Kodak Print Flattening Solution, Ethylene Glycol & Formaldehyde

[mshchem]

Found these, if I want to use it I will need to move my print dryer outside. Enough to make 30 to 60 gallons of working solution. If anyone has any Ektacolor Professional fiber based color paper in the freezer this works with color too.

 

[Photo Engineer]

It really should not be used with RC papers.

PE

 

[mshchem]

It really should not be used with RC papers.

PE

Yes, I understand, fiber only. I really love the bottles. If I decoded the boxes correctly, it looks like this was produced in 1974. Which explains it's sitting in a warehouse, for the last 40 years. I don't think, I have ever used anything like this. I remember a pro using Pakosol. The marketing people at Kodak said this even improved mounting, this, in a 1950s Popular Photography magazine. I'm wondering if the formalin was added to act as an antimicrobial? It would also act as a hardener, I presume. Definitely improved handling, and cracking, of over dried, single weight service photos. I will try it next summer, I don't want to vaporize this in the house, even with ventilation. I've breathed too much stuff as it is.
Mike

 

[Photo Engineer]

Well, the Ethylene Glycol is quite poisonous as well.

So be careful with the liquid and the fumes.

PE

 

[AgX]

Ethylene Glycol has low vapour pressure, hardly breaks through skin barrier. Critical only would be swallowing. And maybe vapours due to hot drying,

 

[Arklatexian]

Yes, I understand, fiber only. I really love the bottles. If I decoded the boxes correctly, it looks like this was produced in 1974. Which explains it's sitting in a warehouse, for the last 40 years. I don't think, I have ever used anything like this. I remember a pro using Pakosol. The marketing people at Kodak said this even improved mounting, this, in a 1950s Popular Photography magazine. I'm wondering if the formalin was added to act as an antimicrobial? It would also act as a hardener, I presume. Definitely improved handling, and cracking, of over dried, single weight service photos. I will try it next summer, I don't want to vaporize this in the house, even with ventilation. I've breathed too much stuff as it is.
Mike

Yes, the formalin was added to act as an antimicrobial. Don't remember it ever being touted as a hardner. I always considered and treated it like Pakosol because it did the same thing. They both "flattened" fiber-based photographic paper after washing. Never heard of the diluted solution being used "outdoors". Neither it nor Pakosol and some of us are into our eighties. Friend, living "forever" isn't that much fun!.........Regards!

 

[mshchem]

Yes, the formalin was added to act as an antimicrobial. Don't remember it ever being touted as a hardner. I always considered and treated it like Pakosol because it did the same thing. They both "flattened" fiber-based photographic paper after washing. Never heard of the diluted solution being used "outdoors". Neither it nor Pakosol and some of us are into our eighties. Friend, living "forever" isn't that much fun!.........Regards!

That's good to know. I have a powered exhaust fan. I will try it out on a flat bed dryer. I think I bought it in part because, I'll never will have the chance again. I know that many people stay clear of belt dryers. I love my Pako dryer, I just bought new belts from Pakor in Minneapolis so I should be good for as long as I'm active. I don't print enough to be exposed to much. Hopefully I will drop dead in my darkroom and they can haul me out the back door in my sink. I'm 62, I stood making prints the other night for a good 3 hours. My back felt like I had been run over.
Thanks for the info, Mike

 

[Photo Engineer]

Ethylene Glycol has low vapour pressure, hardly breaks through skin barrier. Critical only would be swallowing. And maybe vapours due to hot drying,

Formalin and Ethylene Glycol both would be problematic when heating prints to dry them. Air drying would be where one got the most curl, but drying on a heated drum would generally not give much of a problem with print curl. I have a gallon of Photo Flo of the type that contains Ethylene Glycol. Anyone want it?

PE