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Dan Jolicoeur
24-Mar-2004, 15:14
To Squeegee or not to squeegee using hardening fixer, and photo-flo for one minute? I allways ran 35mm between my index and middle finger. What about 4x5? I hang film in a humid bathroom to dry. What do most of you do as far as Squeegeing on a piece of plexi-glass? (1) This is a hard time of year in the northeast for dust, and static! (2) The sooner I can get the majority of the water off the better. (3) Possibility of scratching when I use the squeegee.

Eric Rose
24-Mar-2004, 15:16
I squeegy (sp) my 35mm with a film squeegy. For 4x5 I just let them hang dry. Up here in Alberta it's real dry so it doesn't take long. No problem with dust etc.

Bob Fowler
24-Mar-2004, 15:25
For 35mm & 120, I wet my index and middle finger and gently wipe the film down. I just hang sheet film to dry.

Bruce Watson
24-Mar-2004, 15:37
For 4x5, just hang it. No squeegee.

Gem Singer
24-Mar-2004, 16:06
Hi Dan,

After washing 4X5 sheet film, run it through a tray of distilled water, to which a few drops of a wetting agent has been added. Then, hang each sheet of film by the corner that has the code notch. Use a film clip, clothes pin, etc. After a few seconds. a drop of water will form at the opposite bottom corner. Carefully, very gently, brush the water droplet away with your finger. Do not touch the film again until it is dry. Once dried, place the sheet of film into a protective clear mylar, or poly, envelope. It is not necessary use a squeegee and run the risk of leaving small scratches on the soft, wet film. Make certain that the film is hung to dry in a dust free area. Allow it to dry slowly. Do not force it to dry with heat or blowing air.

jnantz
24-Mar-2004, 16:21
no hardened fix - no squeegee just hang'em.

Larry Gebhardt
24-Mar-2004, 17:52
I just hang all film to dry and never use a hardening fixer. A few drops of photo-flo in tap water works just fine in my house. I also don't have dust issues. On sheet film I do soak up the drop at the corner with a paper towel. Just touch the towel to the edge and it will wick up most of the water. This speeds up the drying greatly.

David R Munson
24-Mar-2004, 18:05
Squeegee-ing (how does one make a gerund out of "squeegee" anyway?) has always made me nervous. I've never had a problem not doing it, so I guess I don't see any point risking scratches by doing it.

Jon_2416
24-Mar-2004, 18:15
You won't use a squeegee after you scratch a neg. I use the mix suggested by R. Knoppow on usenet:

Distilled water
1/2 normal amount Photo-Flo
25ml per 1L Isopropyl alcohol
Hang to dry

I do this in the bathroom where I have run the hot water knocking out the dust from the air.
I have never seen cleaner negs. Try it.

Darin Cozine
25-Mar-2004, 09:15
Dan, I use 5 baths of distilled water for the wash. No photo-flo, etc. I hang my negs without wiping or touching the film surface at all.

Negs come out perfect, no scratches, chemical residue, or soap bubles.

neil poulsen
25-Mar-2004, 09:23
I squeegee 35mm and 2 1/4 film between the index and middle finger. I've tried to squeegee 4x5, but will opt for the distilled water approach. Most of my black and white work is sub-4x5 film.

Steve Anchelle, who wrote the Darkroom Cookbook, recommends dragging film over a single finger in a way that would cause water runoff. That is, pull film horizontally over finger as film hangs vertically down from finger towards floor. (That is, don't pull between two fingers.)

I mention Steve's approach, because it seems likely to cause less abrasion, if there's any foreign material on the film.

Tom Johnston
25-Mar-2004, 10:17
Don't use squeegee. It's not necessary if you use a wetting agent and it adds the possibility of damaging the film. Just hang it.

domenico Foschi
25-Mar-2004, 10:20
4 x 5 : photo-flo , hang them to dry . If you hang them by one corner , wipe off the excess water that builds up at the lower corner with the 2 fingers .

Dan Jolicoeur
25-Mar-2004, 10:32
Thanks for all your input! I knew I shouldn't have been Squeegeeing (sp), but have been doing it anyhow. I'll try the alcohol! Why the no hardner in the fixer? I was told to use hardener, especially for large negatives. Sorry have not done a search on this one, always thought it was a given unless tonning. Thanks again, Dan

Philippe Gauthier
25-Mar-2004, 11:01
I used to squeegee 35 mm negatives... They improved a lot (dirt, etc) when I finally stopped doing so. I never did on 4x5 sheets.

I think that the hardener is pretty much useless nowadays - most emulsions are pre-hardened and another hardener doesn't add much.

Erik Asgeirsson
28-Mar-2004, 17:39
If you ever need to use toner to intensify your negatives, a non-hardening fixer makes life easier.