Vacuum those film holders then Vac-seal them

[Tin Can]

I've heard of people loading their holders in the bathroom after running hot water in the shower.

That's my 'clean' room. I have folding table surface for loading film.

However I never need a special suit. I was born with one.

[riooso]

First of all the vacuum that a seal-a-meal gets to is not a true vacuum and I have found no scratches that have been made by the slides. The big thing is to keep the dirt off the holder to start with. Technically speaking when you cut the bag unless you are in a really bad environment. I figure that the amount of dust that you are letting in will not equal all the dust that it would normally encounter in a couple of days to a week. I spot to 200%, or more, and depending on the image so every bit helps. Plastic bags would be good but I don't like the static charge that normal plastic bags seem to generate.

Later,
R

[Vaughn]

I try not to have sky in my images...that works pretty good...just contact printing helps, too. Most of AA's prints I have seen have usually had black spots in the skies. I try not to stress about it too much. Nice living in a cool damp climate.

[Alan Gales]

I try not to have sky in my images...that works pretty good...

[Alan Gales]

That's my 'clean' room. I have folding table surface for loading film.

However I never need a special suit. I was born with one.

Naked film holder loading. Hmmmmm. Learn something new every day!

[Henrim]

On top of blowing the holders and wiping the surfaces I use a portable air filter that I originally got for my tiny paint booth (run it couple of hours before, not during painting). I also use this to clean up the air in my equally small darkroom.

This is the one I got: http://www.microclene.com.au/mc760.html

[hoffner]

First of all the vacuum that a seal-a-meal gets to is not a true vacuum and I have found no scratches that have been made by the slides. The big thing is to keep the dirt off the holder to start with. Technically speaking when you cut the bag unless you are in a really bad environment. I figure that the amount of dust that you are letting in will not equal all the dust that it would normally encounter in a couple of days to a week. I spot to 200%, or more, and depending on the image so every bit helps. Plastic bags would be good but I don't like the static charge that normal plastic bags seem to generate.

Later,
R

A simple lock&lock box is airtight and watertight. Without the hassle of vacuum sealing. It's sold in all possible shapes and sizes.

[cyrus]

I've heard of people loading their holders in the bathroom after running hot water in the shower.

Indeed, this is a good way to get rid of dust and reduce static charge. But
I think the real source of dust on negatives is not due to loading, but is attributable to the dust inside the bellows. When the plastic dark slide is pulled, that alone generates enough static charge to pull dust onto the film from inside the camera. Vacuuming the camera interior is therefore required too but still, environmental dust will get in there especiall around the cut corners of the ground glass, when the bellows is extended. Wooden holders generate their own dust from darkslides.

[Vaughn]

I suppose the best practice I do that prevents (that is an overly optimistic word, "reduces" is accurate) dust, is using my 4" anti-static brush on the outside of the holder before inserting it in the camera back.

"Dust specks? What dust specks?"
(8x10 carbon print)

[Kirk Gittings]

I live in a very dusty environment. I blow them off with compressed air then wrap groups of 6 holders in plastic wrap (six holders is what my folding field holder can hold). I use the big commercial rolls of saran type wrap you can get at Costco. It simply works.