Kodak Dust Zapper

[Allen in Montreal]

Years ago I was given one of these Kodak 10 inch dust zappers, I have never used the unit. As I get the 5x7 up and running I am considering cleaning this up and trying it out but I do worry about scratches.

Does/has anybody used one of these?

[Jon Wilson]

I have one similar to it which I purchased awhile back. It is very handy for cleaning the large negatives. Mine has never caused a problem. BTW, mine does not have the aluminum negative guide which yours appears to have. That might cause some issues depending on how it might "touch" a negative. I would try it out with an unimportant 8x10 negative and test it out. Jon

[Archphoto]

Don't forget to vacume the unit befor you use it.
It can have collected particles in the past years, otherwise a wonderfull piece of eq.

[Kent10D]

Shades of Dr. Frankenstein's laboratory!!

How is this thing supposed to work? High voltage?
I assume you draw the film between the "poles" or whatever they are?

[John Cahill]

Shades of Dr. Frankenstein's laboratory!!

How is this thing supposed to work? High voltage?
I assume you draw the film between the "poles" or whatever they are?

&&&&
However it works, they work. It dusts the neg and it gets rid of static electricity on the film. We used it for 120 roll film--kind of did a King Kong imitation and started at one end of the strip and drew it through to the end of the strip then lifted it up and away.

[D. Bryant]

&&&&
However it works, they work. It dusts the neg and it gets rid of static electricity on the film. We used it for 120 roll film--kind of did a King Kong imitation and started at one end of the strip and drew it through to the end of the strip then lifted it up and away.

Anti-dust units like this were commonly attached to various kinds of printers used in photofinishing. They produce an electrostatic charge with a potential of several thousand volts. Though they do reduce dust their effectiveness goes down during periods of low humidity, therefore the ambient printing environment should have good humidity control to make best use of these devices.

Don

[Nathan Potter]

Might be pretty clever. Does the film actually touch the electrodes or some other mechanical guide? Is the principle to put a charge on the dust and/or the film then attract it to another electrode using the high voltage? I wonder if one could make something like this using a neon sign high voltage supply. Anyone know the design in detail?

Nate Potter, Austin TX.

[Kent10D]

I had, and think I still have somewhere, a static-electricity dust zapper for use with phonograph records (the vinyl kind, of course). It was a little hand-held unit that you aimed at the record and squeezed a trigger that activated a piezo element inside. It produced a corona discharge from a point inside the tip.

I'm wondering if it might be good for zapping film as well, and will give it a try if I can find it ... as soon as I can crawl out from under this huge pile of work that seems to have fallen on top of me.

[D. Bryant]

Might be pretty clever. Does the film actually touch the electrodes or some other mechanical guide? Is the principle to put a charge on the dust and/or the film then attract it to another electrode using the high voltage? I wonder if one could make something like this using a neon sign high voltage supply. Anyone know the design in detail?

Nate Potter, Austin TX.

Internally there is a copper conductor with several points, which when charged creates a charged "cloud" between the upper and lower bar. The film never touches any metal only the upper and lower brushs which help to physically move the dust from the film.

Don

[Allen in Montreal]

Thank you guys, I have watched Armand drag a neg through it many times, but I still wondered if it has a habit of leaving scratches. I will clean it up and try out next blustery cold or rainy night.

However it works, they work. It dusts the neg and it gets rid of static electricity on the film. We used it for 120 roll film--kind of did a King Kong imitation and started at one end of the strip and drew it through to the end of the strip then lifted it up and away.