uncurling film

[Jepaul20]

Does anyone have any tricks or ideas on how to uncurl 120 film after development? I just can't stand having my negative sleeves curl up on me. Anyone have any ideas?

 

[Kevin Caulfield]

Any particualr type of 120 film you're having trouble with? Are you using film clips when drying your film? The only film I've had curling issues with is Kodak B&W IR 35mm film, probably because it has a very thin base. Usually any film with a little bit of curl is fine after a couple of days in archival plastic file sheets.

 

[MikeK]

Does anyone have any tricks or ideas on how to uncurl 120 film after development? I just can't stand having my negative sleeves curl up on me. Anyone have any ideas?

I have had this happen with the Bergger films and some of the J&C films. The problem I believe is mechanical (I was never any good at physics) and the emulsion/backing contains energy that causes it to curl. Probably made worse by the material used.

So my cure, twofold. I hang a very heavy weight (three leaded film clips) when drying and leave in my drying tent overnight. Then into the negatives sheets then under a very heavy book. Does it work, well sometimes it does, other times it looks OK until you take the negative out of the sleeve then it curls up like a pill bug ---arrgh.

Mike

 

[Woolliscroft]

I agree with Mike: use heavily weighted film clips when drying, then put the negs in sleeves under a heavy book (or pile of heavy books). I use a lot of Kodak Tech Pan, which is also a terror for curling, again because of the thin base. I have just been printing a load of 35mm nitro cellulose negs taken during WWII and kept ever since rolled up tight in film cans. They uncurled the same way, although that one took a while. If all else fails, once the negs are in the sleves roll them up against the curl and keep them that way for a day with rubber bands.

David.

 

[Foto Ludens]

I dry my 120 film in the steel reels, in a PVC tube with a hair dryer duct taped to one end. I just put the film in the sleeves, and the weight of the other sleeves and contact sheets in the binder flatten it. Haven't had any trouble yet, which surprised me since I used to dry my film by hanging with weights on the bottom. BTW, this is for 120 Macophot (efke) and 35mm tri-x.

André

 

[VoidoidRamone]

Two films that curl a lot for me are JandC Pro 100 and Arista.EDU 400 (I haven't used the 100 or 200 yet, so I'm not sure about those). The JandC eventually got flat after I got them sleeved and under some weight for a while, but I can't get the Arista.EDU flat no matter what I do.
-Grant

 

[Clueless]

While some "cheap" film may be inherently "curly", weighted, slow drying (without) heat, helped me.

 

[rbarker]

The weighted clips that have been suggested seem to help, as well as slower drying. I've also used the reverse curl trick, both with the cut strips in acetate sheets and with the whole roll, leaving it for a couple of days. The reverse curl it imparts flattens quickly, and the film seems to stay pretty flat after that point.

 

[djklmnop]

I notice that when I leave the film hung until the next day, they usually end up nice and flat. When I take em out after they are dry enough for storage, they end up curling.

 

[rogueish]

I have found when the humdity is very low (ie winter) the film tends to curl more. If it is low, try increasing the humidity to 40%+. It will increase your drying time but might help with the curl.