Head scratcher...how do I get rid of it?

[Crash10]

Stumped again...but it works out ok! :lol:

First time developing using a hair band with the 4x5 taco method. I did not presoak but developed, stopped, fixed for 5 minutes, moved the hairband and fixed for 4 more minutes, washed for 12 in the tank....and ended up with a hair band mark. You can see just to the right the fainter second hair band mark.



Thinking it's anti-halation I made new fix, fixed for 20, and washed for 10, using trays for both, and agitating the crap out of it.

Still there...no change. Why can't I get it off? I did not pre-soak the hairband but it does not look like dye.

The real headscratcher is I scanned the neg....and strangely it did not show up on the scan. :?: The mark should be going right down the back of the chair. The shot was underexposed in camera. I don't know if I have a problem or not??

[Jay DeFehr]

I know people have had good results with hair bands, but I use plastic beads on a rubber band, like a pearl necklace. The beads have tiny contact patches that move around during processing, discouraging any marks from forming.

I don't see any problem with your scan, except perhaps excessive contrast.

[Crash10]

So this is expected for the taco method? Marks on the negative that do not impact the scan? I am surprised, if it is anti-halation, that I couldn't get rid of it...Actually I'm more surprised that I got the second mark when I moved the hair band after 5 minutes of fixing. I'm ok with that but just want to make sure I didn't screw up somewhere.

Thanks for the C&C and the bead idea!

[ralnphot]

I use the taco method, and as soon as my negs are finished fixing, I dump the fix into a tray and place the negs in the tray of fix sans the band. This finishes fixing the back of the film to remove the stripe caused by the band, usually takes about half a minute.

[polyglot]

Was the taco emulsion-in or emulsion-out? It needs to be emulsion-in. I don't see how a hairband could mar the plastic back of the film though it would obviously press into the emulsion.

And if you've scanned it without inversion, that photo at top is of the emulsion-side (the view is reversed compared to the scan). So I reckon your taco was inside-out.

[Crash10]

You are correct that I showed the emulsion side when taking a photo of the negative..that's how pronounced it is. I'm sure the hairband was on the non-emulsion side.

Thanks for the reply.

[domaz]

I gave up on the Taco method after getting marks like this. Not an ideal way to develop IMO

[ralnphot]

The more I study the neg, it appears to be the hi-lite on the edge of the stove. It really is hard to determine from the way you are holding the film.

[Pfiltz]

I'm a newb, so take it with a grain of salt. Been shooting 4x5 a whopping month now.

I'm doing taco method in a patterson tank. I'm using the thing that girls hold their hair with. The kind you see on their wrist, when it's not in their hair.

Black type of rubber band deal, wrapped in some type of soft thread. Emulsion to the inside of course.

I haven't had one problem to date with this method of developing.