on the premier paper safes, does anyone ever actually get the "mechanical system" to actually dispense a sheet of paper when they open it, as is claimed by the company?
on the premier paper safes, does anyone ever actually get the "mechanical system" to actually dispense a sheet of paper when they open it, as is claimed by the company?
They are not delicate, probably 2.5mm sturdy plastic, would only break if something heavy fell on one or it was dropped on a corner. I suggested gaffer's tape to keep the lid from accidentally opening. The lid is held in place with velcro. Some brands have a latch instead, but I would throw a piece of gaffer's tape on it anyway.Originally Posted by Bob Kerner
I have an 8x10 Soligor paper safe that dispenses a sheet of paper when you pull down the door tab. Mine works fine but i had to make a couple of adjustments when I got it because it was missing two of the lead weights on the arms. If yours does not dispense a sheet of paper check and make sure these weights are in place. If they are not there they may be in the bottom of the paper safe if they have come loose
A little question purely out of curiosity: does this 'dispensing' of these paper saves also works with, the somewhat heavier, fiber paper?
And what if the fiber paper is slightly curled (when coming straight out of the box)?
When I worked at Kodak, paper safes were necessary, since the enlargers were all in darkrooms separate from the ones where the print processors were. Lots of walking! So we had many paper safes; the best ones (as I recall) were made by Doran, simple hinged boxes, but we had several diifferent types.
I could use a few of them now; Foma paper comes in awkward plastic bags and flimsy envelopes, and the Ilford boxes are shallow. That all makes me more careful when handling paper in the dark, which is good; but it's still an annoyance.
Last edited by Mark Sampson; 7-Jan-2024 at 12:31.
Mine is fiddly with fiber; works fine with RC.
Not all paper will work easily with a paper safe. The latest Ilford Multigrade FB Classic photographic paper in the 8x10 size has a curl so strong that it could defeat any paper safe. I have to use a spare 250 sheet box just to contain 125 sheets in the black plastic bag and still get the lid to stay on properly.
Photography:first utterance. Sir John Herschel, 14 March 1839 at the Royal Society. "...Photography or the application of the Chemical rays of light to the purpose of pictorial representation,..".
Must be the climate. I have no problem at all with it, though I only put about 25-50 sheets in the paper safe at a time. Just as a matter of caution--in case the paper safe gets knocked off the shelf or I have a brain fart and open it with the lights on. Although neither has ever happened (yet).
But, and correct me if I am wrong, I think that the climatic circumstances while packing (in the factory) could play a role too, after all, the paper comes boxed and packed in a closed plastic bag.
And the curling I encountered, repeatedly, was when opening a fresh 50 sheets box of 24x30cm paper bearing the same emulsion number.
For the sake of completeness I should point out now to only speak about the FOMABROM FB III paper.
Sometimes, in my attempt to deal with edge-curling of unexposed photo paper...I'll take whatever batch I'm loading into my paper safe (typically ten or so sheets), and rearrange them so that they're face face and back to back - an orientation which helps to "cancel out" the forces of curling. But then again, I remain a bit concerned about any deleterious effects of having emulsion sides facing each other and getting too "friendly."
Hmmm...maybe some thin interleaving would help - which I could save and use for each batch? And perhaps go the extra mile by sliding a thin sheet of something like aluminum (as a weight) on top of the batch in the paper safe...which I'd remove for each printing session? Kind of a PITA maybe, but then again...
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