Drying 5x4 Negatives

I

Ian-Barber

Admin
Registered User
Joined
Aug 6, 2016
Messages
1,723
I plan to dry the negatives by attaching them to a home made clothes line.

Is it ok to attach the negatives to the clothes line with wooden or plastic clothes pegs ?
 
I use bamboo nowadays, but used the standard wooden ones for many years; never used plastic.
 
Well, I mean that for 5 years, I didn't have any problems, but that can arrive one day, who knows ?
 
I've been drying my B&W frames with standard wooden pegs since I got into LF. Never had an issue with them at all.
 
It can take long time for effects to show on negatives, we do not no exactly what residue toxins are in wood that goes for plastic as well, I personally would not risk it, this is from many years of analogue work, I have negatives going back near on 40 years that have not stained, if I had used cheap pegs it maybe could be a different story.

We spend so much time, money and effort its not worth risking for such a small thing.
 
Mine are similar to them, I have had them a,while, I think there called xray clips
 
I had to find my own way to drying, and used what I had to hand. I still use the Paterson film clips, using just one of the spikes in a corner of the negative (in the unexposed area) and hang over the washing line in the bathroom.
 
martin henson said:
It can take long time for effects to show on negatives, we do not no exactly what residue toxins are in wood that goes for plastic as well, I personally would not risk it, this is from many years of analogue work, I have negatives going back near on 40 years that have not stained, if I had used cheap pegs it maybe could be a different story.
Click to expand...

I have LF negs going back for almost 40 years and I've always used standard wooden clothespins or bamboo clothespins and I have no staining or any other issues with my negs.
 
Sounds ok then Alan, with never using them was not sure the effect over time, but 40years is a good test lol

Martin
 
Here is method of drying four sheets of 5x4 film that doesn't involve film clips. All you need is a clean tea-towel, two tins of Heinz baked beans and two pencils.
Method: lay out the tea towel on a flat surface. Place the baked bean tins on the tea towel so they have at least a two inch gap between them. Place the pencils on the towel, across the gap between the tins. Now rest the sheets of film against the tins, one on each side of each tin. The pencils prop the film up at a slight angle so only one corner of the film touches the towel. This is where the water off the film is soaked away.
No tins of Heinz baked beans? No problem; use any brand you have. Or use beer bottles. Yorkshire brewed beer, such as Riggwelter, or Black Sheep Ale should go down well on this forum. Or you can use any other support so long as it is taller than the film - so the top edge of the film rests against it, and not the other way round. If you are doing this in the kitchen you may like to place a box or cake tin over everything, to keep the dust out.
Or you could set everything out in the foot-well of a shower cubicle; a nice dust-free place. Then you could use whatever comes to hand in the bathroom;; shower gel containers instead of bean tins, toilet paper to soak the moisture off the film, and toothbrush handles instead of pencils.
In case you are wondering, angle the film emulsion side in. Then if any specks of dust do descend on the film, they will land on the back.

Have fun!

Alan
 
I hang my film up by the corner over my darkroom sink, turn off any heaters and fans, and leave the room. I have used various clips with spikes, as well as clothes pins (you can take wooden ones and turn them around in the metal spring to get finer tips). Most recently I found these
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/123163-REG/Delta_58050_Stainless_Steel_Film_Clips.html

I don't know about UK sources - B&H will charge an extra 3x for shipping, customs and duty. Lunacy for a $16 package of 10 clips!
 
See if you can find Kindermann X-ray drying clips. I've been using them for some 30 Years.
Their stainless steel are the best thing since sliced bread..... :cool: one.... in one of the top corners
and you are "all set"

Ken
 
The Kindermann X-ray film clips are of Stainless steel and 'Made in The UK'... I just did a 'search on Google and... they are available on eBay UK.. a box of 6 seems to be going for around 10 to 12 quid ( I had to use use quid since computers here do not seem to have the 'pound' symbol)

Ken
 
I have a piece of chord that I tie over the bath from the shower rail to the shelf, and then I clip my sheets to it with metal bulldog clips. Same as I do for 35mm and 120 film too :)

If I hang it by the corner then the water all runs to the the corner drips off easier than at an edge.

Screenshot 2016-08-19 at 8.53.05 PM.png
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top