Making a thing to store unexposed colour paper in?

Holly · May 13, 2008

Hey!
I want to know what everyone does when they need to store large
unexposed paper THAT DIDN'T COME IN SHEET FORM ALREADY. So, if you
buy a roll of paper, and need to cut it up, what do people store their paper in
as a makeshift or longer-lasting device?
black plastic bags?
tubes?
any info would be great.

Mike Wilde · May 13, 2008

I keep it in the original bag

While I don't get into roll paper often, there are two rolls 12" x what started as 275' in my freezer at the moment.

I openned the original brown craft paper and plastic bags, cut what is needed, and then re-sealed the bag by rolling it shut, and then using about 5 strong foldback spring clips to hold the folds shut. It is not perfectlt moisure proof, but it work alright.

I have also stored a 5" roll in an old 11x14 enlarging paper envelope, that was folded and taped shut. I never thrfow out old paper envelopes; they always become useful at some point in the future.

I tend to cut ahead of time an assortment of sizes, because cutting off of the roll is such a chore.

FilmIs4Ever · May 14, 2008

Giant black opaque plastic envelopes? Howabout old paper boxes? Or you can even carefully put them in roll paper bags, after carefully curling them up; of course you'd need to flatten them back out unless you have a vacuum easel or one that will hold the paper flat on the edges.

Nick Zentena · May 14, 2008

Usually I put the paper in empty paper box then put the box into a large paper safe.

Over kill really. If I don't have a box it just goes into the safe.

Holly · May 16, 2008

ingenious ideas needed

Hmmm so it looks like people just have a handy back-catalogue
of bags and boxes from previous paper packaging that they make do
with.
Reason I ask is, I'm a student of photography sharing a darkroom
space with scores of others, and I am really interested to know
how people get around the problems of keeping their paper
in the complete dark. There must be some real crackers of
ideas out there for rigging up homemade devices other than
freezers. I recently had a big plastic pipe made
into a paper storage tube, a plumbing place I went to actually
welded a seal on one end and on the other end welded in a
fitting with a screw-top. So far it is totally light safe and has changed
my life.

Nick Zentena · May 16, 2008

A lot of things like plastic pipe look dark but may not be 100% dark. Sewage doesn't really care.

What's wrong with a paper safe? They sell for peanuts on Ebay. Smaller ones aren't that expensive new.

Holly · May 19, 2008

I'm in Australia, and I don't think paper safes exist here..? Noone here has really
heard of them. I haven't done a whole lot of research into sourcing them in
this country. But when in doubt, go to ebay.
Sewerage and photo paper actually have a lot in common, they both don't
really benefit from being exposed to the elements, so if you buy a black
industrial heavy duty pipe it is pretty darn safe.

David Grenet · May 19, 2008

They exist, and every now and then come up on ebay aus...

Personally I just cut a few sheets off the roll and store in a black plastic bag, although when I have some empty boxes I'll probably use them.

Your pipe will probably be just fine, but personally I think the curl would annoy me...

yellowcat · May 19, 2008

If any one in the UK is interested I have an old roll paper safe box that will take one 30" roll or a couple of 12" or smaller rolls. It is made of steel and has a cutter on the inner lid. It is in need of renovation but that should not be too difficult. If any one wants this they can have it if they can collect it.

Making a thing to store unexposed colour paper in?

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