Use of X-ray film: technical discussion with example images

[EdWorkman]

Jason-congratulations.
Did you encounter [and conquer] the scratching problem some of us have had when tray processing/ [ with the blue film]?

[Jason Greenberg Motamedi]

No, that remains the Achilles heel. I use a smooth bottom stainless tray, but continue to have some scratches, caused I think by my washer. I had fewer when using a hardener in my fixer (I ran out of alum and haven't bought more), but am considering using either a prehardening bath or a hardening stop. Anyone have any experience with these? I do have an 11x14 tank set and one hanger, but really don't want to mix up five gallons of chemicals.

Another issue is a light scum which forms on the surface of the negatives. I can usually brush it off in a final rinse in distilled water and photoflo, but I don't always manage to remove it. No idea what causes it, as it is not present with my panchromatic films. I was thinking about trying some of the fix from CXS and seeing if that reduces it.

[EdWorkman]

Freestyle had a clearance of hardener so I got some to try- just haven't got back to the darkroom. It is touted for alternative process/liquid emulsion type things so I assumed it would not kill developers, and I figure that'e the place I gotta have help. Actually I tried using only a hardening fixer and scratched the neg- the only "good" thing about it is the scratches are in the sky and I can probably spot the neg and then the prints. So then I saw the pre-hardener and ordered it.
I owe you and others reports on my experiments- but I haven't got anything to work better, yet
Thanks loads
regards
Ed

[Michael Batchelor]

Another issue is a light scum which forms on the surface of the negatives. I can usually brush it off in a final rinse in distilled water and photoflo, but I don't always manage to remove it. No idea what causes it, as it is not present with my panchromatic films. I was thinking about trying some of the fix from CXS and seeing if that reduces it.

I've been following this thread for a while, planning to get in on this later in the spring.

Congratulations on your success, BTW. It looks great.

As for the scum, I have experienced and read about the gelatinous layer that forms on EFKE films if you do not use a hardener in the fixer. My experience with that has been that if you ignore it then it dries into a hard invisible film on the surface of the emulsion.

Is this similar? If you do not remove the scum, then it dries and is not an issue? Or are the negatives compromised by the contamination?

Michael

[Andrew O'Neill]

You can reduce scratches with a tanning deveoper like Pyrocat-HD. I've had no problems.

[Jason Greenberg Motamedi]

What I have on my negatives can easily be removed in a second wash, so long as I wipe it off with my gloved hand. It could probably be squeegeed off, but I am afraid to try. I think it is something in my fixer reacting to the film, or perhaps a reaction to my citric acid stop? Too many variables. Others have recommended pyrocat, but I have never much liked the results I get with staining developers, so haven't tried.

For what it is worth, I just looked at the attachment I posted, and noticed that it looks a lot worse in the conversion into JPG, so please know that it is actually quite a bit nicer in reality.

[BetterSense]

I've taken to developing my Xray by inspection via infrared goggles. The character of the density buildup is very different than pictorial films. Usually picture films develop density slowly, almost at a decaying rate, so that hitting the correct development time is easier. Xray film is the opposite....several minutes go by with no image formation at all, making me think it's not exposed, and then the image starts to build, and then within the space of probably 30 seconds the density shoots up to the value that I want. I have to really pay attention to throw the sheet in the stop when it looks right. I imagine developing by time/temp would be somewhat difficult, though maybe not.

EDIT: actually with my LED safelight, I can develop green Xray film under red safelight. I develop my normal sheet film with IR goggles though, and sometimes I mix them, so I use the IR goggles then for both.

[wclavey]

I have a question on scratching and I will admit right up front that I have not gone back and looked at my pages of x-ray film negatives... Does anyone think that some of the scratching may come from being loaded with an emulsion side against the back of the film holder? I would think that it would mean all the scratches would generally run linearly in the direction of the film loading and unloading... and that's what I plan to check - - I just can't do it from work. I know that I pick up some scratches from the cutting process when I am not careful about the pieces being cut and they fall onto the plywood table top... those are definitely my fault.

[venchka]

A piece of felt on the plywood?

[Jason Greenberg Motamedi]

My scratches do not run in the direction of the film loading, but usually run at about a 45 degree angle from the sides. For what it is worth, my 11x14 holders are old and rough, but don't seem to scratch the film.