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Steve K

We use Everclear 190 proof at work for ultra sensitive fine electrical connections...

Steve K

My go-to was an Xerox older product for cleaning copier glass that contained ammonium hydroxide and alcohol (still have a couple of cases of it)...

Some really filthy glass went into the...

As a kid, I used to make 'em out of coat hanger wire...

Steve K

I think it's a good time for users to get on the same page and list the issues they share... Is it storage issues, dev failure, staining etc???

Bring this up directly with Alaris... A Kodak rep...

For an interesting (updated from older) list of older formulas, search used bookstores for a copy of the "British Journal of Photography" yearbooks... Inside is a (dated) collection of photos, but in...

What's taking you guys!?!! Not mixing dev from scratch yet???

Don't know what's up with Alaris, but some of my chem bulk stock is older then me and works fine...

And you are throwing away...

I think another big reason for the rise of ultra contrast modern lens was in product commercial photography, many items to be shot sometimes had surfaces that would not shoot sharp (plastics/ceramics...

I have found the saving grace of old uncoated, plain lenses is that some new B/W films have a long toe, so a lens with lower contrast seems to match this, and with color films with excessive...

I'm pretty good with gear, but the biggest problem is to remember other important information like contact info, directions, phone #'s etc...

Another hot tip is to put your address or personal ID...

The ones you can't afford.... :-(

Happy new year, folks!!!

Steve K

Take a strip of 35mm undeveloped film in roomlight, and stick it in some of the developer, while timing it for 3 to 4 minutes, as it should turn dark grey/black... Then it's good...

Steve K

My point is you can glue a patch in that seems great, but when compressed, the corners tend to expand outwards often splitting, but by careful taping, you can tape one pleat at a time while...

Welcome!!! You can also just get a view camera with a wide back (and other film backs), and a much wider assortment of lenses that allow different styles of shooting (portrait landscape, still life +...

From experience, I learned that bellows corners are under greatest tension when compressed... If extended and treated, when finally compressed the coverings come up a little short, stretching the...

Try to find a bare 90mm cam somewhere, to leave on the camera, as you can drop bed and close it with this cam holding everything in correct position... The longer cams cause trouble if the bed drops...

There is a pre-made solution already for dip and dunk processing and that is for panoramic x-ray processing... The very nice holders stack nicely into a (not so) deep tank and work well... Not...

Tool for the job... Have several camera system kits in cases , bags, or photo packs... Grab the kit best for different situations...

One "crossover" feature is all cameras have an adapter board so...

Currently finishing two barrel meniscus lenses now... Having success mounting elements in tubes wit irises stacked with o-rings, square drain seals, and black mounting board cut in circles (with a...

One of my Tek III lenses had a factory custom washer/spacer between board and shutter (precisely machined)... If missing, no way lens focus distance would line up to the RF and body distance...

I will add (somewhat) look/key/mood...

Rendition can be all well and good, but what "mood" can the subject evoke??? If we photograph a large white church in bright sun, it can have an "everything...

The biggest advantage is (sometimes) cost, but other challenges if you desire a shutter, iris with correct markings, sometimes proper spacing, other costs etc...

If needed for long, slow exposure...

If you really want to get this out of your system, I have applied modern tech to help evaluate what your lenses are doing...

I now use my large 4X5 studio camera as a optical bench by using a DSLR...

You should also look at surveying tripods... Strong, steady, tough, and inexpensive new or used... You just have to figure out how to attach a head to it...

Steve K

I shoot a 12" f5 (?) Aerostigmat on my studio WP/4X5 Noba camera as one of the main lenses (with Packard shutter)... Great look, but the camera has 24" of bellows... And they are usually extended for...

Carefully rub with Mink Oil leather shoe polish...

The stuff will penetrate the dry vinyl and make more supple...

In the shoe polish department...

Steve K

Did 'ya at least ask, or for some advice???

Tell 'em you're not happy, and will post your woe online if they won't satisfy your service question... ;-)

Usually all contacts need to be cleaned...

Check with George at Quality Light Metric... He was the repair station for some of the Gralab "clock"timers, but I'm not sure if he still does or what timers...

Did you ask Gralab if they do, or...

I don't use the RF with my Tek III, but I leave a 90mm cam on it, as a cam must be on it at all times, or the camera does not open/close properly... The 90mm cam is the smallest/shortest for the...

Thanks Michael, great article!!!

I will PM or email you soon to help clarify a couple of points I'm missing, but very useful!!!

My new lenses are assembled, but need lensboards, aperture...

I generally use Paterson and Cesco trays for paper and film work, but still use old S/S and porcelain trays sometimes... They work well in a water bath when the lab is really cold, but don't like the...

I had pinholes with acid stop bath... It can be from gases evolved in an acid environment from emulsion... Even in a very mild stop bath, it can happen... Read instruction sheet, but even in the very...

Also, are you using a stop bath, or just water stop??? This made a difference...

Steve K

Regular user of EDU/Foma here, and had this issue with the 6X9 ISO film specks... Noted there might be film cutting issues leaving a sloppy edge with debris (esp around film notch cut-out area)...
...

I was given some studio gear, including a couple of soft boxes that turned (seeming made from simular type of materials)... So I did some research and testing...

First thing is to try to remove...

I have seen charts all over the map about MG filtration for the grades, but in practice it's been much simpler...

I worked in many printing rooms, and the ones with colorheads, it always came out...

If the main issue is remains of old stickers/tape on metal light trap covering causing lumps, they can be leveled out... If not painted, a little lighter fluid soaked into just that spot will loosen...

I know some large Telescope lenses are just air spaced and not bonded... Maybe that, but held together in cel???

Steve K

I once bought a barrel 65mm/f8 JML industrial lens for 5 or ten bucks... Seems to be a SA clone... Still using it on 4x5/2x3 SG's with rear shutters...

Steve K

Pinhole???

Steve K