

Otherwise, his set-up is likely to be useful for colour as well.

MattKing said:

Note that Walter is describing how he cuts black and white paper that permits use of a red safelight.

Otherwise, his set-up is likely to be useful for colour as well.

Click to expand...

Not sure if you are referring to me, but assuming you are the name is Bob Walberg, not Walter. Once upon a time I was nicknamed Wally, but when the university paper published my name as Wally Walberg (I played hockey), I started a one-man campaign to get back to Bob. That's as close as I got to Walter. On the other hand, one of the other APUGers might be Walter, what (or who) do I know

walbergb, thank you. I take it this is B&W fiber paper rolls you are cutting, and so a safelight should be OK for a while. I'll be cutting color RC paper for RA-4 process, and a safelight is not recommended by Kodak. But in terms of the jig, the type of paper is unimporant. Yours sounds quite interesting.

I don't understand how you are using the various spacers you describe. First, the "... two 12"x1.5" "spacers" that go on the top black pipe and hold a second black pipe." Is that to allow the second pipe to hang off the top pipe and rest against the backing of the jig in order to hold the paper down at the top as it comes off the roll?

What are the spaces that are 4 inch shorter than the desired length that go below the straight edge?

Perhaps an example would help. How would you set it up to cut some 11x14 sheets?

walbergb said:

Not sure if you are referring to me, but assuming you are the name is Bob Walberg, not Walter. Once upon a time I was nicknamed Wally, but when the university paper published my name as Wally Walberg (I played hockey), I started a one-man campaign to get back to Bob. That's as close as I got to Walter. On the other hand, one of the other APUGers might be Walter, what (or who) do I know

Click to expand...

Oops - this is where one ends up when one assumes something based on incomplete information and without actually reading what one is looking at: with proverbial "egg" on one's face.

Sorry Bob.

You do describe a good roll cutting set-up though.

Please to make your acquaintance Marty..I mean Matt Actually, Walter doesn't sound that bad

The set up works for me. I was fortunate to win a couple of eBay auctions and got the rolls cheap. Seems a truck loaded with rolls of Ilford paper had an unfortunate accident. A liquidation businesses bought the paper and was unloading it on eBay. I've had no problems with the paper. I use it to do a lot of experimenting and learning.

I guess my setup is analogous to several already outlined. I have a 4ft wide Rotatrim attached flush to a big flat table. There are threaded inserts at critical points in the table to position a flat stainless straightedge for in-the-dark measuring. Slightly below the surface of the table is the rod for holding the roll itself.

It's all good stuff on paper cutting with extensive descriptions but a few pictures are worth a thousand words if the posters will be so kind. Following even a well written description is difficult unless it is your description. Few people have the ability to "see" the equipment as they read the description.

Thanks

pentaxuser

Years ago, I had a Kreonite roller transport and durst printers. I had my dad build a table top cutter that had a holder on one end and a roller cutter in the middle, then a paper safe setup on the right side. It saved me a lot of money by cutting sizes for enlarger projection. Total darkness and never had a cut finger. I did wear a cotton glove though to keep the emulsion from being ruined.
It wouldn't take much thought in making one if a person is good at carpentry.
This might give someone a thought on making something and selling them.

Richard