Drying negatives

[codyjgraham]

how do you guys dry your negatives? especially in a kitchen sink kinda set up

[Dan Henderson]

I am kind of fanatical about preventing dust spots, and I have a dedicated darkroom, so my routine might not work for you, but here it is:

1. I keep my darkroom clean.
2. I keep the door shut whenever I am not entering or exiting.
3. I keep a small HEPA filter running in the darkroom 24/7.
4. After washing my negatives I give them a final rinse in distilled water into which I add 1 capful of isopropyl alcohol and 1 drop of Photo Flo.
5. I hang the negatives to dry, and get out of the darkroom, disturbing the air as little as possible.
6. I don't go check on the negatives until I know they are dry.

My print-spotting work has diminished dramatically after adopting this routine.

[codyjgraham]

I am kind of fanatical about preventing dust spots, and I have a dedicated darkroom, so my routine might not work for you, but here it is:

1. I keep my darkroom clean.
2. I keep the door shut whenever I am not entering or exiting.
3. I keep a small HEPA filter running in the darkroom 24/7.
4. After washing my negatives I give them a final rinse in distilled water into which I add 1 capful of isopropyl alcohol and 1 drop of Photo Flo.
5. I hang the negatives to dry, and get out of the darkroom, disturbing the air as little as possible.
6. I don't go check on the negatives until I know they are dry.

My print-spotting work has diminished dramatically after adopting this routine.

how do you hang them?

[Heroique]

How do you hang them?

Only after a fair trial w/ an impartial jury. ;)

I don’t have a dedicated darkroom like Dan – I use a windowless bathroom (for processing) and a large closet (where my D2v enlarger lives), traveling between them w/ a Premier Paper Safe. Sometimes, my kitchen is part of the plan when things get really busy.

As for the final act of hanging 4x5 film sheets...

I’ve “threaded” plastic clothes pins w/ a long piece of wire, and permanently secured the wire over the length (not breadth) of my bathtub – just above the level of my head. When I dry film, the clothes pins hold the sheets at one corner, and they drip dry. This relatively dust-free area is an added advantage, making it a good place to load film, too.

[RichardSperry]

Small binder clips on coated wire hangers.

When I tried clothespins, they left a larger mark on the negative.

[Michael Graves]

Wen I lived in Kansas City, I bought an old gym locker at a surplus store for $25.00. I ripped out the shelf and hooks and put cup hooks in the top to from where I could hang film. A thorough cleaning and vacuuming was in order. But when I was done, I could hang film in there overnight with the door closed and never get a dust speck.

[Tony Evans]

Hang on small paper clips in our enclosed shower room, turn on ventilator fan, close door.

[al olson]

I have a small bathroom adjacent to my darkroom, which I use for loading film holders and drying film. It has a small shower stall. I put an adjustable shower rod across the shower and I use those fancy clothes pins with the shower rod hooks that women use when they wash their things in motel rooms.

Prior to developing the film I run the hot water in the shower for a couple of minutes to get any dust down. When my negatives are developed I hang them in the shower stall and close the door. I have never had a problem with dust.

[Dan Henderson]

how do you hang them?

simple wooden clothes pins on clothes line stretched over my sink. As someone mentioned, they do leave marks but if you are careful to pin them at the very corner it is not a problem.

[cosseboom]

I use a clear plastic file box from Office Depot with some holes drilled around the top. The box is used to hang files inside. I use the metal parts of pendaflex file hangers as cross bars on the top. Then I take binder clips and attach paper clips to the top so that they hang down from the cross bars. I can fit 10 negs in one box. It takes a few days for my negs to dry, but they're dust free and the system is portable.

[photobymike]

I make sure they get a good photoflo bath then hang up in my back room.... you cannot avoid the dust.... before scanning i blow off the neg very carefully with static neutral air...

how do you do that.... good question I electrically ground the air nozzle. If you do not do this you are charging the neg with a charge that attracts dust...moving air creates static, and grounding it bleeds this charge away. So i dont concern myself with dust. Between my cat sleeping on my computer, she likes it cuz its warm... and the dust of kids coming and going .... i really do not have a problem.

[Ian David]

Jobo sheet film hangers are expensive but they are pretty good. They hold each sheet with just a pin in the corner on the emulsion side. I hang all my films from a string stretched across the top of the shower cubicle, ad leave them undisturbed until completely dry.

[Lenny Eiger]

Binder clips. Yea, the ones from the stationery store. Mine say Boston No 0 on them. Get a piece of wire and string the clips on it, then attach it across the room, nice and tight. These little guys are strong, they hold 8x10's easily (haven't tried it with anything larger) and don't encroach into the image....

Get some Formaflo from Photographer's Formulary. I soak the film in there for about 3 minutes, you get a real nice sheeting action that way.


Lenny

[jcoldslabs]

I use old Kodak stainless film hangers (no. 6, I think). They grab the neg by two small pinpoints and keep it at an angle when hung. Lately I have been prewarming my oven slightly then hanging my negs overnight from the highest rack. Relatively dust free and out of the way.

Jonathan

[cyrus]

When I had a home darkroom: Turn on the hot shower and steam up the bathroom first, to remove dust. Then hang them up by their corners on a piece of rope or string using binder clips after first rinsing negs with steam distilled water. I use a drying cabinet now.

[Light Guru]

I use a clear plastic file box from Office Depot with some holes drilled around the top. The box is used to hang files inside. I use the metal parts of pendaflex file hangers as cross bars on the top. Then I take binder clips and attach paper clips to the top so that they hang down from the cross bars. I can fit 10 negs in one box. It takes a few days for my negs to dry, but they're dust free and the system is portable.

I do something quite similar however i also got a fan from radio shack and installed that on the top of the box. The fan forces air circulation and the film dried MUCH faster.