what's your dust free method for doing 8x10 scans?

[ericantonio]

I know it won't be dust free, but more like less dust method for scanning 8x10's. I have an Epson V700. Just got an AN glass for it.

Its driving me nuts!
:)

[Sandro]

Try wet scan with the dedicated Holder.
You need the holder ( roughly 100/120$), liquid (I use Kami) and Mylar sheets.

[Sandro]

Try wet scan with the dedicated Holder.
You need the holder ( roughly 100/120$), liquid (I use Kami) and Mylar sheets.

[ericantonio]

Try wet scan with the dedicated Holder.
You need the holder ( roughly 100/120$), liquid (I use Kami) and Mylar sheets.

Hmmm, okay, I never really thought about it. I can do that with a V700?

[ericantonio]

Try wet scan with the dedicated Holder.
You need the holder ( roughly 100/120$), liquid (I use Kami) and Mylar sheets.

I've always been taught not to get negs wet. So after you scan the wet negs, what's your method of cleaning the negs afterwards? Do they need to get a quick wash and hang and dry again?

I'm sorry if this is a basic question, I've always thought of wet scanning as an extremely arduous method. But I'm willing to learn from you guys!!

[ericantonio]

Try wet scan with the dedicated Holder.
You need the holder ( roughly 100/120$), liquid (I use Kami) and Mylar sheets.

I just searched this Aztek company, they are like down the block from where I work!

[Jac@stafford.net]

Hate to disrupt the penchant of our techno obsessives, but unscented, non-coated Swiffers Dusters suck up dust better than anything. They do not create static, they remove the tiniest. Try them.
,

[ericantonio]

Hate to disrupt the penchant of our techno obsessives, but unscented, non-coated Swiffers Dusters suck up dust better than anything. They do not create static, they remove the tiniest. Try them.
,

I LOVE non photographic tools for stuff!! Thanks for the tip!

[Jim Andrada]

The Kami fluid evaporates quickly and doesn't need to be cleaned off the film. I've used it for a couple of years on the V750 (I think the wet mount holder is one of the things that makes a 750 a 750 instead of a 700)

I used it primarily with 4 x 5 and 5 x 7 negs and it took me under 30 seconds to wet mount a sheet of film. I posted a video once that showed me doing it in 23 seconds. With 8 x 10 though I might consider the Swiffer route unless you want to make 8 x 10 foot prints,assuming you could find a printer big enough. Although some carpet companies use a 13 foot wide inkjet (sorry - "giclee") printer to print patterns and logos etc.

[ericantonio]

The Kami fluid evaporates quickly and doesn't need to be cleaned off the film. I've used it for a couple of years on the V750 (I think the wet mount holder is one of the things that makes a 750 a 750 instead of a 700)


Ahhh, interesting. So no messes. That's good to know. For some reason, in my head, I'm thinking "darn,i'm gonna have to clean and hang negs after scanning if I try this!"



I used it primarily with 4 x 5 and 5 x 7 negs and it took me under 30 seconds to wet mount a sheet of film. I posted a video once that showed me doing it in 23 seconds. With 8 x 10 though I might consider the Swiffer route unless you want to make 8 x 10 foot prints,assuming you could find a printer big enough. Although some carpet companies use a 13 foot wide inkjet (sorry - "giclee") printer to print patterns and logos etc.
Ohhhh, yes, I'll try the swiffer method.

[Jim Andrada]

They'd be dry before you could hang them up.

[seezee]

Try wet scan with the dedicated Holder.
You need the holder ( roughly 100/120$), liquid (I use Kami) and Mylar sheets.

You can save mucho dinero on the Kami buy using Gamsol.

[Pere Casals]

I know it won't be dust free, but more like less dust method for scanning 8x10's. I have an Epson V700. Just got an AN glass for it.

Its driving me nuts!
:)

I get rid of dust with this : Honeywell HAP-16200E

Do the job in a room that is not dusty, as small as possible, start the air purifier some 10min before scanning. Wear clothes that are not prone to generate dust.

[ericantonio]

You can save mucho dinero on the Kami buy using Gamsol.

I'll start googling around for that. How about Mylar sheets? Any affordable alternatives

[ericantonio]

I get rid of dust with this : Honeywell HAP-16200E

Do the job in a room that is not dusty, as small as possible, start the air purifier some 10min before scanning. Wear clothes that are not prone to generate dust.

I actually need one for my son's allergies. I used to have the big floor round model. Will look into it!

[Jac@stafford.net]

I actually need one for my son's allergies. I used to have the big floor round model. Will look into it!

Bingo! Thanks for the reminder. My mate is asthmatic. Gosh only knows what triggers it. We have two Honeywell HEPA 17000-S units, and they filter very, very well. One found itself in my darkroom after we installed electrostatic and passive filters in our central air and heating. Highly recommended.

[seezee]

I'll start googling around for that. How about Mylar sheets? Any affordable alternatives

This (https://www.amazon.com/Grafix-Dura-Lar-19-Inch-24-Inch-Sheets/dp/B004B7CU92/ref=sr_1_3?s=arts-crafts&ie=UTF8&qid=1507169118&sr=1-3&keywords=duralar+19+24). Cut it to the size you need. I use a paper cutter and can get 20 pieces for scanning 4×5 per sheet, so you should be able to get 10 per sheet for 8×10.

[ericantonio]

You can save mucho dinero on the Kami buy using Gamsol.

Does that stuff (gamsol) easy to clean off? Does it evaporate off the negative like the Kami stuff?

[GMason]

Does the wet scan really make a difference?

I have an epson v850 to scan 4x5 sheets and the amount of dust I am getting with the default holder is driving me nuts.

[djdister]

Does the wet scan really make a difference?

I have an epson v850 to scan 4x5 sheets and the amount of dust I am getting with the default holder is driving me nuts.

If you are seeing dust when using the film holder then something is very wrong. Clean the negs, clean the glass, select scanning with the film holder option and make sure the scanner is focused on the film plane in the holder and not on the glass.

[Doug Fisher]

>> How about Mylar sheets? Any affordable alternatives<<

Duralar. Here are some tips I put up for making your own reasonably priced fluid mounting kit.

http://www.betterscanning.com/scanning/cheapfluidmounting.html

Many of my customers have switched to Gamsol and have been happy.

Doug

[seezee]

Does that stuff (gamsol) easy to clean off? Does it evaporate off the negative like the Kami stuff?

Yes. It's practically identical (although the Aztek folks will try to convince you otherwise).

[seezee]

Does the wet scan really make a difference?
Even if it doesn't solve your dust problem, it will make sharper scans & can aid in hiding scratches.

[Peter De Smidt]

It does make a difference. Is it enough of a difference to justify the hassle? Only you can say.

[Jim Andrada]

Hassle? I never found wet mounting to be a hassle on a flatbed. Quick and easy IMHO. Key was getting a small squeegee or brayer at an art supply store and using a copious amount of fluid.

[Sandro]

Hmmm, okay, I never really thought about it. I can do that with a V700?

I use a V 750 Pro, the 700 should be the same.

[ericantonio]

I should be able to use my better scanning AN glass and holder for this right? I don't have to buy the dedicated Epson glass film holder?

[Jim Andrada]

Don't see any reason why you couldn't wet mount to the BS glass instead of taping the film to it. But I haven't tried it.

[seezee]

Hassle? I never found wet mounting to be a hassle on a flatbed. Quick and easy IMHO. Key was getting a small squeegee or brayer at an art supply store and using a copious amount of fluid.

I bought a brayer, but it actually deposits dust on the mylar. I find that wadding up a large antistatic cloth & swiping it across the mylar works much better. Work from the center to the edges, just like rolling pie dough.

[Jim Andrada]

I didn't notice dust when I used the brayer but the small squeegee was easier to use. Lint free wipe also worked OK but I liked the squeegee best. YMMV as ususual.

[ericantonio]

Don't see any reason why you couldn't wet mount to the BS glass instead of taping the film to it. But I haven't tried it.

Emailed Doug at BetterScanning. He told me to RTFM and said to wet scan on the glass side of the AN glass. So the opposite of a dry scan. So it should be fine. Will look into parts today. There's a big art supply store here in SoCal where all the artists go.

[ericantonio]

>> How about Mylar sheets? Any affordable alternatives<<

Duralar. Here are some tips I put up for making your own reasonably priced fluid mounting kit.

http://www.betterscanning.com/scanning/cheapfluidmounting.html

Many of my customers have switched to Gamsol and have been happy.

Doug

Thanks Doug and thanks for following up on the email!!!

[Peter De Smidt]

Hassle? I never found wet mounting to be a hassle on a flatbed. Quick and easy IMHO. Key was getting a small squeegee or brayer at an art supply store and using a copious amount of fluid.

For me, I can load a film into a clamshell holder in under 30 seconds. For wet-mounting, I have to set up a station to hold my scaning tray. I don't want to spray solvent around my scanner, and it'd best to have good edge lighting to see for bubbles. I have to stock materials. Mylar is a dust magnet.... If you ever want to print optically, the film should be cleaned after scanning, which increases the risk of damage. (Leave a spot of mounting fluid on a glass plate for a week or so. There will be a residue.)

So....all of that adds up to a small bit of hassle, at least in my case.

[ericantonio]

For me, I can load a film into a clamshell holder in under 30 seconds. For wet-mounting, I have to set up a station to hold my scaning tray. I don't want to spray solvent around my scanner, and it'd best to have good edge lighting to see for bubbles. I have to stock materials. Mylar is a dust magnet.... If you ever want to print optically, the film should be cleaned after scanning, which increases the risk of damage. (Leave a spot of mounting fluid on a glass plate for a week or so. There will be a residue.)

So....all of that adds up to a small bit of hassle, at least in my case.

I hear ya man!!! It's all a hassle for me. I live in a small apartment. Compared to my old place I had a garage, darkroom in garage, shelves for all my stuff. Now I have to put everything in a box, put it all in patio closet, and take out boxes to process film, hang it in bathroom....all this before my gF comes home from work. I don't have desk space either so the scanner get's unplugged, wrapped up, and put in a closet. I have dedicated boxes for 35mm processing and large format processing. Plus boxes and boxes of dry chemicals for mixing. Sometimes I forget which closet I put my triple beam scale. There's so much "stuff" piled into closets.

What gets me going and makes me sane is to keep a "gratitude" book of notes. I don't think of these as too much hassle but I see it as being grateful I have them :)

Have a great weekend everybody!! And the tips...keep them coming!

[Peter De Smidt]

If you don't have a squeegee, take a tip from the glass phone screen protector people. Take a clean microfiber cloth. Wrap it around the long edge of a credit card (or similar). Use wrapped edge as a squeegee.

Bottom lighting doesn't help much for seeing bubbles. Side light does.

I put my mounting station in a nearby bathroom. Run a hot show for a few minutes without a fan. Cuts down on static and dust.

Cut your overlay sheet to be at least 2" bigger (total) than your film. Otherwise, if you have non-flat film, the surface tension between the fluid/mounting tray/ and overlay sheet won't hold the negative flat.

If you use tape (I don't), make sure it remains sticky when exposed to mounting fluid.

Don't be stingy with your fluid, but don't go crazy. It's a Goldilocks situation.

Stand your film on a short edge where you want that edge of the negative to be. Put down a line of fluid right in front of the film edge on the platen, i.e. on the side where the film will go, or spray the area if using a spray. Gently lay the negative down, bending slightly to put an inverted curve on the film, i.e. the film is bowing down a bit. As you lay the film down, it will roll into new fluid, as it were. Do the same thing with the overlay sheet.

I put a thin plastic mask with a cutout on top of the mylar to minimize stray light. A cheap source of masks: thin, flexible, solvent proof polyethylene cutting boards.

Don't leave the film mounted for too long.

If you'll never print optically, hang the film to dry completely. There will be some residue, but if you wet-mount again, the fluid will liquify it. If you might optically print later on, use a proper solvent to carefully clean the film. Hang to dry.

I prefer real stainless film hanging clips to clothes pins. They are less likely to let the film fall.

[SergeyT]

Keep your workplace dust-free.
Minimize the time the film and scanning glass are exposed to open air.
Use compressed air (can be had from Costco at a reasonable price) to dust-off your film and glass before mounting and scanning.
Neither fluid mounting nor ANR glass help to deal with dust.

[DannyTreacy]

Re Gamsol as an alternative, is this: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Gamblin-Gamsol-Odourless-Mineral-Spirit-473ml-By-Road-Parcel-Only-/311880364988?epid=1022803792&hash=item489d84b3bc:g:ypMAAOSwblZZJcLq

the stuff?

I'm based in the UK so don't have the references that you in the US have.

Thanks!