Squeegee or no Squeegee

[ajuk]

Do you use a squeegee?

 

[mooseontheloose]

Film or paper?

 

[Brandon D.]

Film or paper?

The poll says "negs."

I have never needed to squeegee my negatives. After bathing them in Photoflo, they're usually hanged completely dry with an hour or two.

 

[Vaughn]

I squeegee with my fingers -- always have, probably always will. Never have scratched a neg in 30+ years that way.

 

[bsdunek]

Right, use photoflow and my fingers. Always worked for me. I can see using a squeegee, but I would be afraid it had collected dirt and would scratch my negs.

 

[2F/2F]

Ditto to what Vaughn said (for roll film only).

 

[removed account4]

what vaughn says for me too if it is roll film,
BUT if 4x5 or bigger i hang by a corner
and let them take a nap ..
paper negatives on the other hand,
i squeegee with a windshield wiper, as i do my prints ...

 

[Vaughn]

...BUT if 4x5 or bigger i hang by a corner
and let them take a nap...

Same here...though I take a paper towel and dab off the big drip in the lower corner of sheet film a few times to speed drying.

How many of us see-saw roll film in the photo-flo? Old habits die hard! (Plus I never get photo-flo on my SS reels this way!)

Vaughn

 

[Curt]

I have an old wiper blade cut in half that I have used since the '70s, dip it in wetting agent and with the film hanging I give each side one wipe. No scratches or I would have given it up years ago.

I remember starting out, I bought a stainless steel device with two sponges at the end. It worked fine for a couple of sessions then it was scratch hell so I ditched it.
Curt

 

[Ian David]

I don't use a squeegee (or fingers) on any of my negs, roll film or 5x4. I don't find it necessary, and it means one less potential problem.

 

[mooseontheloose]

The poll says "negs."

It didn't originally. I use my fingers to do a light squeegee, never had any problems.

 

[brian steinberger]

I selected yes, but don't actually use a squeegee. I just use my fingers and run it over the film lightly twice. This works well.

 

[thisismyname09]

photoflow seems to be enough to keep water spots off my film. No need for a squeegee

 

[fotch]

I have used my fingers, photo sponges and the Jobo multi-blade squeegee, with is the best. I dip it in the photo flow then give it a sharp shake to get the excess off and then use it gently on the negatives. Never had a scratch problem. Of course, keep it clean. Film dries spontless. Works for me.

 

[mike c]

Same here...though I take a paper towel and dab off the big drip in the lower corner of sheet film a few times to speed drying.

How many of us see-saw roll film in the photo-flo? Old habits die hard! (Plus I never get photo-flo on my SS reels this way!)

Vaughn

Vaughn what is the problem with foto flo on reel. I keep film on SS reel with photo flo no sqeege.Use to see-saw but stopped.clumsy fingers.

 

[reellis67]

I find that my film always gets water spots not matter what I do if I attempt to speed drying in any way (including using a squeegee). If I simply dip them in wetting agent and then hang them as is, and nothing else, I get clean negatives every single time.

- Randy

 

[Jesper]

Used my fingers for several years with no problem, then I tried a squegee, scratched the film and went back to my fingers again.

With sheet film I just let the negatives hang.

 

[Shangheye]

Either with my fingers (roll film), Squegee for 35mm, or hang to dry for 4x5.

The water in belgium is very hard, so I can't risk not squeegeeing...and the sprokets on 35mm seem to act like magnets!

 

[Andrew Moxom]

Water where I am at is horrible so I squeegee just the base side not the emulsion side as I find I get drying marks with regular water and distilled water as the final bath regardless of whether photoflo was used otherwise.

 

[bill schwab]

NEVER! Not a squeegee OR fingers. A touch of Photoflo and a good drying cabinet is all that is needed. Anything else is just asking for problems IMO. Water has always been good where I've worked, so that is not a factor.

 

[John Jarosz]

Never a squeegee. Photoflow and a wrung out sponge from both sides of the neg simultaneously while the neg hangs from clips.

Mainly to keep the floor drier.

 

[Sirius Glass]

The poll should have been divided into using PhotoFlo or an equivalent and then squeegee or no squeegee. Followed by not using PhotoFlo or an equivalent and then squeegee or no squeegee.

Without that distinction, the results look like film that was not in hypo long enough to clear the negative.

Steve

 

[snallan]

Nope, don't let nuffink near my moist emulsion! Film gets a final wash in RO water, then straight in to the drying cabinet.

 

[randyB]

Photoflow and a wrung out sponge from both sides of the neg simultaneously while the neg hangs from clips.

Isn't this the same as squeegeeing? Just a thought.

I have always squeegeed my film with a pre-moistened sponge squeegee (Yankee)after using Photo-Flo for 2 minutes. I have yet (40 years) to get any scratches from the sponge. I do soak the sponge squeegee for 10-15 minutes first. I tried the rubber bladed kind once for only 1 roll, threw that piece'o'crap in the trash. I do use a hardening fixer. My film dries faster and cleaner.

 

[paladin1420]

I used to but I finally figured out how photoflo works