Kodaflat

[Richard Ide]

Hi everyone

Have any of you used or have any information on Kodak "Kodaflat" solution. This was a liquid which after being applied and dried left a surface which would hold a sheet of film flat against the surface. I last used it around 1985.
Thanks

Richard

[David R Munson]

I don't know anything about the product, but I do have a question. What is/was its use?

[Richard Ide]

Hi David

The product gave a semi sticky surface which would hold a piece of film flat for exposure or for enlarging (on a sheet of glass as a negative carrier). It was used a lot many years ago in small process cameras without vacuum backs. Sort of like a reverse post it note. It lasted quite a while and was easy to wash off and replace.

Richard

[Joseph O'Neil]

Get yourself a 3M Post-It-Note glue stick.

Works almost the same way, easier to use, less smell, easier to cleen up, and a heck of a lot less expensive than the kodak stuff ever was. Even convered for inflation, you can probally buy a 12 pack of those glue sticks for less than one can of Kodaflat.

Only going by memory, i think the Kodaflat lasted longer, because I never used it that much, but the Post-It-note stick, while it doesn't last longer, seems to need less of the stuff.

One last trick - i only do the outer 2- 4 inches of a print area, depending on the size of the print. for example, I'll do a square ahead of time just before I start an afternoon or evening of printing - two or three lines wide - in the rought print area of my metal easel. I fyou have a sheet of paper tht's a bit torublesome, then a couple of "X"'s with the glue stick in the middle, from corner to corner works great.

If you apply right to the easel itself, I find it doesn not stock to your paper, even FB paper - wher I tend to use it most.

but i do find you have to clean it off after a use. For example, if you leave it ther, and say a couple days laters, try to use the same easel, you will find it does not stck as well. even if you re-swipe the same are with the glue stick, it still does not work as good as cleaing it off and putting new glue down to begin with.

The stuff cleans off easy enough, and if you need a bit of help, some plain old nail polish remover - not much - helps a huge pile, but let the area be well dry and clean before you reprint or use new glue.

Try it out, and i think anyone who misses Kodaflat will be pleasantly surprized.

joe