Yet Another Wet Mounting Demo

[Lenny Eiger]

Awesome video.
It convinced me: I am never buying a drum scanner.
But if anyone is going to drum scan for me, it's you.

Must have been the music?

Thank you. I'd be glad to...

Lenny

[Lenny Eiger]

I have a question, I am still learning to mount on a drum and I get long bubbles on the edges of the film. They are not in the image, but rather, against the side where the gap between the acetate and the drum are at their greatest. Is this normal, or do I need to learn how to eliminate them completely?

If they sneak into the image, you will have to spot that out. It isn't always so easy. It can be pretty annoying...

I would suggest that the springs on your mounting station are a little weak... In the demo I place my hand on the top rod and press a little extra... and that helps. You may also want to increase the amount of fluid you use. Make sure when you tape, you do it very straight and pull hard.

If the long bubbles are on the ends - then I would suggest you try and get a little more mylar at the back. You are fighting against the film wanting to keep from curling all the way on to the drum. Use a little less tape at the beginning and have more mylar at the end... and then pull hard with the first pieces of tape...

Hope that helps.

Lenny

[Peter De Smidt]

Great video, Lenny!

[vinny]

I have a question, I am still learning to mount on a drum and I get long bubbles on the edges of the film. They are not in the image, but rather, against the side where the gap between the acetate and the drum are at their greatest. Is this normal, or do I need to learn how to eliminate them completely?

lots of tape. I use Tesa tape because it stretches. Tear off 3 inch pieces and stick one end on the mylar right up to the edge of the film then pull tight while holding one finger on that spot. This gets almost all the bubbles out. I sometimes have tape every inch or so along the opposite ends of the film, especially when mounting commercially processed film that has those fucking claw marks on the corners. Those holes cause lots of frustration especially when they're in the image area.

[Lenny Eiger]

I hate those claw marks! There's just about nothing you can do. I've heard about some folks who tape a pair of pliers and press on the film to try and flatten it... Yikes!

Lenny

[coops]

Thanks for the video. If I ever think about getting a drum scanner again I will watch this video and remind myself why I should not. I am way too clumsy and do not have the patience to mount a negative the way you demonstrated. I will continue to pay someone else who can.

[John Flavell]

Now I have a better understanding of the cost of a drum scan. It takes a bit of experience just to get through mounting.

Is there a demo somewhere on fluid mounting a flatbed?

Thanks, Lenny, very helpful.

[adam satushek]

Thanks Lenny! Great video. I'm new to drum scanning and starting to get the hang of mounting. Not as difficult as I imagined...but still run into issues sometimes. I have adopted your method of using short pieces of kami tape to stretch the trailing end of the mylar before sealing. Its especially useful when mounting 8x10 or 4 4x5's at a time.

Thanks!

[Lenny Eiger]

Now I have a better understanding of the cost of a drum scan. It takes a bit of experience just to get through mounting.

Is there a demo somewhere on fluid mounting a flatbed?

Thanks, Lenny, very helpful.

John,
A quick Google search on wet mounting flatbed revealed a number of them, including a couple from Aztek, some from other wet mounting device vendors.

Have fun!

Lenny

[John Flavell]

Lenny, thanks, I appreciate that. I'll check it out.

I'm going to borrow a 4990 from a friend and I'm wondering if I should try a bit of 4x5 wet mounting with it. More concerned about messing up the scanner.