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Musty smelling 110 reel and enlarger equipment from basement advice?

StoneNYC

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Aug 5, 2012
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Location
Antarctica
Format
8x10 Format
So,

A guy on freecycle (a community locally based system similar to Craigslist but with no direct website and just a web of email groups, and free) gave me an enlarger which I've never had and a developing tank, both are very old.

I haven't really looked at the enlarger but it has the same must smell that the developing tank has.

Now I own a few Paterson Super system 4 tanks which I love but they don't have a 110 option, this tank does, the reels actually fit in the Paterson tank which was astonishing to me since all the other tank/reel combinations I've found do not fit and I have to use rotation agitation instead of Inversion which is how I prefer it. And the old rotational tanks spill easily. As a bonus the 110 reels are SELF LOADING yes!

ANYWAY I'm SUPER excited to have found this tank and get the enlarger, but they all smell very musty, I THOROUGHLY hand scrubbed the tank and reels multiple times, but the plastic still has this must smell.

I'm not sure how porous plastic is or how long mold spores can survive and in what chemistry they become malignant but I'm ultra paranoid about developing film in them, then a year later my film is eaten by mold and has spread to other film in the folder.

So, what should I do with the reel? Is bleach too extreme? Like real bleach you use for laundry and then if it gets on your clothes they get spots, Clorox Bleach etc... Will that penetrate to the deeper parts of the plastic enough to kill any spores that are hiding deep down?

And then what the heck do I do with the enlarger? I can't bleach that! So is it a loss?

I was really looking forward to making a real print :/

Being poor and desperate sucks lol.

Thanks guys!

PS if anyone has been looking for a 110 reel like me forever, this is the brand and model that fits the Paterson/JOBO tanks.




~Stone

Mamiya: 7 II, RZ67 Pro II / Canon: 1V, AE-1, 5DmkII / Kodak: No 1 Pocket Autographic, No 1A Pocket Autographic | Sent w/ iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Stone,
Use a fungicide like they sell for cleaning the bathtub or some dilute bleach. Believe it or not, bleach diluted 1:100 kills germs and mold spores better than pure bleach. Pure bleach hardens the cell walls on germs and leaves them alive. 1:100 sneaks in and kills 'em. If there is a lingering small, pack them up with a drier sheet, with Fabreeze. I don't think you have anything to worry about...except the cost or 110 film, of course.
 
Stone- You can do the same thing Whitey suggests, with the enlarger. Wipe down as much of it as possible, then place the entire enlarger in a large trash bag, using the febreeze/drier sheet combo. Twist tie, or duct tape the bag shut. Leave for a few days. Repeat as necessary...
What enlarger did you get?
 
But febreeze isn't an antibacterial it's just an anti-scent device, so I don't want to hide the musty smell and think its ok and then really the mold spores are still there...

Or am I wrong?

The enlarger? I have no idea it's a rusty pile haha but it's a start...

The only marking is the lens....




~Stone

Mamiya: 7 II, RZ67 Pro II / Canon: 1V, AE-1, 5DmkII / Kodak: No 1 Pocket Autographic, No 1A Pocket Autographic | Sent w/ iPhone using Tapatalk
 
eddie said:
Stone- It's the finest enlarger you own...
Click to expand...

Lol! this is true, but it looks like something I would buy in walmart LOL haha I didn't really know before I got to his house but I just took the stuff and figured I would sort it out later lol
 
Take it out and put it to sit a few days in June, in the fresh air.
 
I was going to suggest letting it sit in a garage if you have one (after disinfecting). Let it air out for a few weeks, so long as it's not damp or cold.
 
When you wife is not looking, put the tank and reels in the dish washer. Mine go in every month or so it helps to keep down the staining. The enlarger has similarities to either a Wray which was made in UK perhaps 40 years ago
 
Stone, I agree on the enlarger. Just set it outside for a few days and the musty smell will die a painless death. Congrats, now you will be officially addicted to the damne darkroom. See ya soon. Don
 
Just looked at the bottom of the enlarger stand...




~Stone

Mamiya: 7 II, RZ67 Pro II / Canon: 1V, AE-1, 5DmkII / Kodak: No 1 Pocket Autographic, No 1A Pocket Autographic | Sent w/ iPhone using Tapatalk
 
AND I was looking at it further... The stupid thing looks as if it only takes slides...



I don't really even shoot 35mm only 120, the only 35mm I have is Kodachrome, AND none of that would be slide film :/

Blah...



~Stone

Mamiya: 7 II, RZ67 Pro II / Canon: 1V, AE-1, 5DmkII / Kodak: No 1 Pocket Autographic, No 1A Pocket Autographic | Sent w/ iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Not to stear you in any particular direction . . . But if it were I, I'd probably write this one off, and seek out a more worthy candidate. I assembled an 4x5 enlarger piece by piece from parts found locally, and parts purchased via eBay. It took about a month or two, but it was well worth the adventure.
 

I think I'd agree....being involved in business book and paper archiving at one time, I have a horror of anything with a musty smell which might harbour spores or mould which could spread. Not sure of the prices which good s/h enlargers fetch currently, but I'd personally start with a search around on Google, Ebay, etc., and get an idea as to what is available.
 
I'm thinking of agreeing with the O'le Fart

it's in pretty bad shape... and as I said I can't seem to fit anything but a slide in there ... even the lens has some fungus growing on it so ... I guess it's kind of a loss

Hmm, maybe I can salvage the bellows and use that on something LOL
 
Enlargers of that sort of design can often be easily converted into very functional copy stands.
 

Yea i agree, and as far as getting an enlarger, it is at the very bottom of my list, I still have no real place to set it up for use, I just happened to get this for free so wanted to give it a shot.

at least it wasn't a 4x5 body that was moldy or I'd cry... lol
 
work on it all out side
the tanks and reels &c
leave everything in the sun
UV / SUN will kill everything ...
 
I dunno, there's a negative carrier there. What makes you think it won't hold a neg?
Kodachrome IS a slide film!
Do what you want but it can be salvaged. It's not worth more than a couple of bucks but you do have it in your hands.

 
That looks like one of those cheapie Prinz enlargers. I believe I'd let that go. Enlargers are a dime a dozen. Keep your eye out on Dregslist.
 
I think the Star D was 35mm only. If you don't shoot 35mm, it probably isn't worth anything to you, unless you want to use it as a contact printing light source.
 
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