Response to Wiping/drying film

The following procedures have worked for many years with Plus-X and Tri-X films and I assume would serve for other films. First, use a fix with a hardener in it. Then use a squeegee with soft lips and be sure to rinse it well, wipe the lips with your fingers, and store it in a dust-free bag or drawer. If I'm processing film with a few inches of blank film on one end, I don't squeegee the images until I've dragged the squeegee over that blank film to see whether any scratches appear. But I use the squeegee only when wash water is cooler than 70 or 72 F. I don't use any squeegee or even touch the washed images If the wash water is much above 70 F, since I find that emulsions scratch more easily. In that case, after washing the film, I dip it in a mild detergent solution, shake it a little, and hang it to dry. (I don't actually see much difference between using the detergent and not, but something tells me to use it.) I still get some water spots with or without squeegee and detergent. In any case, I dry the film in still air in order to reduce dust.

[ Previous | Next ]