Serialize my holders?

Mark_S · Nov 6, 2006

I shoot 4x5, and have lately been thinking about taking a dremel tool to my film holders, putting notches along the edge to be able to identify which neg came from which holder.

I would put the notches along the long edge of the holder, in the plastic part that holds the film down, but is under the dark slide.

Has anybody else in here done that - thoughts on how I might screw it up?

Ian Grant · Nov 6, 2006

The first 4 or 5 5x4 film holders I bought actually had a little cut out with a clear piece of plastc and a number. I can't rember the make but they haven't lasted 25+ years like all of my others.

I have heard of people doing what you suggest, but again it depends on the make, many of my holders have metal film guides so it would be difficult.

Ian

DWThomas · Nov 6, 2006

Decades ago, I experimented with a little tab of film with a number on it attached to the hinged flap. It was allowed to physically project into the visible negative area about 1/8 to 3/16 of an inch. The tab could be made using photo film. The disadvantage was one had to crop a bit of the active image area when printing; and under some conditions, there wasn't enough light in that area to expose the number. I eventually gave it up and tried to just keep better records -- the holders were each given a number with an "A" and a "B" side, marked in one of the little externally visible recesses in the frame.

(And now I've pretty much retreated to MF.)

DaveT

RJS · Nov 6, 2006

marking holders

Mark_S said:
I shoot 4x5, and have lately been thinking about taking a dremel tool to my film holders, putting notches along the edge to be able to identify which neg came from which holder.

I would put the notches along the long edge of the holder, in the plastic part that holds the film down, but is under the dark slide.

Has anybody else in here done that - thoughts on how I might screw it up?

Ralph Lambrecht, in his book "Way Beyond Monochrome" has a beautifully illustrated 'how to' chapter on marking film holders. Can't be beat!

MurrayMinchin · Nov 6, 2006

Not having a dremel tool, I filed some notches into the film side of the plastic hinged thing-a-ma-bob that the darkslide inserts into, using a really small file. Worked great. When I get around to it.....I'll change every third v notch into a u so it'll be easier to count (right now its hard to tell #11 from #12). What's great about this method is it doesn't intrude into the image area.

Murray

Phil · Nov 6, 2006

Here's a link that might be of interest:

http://www.jbhphoto.com/articles/filmholder1.htm

JHannon · Nov 7, 2006

Phil said:
Here's a link that might be of interest:

http://www.jbhphoto.com/articles/filmholder1.htm

Thanks for that link Phil!

BBarlow690 · Nov 7, 2006

I use Roman Numerals and small files - five passes and there's a good notch. Left side - tens, middle - fives, right side - ones. Easy to do with two different files, one rounded, one V-shaped. I've done it to pretty much all my 4x5, 5x7 and 8x10 holders. For plastic, be sure to have a single-edged razor blade to trim the residue. A vacuum cleaner helps with the tiny chips.

Well worth the not-much-time required to do it.

Richard Ritter demonstrates it in his video "Camera Repair in the Field with Richard Ritter," available at www.circleofthesunproductions.com

Jim Jones · Nov 7, 2006

Phil said:
Here's a link that might be of interest:

http://www.jbhphoto.com/articles/filmholder1.htm

BBarlow's suggestion based on Roman numbers sounds practical. If you are comfortable with binary math, a series of ten notches, both V and round bottom, let you number both sides of over 500 holders. I knew there would be long-term benefits to working on computers in the 1950s!

Mark_S · Nov 7, 2006

Jim Jones said:
If you are comfortable with binary math, a series of ten notches, both V and round bottom,

Actually, I am an electrical engineer, and had planned on splitting the difference between decimal and binary with a BCD code - 2 digits, for a total of eight notch locations should handle all the holders I am ever likely to accumulate. One additional notch to indicate which side of the holder and I am good to go!

Jim Jones · Nov 7, 2006

I use a unique number for each side of each holder rather than an A and B side. Also, notching the flap seems easier than notching the long side guide.

Keith Pitman · Nov 7, 2006

I agree with RJS: Ralph Lambrecht's binary method can't be beat. I have about 50 holders marked this way. It only takes a second to translate the code back to your notebook.

MurrayMinchin · Nov 7, 2006

I am a simple man, who's both financially humble, yet happy. I've only had 6 holders for the last 20 years

Murray

Terrance Hounsell · Nov 8, 2006

I tried several methods and files are the best.

kapitman said:
I agree with RJS: Ralph Lambrecht's binary method can't be beat. I have about 50 holders marked this way. It only takes a second to translate the code back to your notebook.

I too have 50 holders so last year I sacrificed a spare holder that was in very poor condition in order to determine the best method of cutting the notches using Ralph Lambrecht's system.

I found that the plastic flaps were too hard and brittle to be cut with all of the knives, exacto cutters, tin snips etc... that I tried. I found that Dremels generally melt the plastic and the cutter gets gummed up. I tried Dremmel abrasive wheels as well.

I tried making a jig so that I could drill tiny holes with a my drill press. This worked but the holes had to be a small distance in from the edge and were at an angle so the light wasn't reaching them properly. Before I tossed the test holder in the garbage I even tried a soldering iron but that was useless.

In the end a good quality file worked as well as anything I tried. Might take longer but does a neater job, you can clean up any rough cuts with a scapel.

One important detail: I used a small piece of wood, nearly the same thickness as the holder, under the flap to support it so that I didn't put any pressure on the hinge fabric.

When the job is finished I urge you to take all of your holders outside and blow them out with compressed air. I used a Porter Cable air compressor that powers my air tools. If you don't do this you will loose negatives due to grit stuck in the slot for the dark slide.

cheers, Terrance

Keith Pitman · Nov 9, 2006

You can smooth out any rough edges after you cut notches in them with a modest application of acetone which softens the plastic.

Keith Pitman · Nov 9, 2006

MurrayMinchin said:
I am a simple man, who's both financially humble, yet happy. I've only had 6 holders for the last 20 years

Murray

I used to be simple and had six holders. I like to have a larger quantity so on week long trips I don't have to reload late at night and avoid getting dust in them.

jstraw · Dec 21, 2006

Jim Jones said:
I use a unique number for each side of each holder rather than an A and B side. Also, notching the flap seems easier than notching the long side guide.

I just got my needle files and want to get started. Do most people number both sides? I had planned to with the first holder being I & II, the next being III & IV, the next V & VI and so on...

bruce terry · Dec 21, 2006

Get number stickers at West Marine. They are tough and just the right size for Fidelity holder margins - my four were 1-8. Pretty simple.

jstraw · Dec 21, 2006

bruce terry said:
Get number stickers at West Marine. They are tough and just the right size for Fidelity holder margins - my four were 1-8. Pretty simple.

I must not have been clear. I was asking about serializing each holder-side, not just each holder, so that the source of each sheet could be determined.

Just numbering the holders doesn't do anything for you once the film has been removed from them.

Allen Friday · Dec 21, 2006

bruce terry said:
my four were 1-8. Pretty simple.

In the quote, he says he has four holders. They are numbered one to eight. That must mean that he is numbering each side of the holder, not just the holder.

I number my first holder, first side is 1, second side is 2, the next holder first side is 3, the second side is 4, and so on.

jstraw · Dec 21, 2006

Allen Friday said:
In the quote, he says he has four holders. They are numbered one to eight. That must mean that he is numbering each side of the holder, not just the holder.

I number my first holder, first side is 1, second side is 2, the next holder first side is 3, the second side is 4, and so on.

Thanks...I did it that way and got the first six done tonight. I also marked them with 1-12 with regular numerals on the outside so I can match a sheet with it's originating holder without having to disturb the darkslide.

Serialize my holders?

Mark_S

Ian Grant

DWThomas

RJS

MurrayMinchin

Membership Council

Phil

JHannon

BBarlow690

Jim Jones

Mark_S

Jim Jones

Keith Pitman

MurrayMinchin

Membership Council

Terrance Hounsell

Keith Pitman

Keith Pitman

jstraw

bruce terry

jstraw

Allen Friday

jstraw

Serialize my holders?

Membership Council

Membership Council

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency