Photo-flo, bad advice, and working through issues.

[John O]

What happens if the Photo-Flo is foamy from just being mixed? Several posters warned against this but I wonder what the ill effect could be.

 

[faberryman]

I stand on one foot and play Revolution 9 backwards while agitating.

 

[snusmumriken]

Amazing that such a simple step in processing can be so controversial.

I don't think anyone has so far mentioned flinging off the excess rinse water (+ surfactant) while the film is still in the spiral. I see no point in letting excess fluid run down the film when I am trying to dry it, so I flick the spiral over the sink until I can get no more water off it. Then I dry my hands before taking the film out and hanging it.

 

[faberryman]

Then I dry my hands before taking the film out and hanging it.

As long as your towel is 100% cotton, you used phosphate-free washing powder, and you didn't use a scented dryer sheet, you should be okay drying your hands before taking the film out of the tank.

 

[snusmumriken]

As long as your towel is 100% cotton, you used phosphorus-free washing powder, and you didn't use a scented dryer sheet, you should be okay.

Yes, yes and yes. But I am OK. It's the OP who has a puzzle.

 

[faberryman]

I am astonished I was able to develop film without problems before the internet and photo forums. If I had known how difficult it was then, I might never of taken up photography.

 

[pentaxuser]

I am astonished I was able to develop film without problems before the internet and photo forums. If I had known how difficult it was then, I might never of taken up photography.

Or taken up gun fighting after reading the advice Bob was given in Son of Paleface

pentaxuser

 

[John O]

Well, the reason I asked about foam in the Photo-flo (Post # 51 above) is that I usually stir the photo-flo tank before immersing the film reel in it. It's worked for me for 40 years so when I got out a roll of film with nasty mottling in it, I wondered if that final step may have been the culprit.

The scan below shows the effect in the siding of the house. (I photoshopped it out of the sky area.) It's on Rollei infrared film, which I've been using for years.

If you've seen anything like this from any cause, I'd be interested in the story.

 

[cliveh]

Don't ever use this.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Don't ever use this.

What do you have against the thread?

 

[Sirius Glass]

What happens if the Photo-Flo is foamy from just being mixed? Several posters warned against this but I wonder what the ill effect could be.

Well, the reason I asked about foam in the Photo-flo (Post # 51 above) is that I usually stir the photo-flo tank before immersing the film reel in it. It's worked for me for 40 years so when I got out a roll of film with nasty mottling in it, I wondered if that final step may have been the culprit.

The scan below shows the effect in the siding of the house. (I photoshopped it out of the sky area.) It's on Rollei infrared film, which I've been using for years.

If you've seen anything like this from any cause, I'd be interested in the story.

I agree. One does not need to stir it much but definitely not hard. Just pouring it into water and letting sit for awhile will let it go into solution completely. I will mix it about 30 minutes before I start developing film.

 

[JerseyDoug]

I don't see the point of Photo-Flo.

I use distilled water for diluting the developer, a plain water stop, diluting the fixer, and the three changes for the Ilford Method wash. Less than 1.5 liter of water total for a roll of 35mm film.

I used to hold the ends of the washed film and snap it straight a few times to remove most of the water, hang it up in the bathroom shower stall and squeegee between my first and second fingers. No scratches, no water marks or drying marks and virtually no dust.

Now instead of the finger squeegee I wipe down both sides of the film with a Kimwipe. Same result and it dries a lot faster.

 

[Bill Burk]

Well, the reason I asked about foam in the Photo-flo (Post # 51 above) is that I usually stir the photo-flo tank before immersing the film reel in it. It's worked for me for 40 years so when I got out a roll of film with nasty mottling in it, I wondered if that final step may have been the culprit.

The scan below shows the effect in the siding of the house. (I photoshopped it out of the sky area.) It's on Rollei infrared film, which I've been using for years.

If you've seen anything like this from any cause, I'd be interested in the story.

That’s 120 backing paper mottling. No fault in processing or drying.

 

[Cholentpot]

This zombie thread came back alive. Guess I should update.

I use an eye dropper and put a few drops of flo into the tank. Let sit for about a minute and the see-saw the strip through the tank. I then squeegee with my fingers and hang to dry. No more spotting issues for a while. It was a major problem at first but I adjusted my technique until I found something that works.

 

[Sirius Glass]

I don't see the point of Photo-Flo.

I use distilled water for diluting the developer, a plain water stop, diluting the fixer, and the three changes for the Ilford Method wash. Less than 1.5 liter of water total for a roll of 35mm film.

I used to hold the ends of the washed film and snap it straight a few times to remove most of the water, hang it up in the bathroom shower stall and squeegee between my first and second fingers. No scratches, no water marks or drying marks and virtually no dust.

Now instead of the finger squeegee I wipe down both sides of the film with a Kimwipe. Same result and it dries a lot faster.

We are looking forward to your future posts asking us why your film has scratches.

 

[mshchem]

When I'm an old man I will sit on my butt and rant online about Photoflo and surge marks..........??????

Oh Boy

Never mind.

 

[Cholentpot]

When I'm an old man I will sit on my butt and rant online about Photoflo and surge marks..........??????

Oh Boy

Never mind.

To be fair. I had a problem that I didn't have before. And after posting the issue and discussing it I came to a solution and I don't have the problem anymore.

 

[mshchem]

PROGRESS!

 

[mshchem]

If one has problems with Photoflo an old grizzled darkroom man swears by this stuff. Supposed to be miraculous stuff.

Edwal LFN Wetting Agent - 4 oz.

Edwal LFN Wetting Agent - 4 oz. - Edwal LFN Wetting Agent is a low-foam, non-ionic wetting agent. Just two drops of LFN in a pint of developer will prevent air bubbles and floating dust particles from causing pinholes, while two drops…

www.freestylephoto.biz

 

[Cholentpot]

If one has problems with Photoflo an old grizzled darkroom man swears by this stuff. Supposed to be miraculous stuff.

Edwal LFN Wetting Agent - 4 oz.

Edwal LFN Wetting Agent - 4 oz. - Edwal LFN Wetting Agent is a low-foam, non-ionic wetting agent. Just two drops of LFN in a pint of developer will prevent air bubbles and floating dust particles from causing pinholes, while two drops…

www.freestylephoto.biz

It's out of stock. I still have a few years left on my bottle I think. Still on the same bottle after almost ten years. And it was about 3/4ths empty when I got it.

 

[mshchem]

I have inherited enough Photoflo, Indicator Stop bath (both Ilford and Kodak) , Kodak Hypo clearing agent and Rapid selenium toner to last me for the next 40 years.

I never reuse hypoclear or photoflo, but I never seem to run short. I still have brown glass bottles of KRST from the Kodak Rochester plant. Never loses it's strength.

 

[Sirius Glass]

When I'm an old man I will sit on my butt and rant online about Photoflo and surge marks..........??????

Oh Boy

Never mind.

Whom is the old man of which you speak?

 

[mshchem]

Whom is the old man of which you speak?

Uh . Me.

 

[koraks]

If you've seen anything like this from any cause, I'd be interested in the story.

Looks like a backing paper problem on 120 film. It's fairly common, and unrelated to the final rinse or photoflo.

 

[GLS]

For some time I have used a penultimate deionised water wash of the film after the normal washing routine with tap water. I then use a final rinse with deionised water and high purity isopropanol in a 95:5 ratio before hanging the film to dry. Using this method I never get drying residues of any kind.