Glass Negative Carrier Leaking Light at Edges of Glass

[Nodda Duma]

Or a bottle of "Black Cat" which is superior to ordinary India ink. Blick carries it.

Long-term outgassing leaving a film on your glass is a problem with that stuff.

[Jerry Bodine]

Thanks for the info, Nodda. I'm off to our new Hobby Lobby nearby.

I suppose I should ask if there is a recommended technique/tools for applying the Speedball ink to the edges of the glass, e.g., is a primer of sorts necessary? Foam "brush" OK? Drying time like any other ink?

[Nodda Duma]

Clean the edge with isopropyl or acetone — just sort of a good practice — then use a small paint brush like what Bob Ross would use for painting happy little trees. I had a chuck or vacuum pen at work that I could put the lens on and turn as I painted, but at home I hold the lens between thumb and finger — gloved of course — and turn it as I paint the edge.

If you mess up you can clean it off with isopropyl and reapply.

[Drew Wiley]

Guess it depends on the exact formula of Black Cat. Mine dries fast and outgasses fast, even in this foggy climate. There might be a tad of glycol in it to enhance flow. Dunno. But any enamel paint outgasses much much slower. The vinyl used in some enlarger bellows is a vastly bigger problem in terms of glass "windshield smudging".

[Doremus Scudder]

Paint can flake off. Just use an ordinary black Sharpie pen.

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