Clearing agent for Type 55?

[Bill Jefferson]

Hi Paul, Yes clearing is a must if you wish to keep the negative. MY ALTERNATIVE solution, when i run out of sodium sulfite warm water, 2 drops of ivory clear uncented sish washinf detergent. Even though i work for Polaroid. I still recomend the sulfite clearing. This will be slow, i use the yankee cut film holders and dip and dunk slowly the film in the solution, it will take a 10 min soak to wash off the anti halation back coat, using this method.

The fixer hardener is to help prevent scratches on the negatives, as the emultion is on the soft side.

[Daniel Blakeslee]

Galumet sells a clearing kit which consists of a pail, a rack that holds several negs and a big bag of sodium sulfite. Just mix it with water and you are good to go. The top is very difficult to get off of the pail, which is probably a good thing. If you spill it in your car it can be an awful mess. Use plain water and leave the pail at home.

[Tim Curry]

Artcraft sells sodium sulfite at $4.50 for a one pound quantity. This should last a while. As far as it being a "dangerous" chemical, I got a notice at my shop once telling me that my sawdust was now considered a "hazardous waste" and must be disposed of properly. Since then, I haven't worried about chemicals but sawdust. Many thanke to the EPA for the tip.

[Brian Kennedy]

I also use Permawash. Just a couple of splashes of it in a tray of water works great and clears the negs quickly.

[Bill_1856]

There seems to be two seperate steps here. 1) Clearing the gook off the negative, and 2) fixing the nagative for permanence. Water will clearly (pun) get rid of the gook. Does that leave the nevative subject to fading if additional chemicals aren't used?

[Bill Jefferson]

Bill,

Water alone isn,t really the best way to clear the neg. as the antihalation back needs to be desolved off also. Fixing the neg will help prevent scratches while working with the neg.