How to dispense Ilford paper in roll form?

Hi,

I was recently shopping for paper and found the following item: "Ilford Multigrade IV RC Deluxe MGD.44M Black & White Variable Contrast Paper (3.5 x 5' Roll, Pearl, 100 Sheets)" http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/93312-REG/Ilford_1770867_Multigrade_IV_RC_DLX.html

I have never heard of photographic paper being sold on a roll, and can't find any information about this on Ilford's website or anywhere else. I gather that this means just what it implies: that the paper is on a roll rather than individual sheets. My only question is whether the paper is perforated or otherwise demarcated at regular intervals? Or do you you have to measure it yourself as you go?

Thanks.

--Phil

You have to measure and cut.

Looking at your screen name, I am tempted to start out with something like:

"First, you have to be one with your paper ...."

Roll paper can be very useful, in that it allows you to cut different sizes from the same roll. A couple of friends and I are sharing a 30" roll that allows us to take off a variety of different sizes, as our needs require.

You need to approach cutting the paper with a fair bit of planning. Some guides and clamps and movable stops are handy. It really helps to have a rotary cutter big enough to handle the width of the roll, but you can do a lot with a mat cutter and a careful hand.

The biggest downside? Dealing with the curl.

There are roll paper cutter/dispensers that used to be used in commercial labs. They would be great to have.

You can also wing it with scissors or razor as well. It's not strictly necessary that the print have perfectly square dimensions. I use a rotary cutter myself.

The product you link to is sheets of paper, B&H have made errors in their listing especially at that price It's postcard size paper

If you buy rolls though Rotatrim make a roll feed for their trimmers. I have some old rolls of MGIV paper that I bought sometime before 2000, I always used scissors - it's the 40" wide rolls.

Ian

TheTaoOfPhil said:

I have never heard of photographic paper being sold on a roll, and can't find any information about this on Ilford's website or anywhere else.

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Welcome Phil!

Paper being sold in rolls has a long tradition. Many manufacturer did sell, and list it.

One reason was the the upcomst of printers, machines that facilitated making prints of the same size in rapid succession. For
these printers paper fed in from a roll was necessary. With the general succession of b&w prints by colour prints that market practibally vanished for b&w papers.

Another market was and still is the making of ultra-larger enlargements.

There have been other appliances too, there even was 35mm paper.


Working from rolls can be cost saving, by buying at a lower area-price and being able to cut different formats from a single roll. At the other side one must accept the hassle involved.

Ian Grant said:

The product you link to is sheets of paper, B&H have made errors in their listing especially at that price It's postcard size paper

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Always worth checking the manufacturer's web site http://www.ilfordphoto.com/products/productlist.asp?n=21&t=Photographic+Papers

In the case of the item listed by the OP, a 5' roll of 3½" paper sounds a little odd, especially when it says 100 sheets on the same line - Ilford does do 3½" on a 500' roll, but only in glossy, and to special order.

Thank you all for the very informative responses. It was indeed the fact that B&H item specifies both dimensions that had me confused.

And yes, one should be one with the paper

Many thanks!

--Phil