how to cut film in the dark?

[Havoc]

So I ordered the wrong size of film. Stupid, I know. But now I have that camera that I want to try and only film that is larger then what I need. I need 6.5x9 cm (but ordered 3.25x4.25 inch). I don't see any on stock that I can have here during my holiday. So the fastest way to have somthing to shoot would be cutting down 4x5. I have a lot of it and if I'm fiddling a bit I can get 2 sheets of 6.5x9 out of a sheet of 4x5. It will turn out at 6.25x9 but I can live with that to test the camera.

Now how do you guys cut film in total darkness? I barely manage to load a development tank.

My tought was to cut 2 pieces of thin MDF or plywood in the size I need. Make a kind of hinge with tape along 1 side. And then cut with a cutter around it.

Assuming I do not cut off a couple of fingers, how do I mark it then to know what is the emulsion side?

Probably stupid questions but I'd like to have some opinions before I try something even more stupid.

[koraks]

For this kind of stuff I use a rotary cutter. Mine (a Dahle) happens to have a metal construction on which magnetic strips can easily be stuck. Just position a strip as a stop, slide in film, cut, put away, etc. Works OK as long as the strips to be cut from the film aren't too narrow.

[eric black]

I use a hole punch for the cut piece without the marking- with a little practice you can get to the point where you can feel it about 1/2 way in and then you will get a semicircular removal on the edge which can be felt in the dark

[Tin Can]

I have 2 Dahle cheapest Guillotine cutters, used only for film

Practice in daylight!

I gaff tape down matt board for a production stop

Cut one way, then move to second cutter for the other

I sit down, relax and have all supplies ready

[Keith Pitman]

I cut 8x10 to 4x10 on an inexpensive Dahle rotary cutter from the stationery store. I have an aluminum bar taped to the bed of the cutter. The important thing is to get the aluminum bar in exactly the right space so the film will fit into the holder. Since you will be making two cuts, your challenge is doubled, but doable. It's really pretty easy. Just get everything laid out so you can fit it in the dark.

[Michael Jones]

I have an aluminum bar taped to the bed of the cutter. The important thing is to get the aluminum bar in exactly the right space so the film will fit into the holder. It's really pretty easy. Just get everything laid out so you can fit it in the dark.

I cut 6x10 & 5x8 like this for years. As Keith says, just get it set up & working in the daylight & then have a routine for cutting in the dark. I use scissors to nick the end of the "new, un-notched" sheet.

Good luck.

Mike

[Kevin Crisp]

I didn't want to buy a rotary cutter just for this, since I have three of the guillotine style. Excuse my French. I put a couple layers of masking tape down on the left edge and slide the film up to that in the dark. So long as I use two (clean!) fingers to hold down the film and keep it against my masking tape fence, it has worked fine for me.

[Jim Jones]

Cutting a wee bit from the corner of film nearest where the notches should be is another way of indicating emulsion side. We can handle film with bare hands while developing film, but clean cotton gloves are more important here.

[Jody_S]

Guillotine cutter with a wooden base. I drilled holes and insert finishing nails for the stops. If you plan it, you can do more than 1 series of cuts in the dark, by putting a nail in each required hole, and cutting the film at the shortest length first. IE, cutting 8x10 down to 4x5, cut the required number of sheets at 4", then remove the 4" nail and cut them all again at 5". You may use more than 1 hole/finishing nail for each cut if alignment is a concern.

As for marking the cut sheets, I use scissors and cut off a corner. I'm not really happy with this solution as I sometimes cut enough to require a crop in the image.

[LabRat]

Make sure you have a very clean space with smooth surfaces to wipe down to prevent dust/lint from getting on film...

Hitting film on bottom edge (like a deck of cards) before loading or boxing each sheet will dislodge crud... Box or load film right after cutting to avoid dust settling...

And check if cutter cuts a really clean edge, as cutting itself can make debris...

Steve K

[unityofsaints]

Dahle rotary cutter + film changing tent for me. I originally bought the tent to load 8x10 holders but I'm discovering more and more uses for it: cutting film, cutting paper, loading development drums, etc. etc.

[Peter Lewin]

An old rotatrim rotary cutter. I simply measured from the cutting edge and put down a strip of masking tape as a guide. In the dark it is easy to position the film (or printing paper) by putting the edge against the tape by feel. Then slide the cutter. I normally use it to trim prints for dry mounting, or to cut 11x14 paper into two 5.5x14 strips for test prints, but it works for sheet film as well.

[alt.kafka]

I used my guillotine cutter once to cut processed film, only to find little brass shavings all over it. So, that's a thing, and you probably don't want to do what I did, whatever that was.

[bnxvs]

Hello. All you need is a film changer tent (or a large cardboard box), a cheap Chinese Wi-Fi infrared camera (950nm is the best choice, but 850nm will work too) and a smartphone. Place the camera inside the tent (cover all light sources on it, such as power LEDs, etc. with black tape), connect it to the smartphone via Wifi and set the smartphone in front of you on any tripod. That's all. After that, you can use any cutter at all, or even ordinary scissors)))