DIY 4x5 negative sleeves #2

[Fribourg-photography]

Part 1 on this post is here:


... the welding looked like this:


The same was done for the other line:


The finished 4x5 negative sleeve looks like this:


It is really easy to do.

I hope this is useful for some of you.

Happy holidays!

[minh0204]

It's a fun project indeed. However have you considered the archival qualities of your A4 sleeves? If your sleeve contains PVC it will yellow, gas out and potentially destroy the negatives. In my opinion saving on storage sleeves is false economy. Not trying to be negative here (no pun intended), just hoping you don't lose yours!

[Fribourg-photography]

It's a fun project indeed. However have you considered the archival qualities of your A4 sleeves? If your sleeve contains PVC it will yellow, gas out and potentially destroy the negatives. In my opinion saving on storage sleeves is false economy. Not trying to be negative here (no pun intended), just hoping you don't lose yours!

I appreciate your concern but I believe this is highly unlikely:

The sleeves will be made of one type of polymer only. They cannot only be partially made of PVC as different polymers for the most part do not mix. So it is either made of pure PVC or something else.

It cannot be made of pure PVC as the sleeve is flexible and soft. The glass transition temperature of PVC, however, is 356K so way above r.t. This would be one rigid and stiff sleeve...

So what else could it be? The most likely scenario is that it is something fully amorphous (as it is transparent) and dirt cheap (a pack of 100 sleeves only costs about $5 or less). Polypropylene springs to mind. The Tg of PP is 263K, so that would fit.

And I don't for a second believe that the companies that sell "purpose made 4x5 negative sleeves" use archival materials only. They simply know that we'll pay whatever they want as it's a niche market.

So in short, I wouldn't worry too much about the stability of these sleeves compare to the "commercial ones". Having just said that, all polymers will decompose eventually if they are exposed to UV radiation in the presence of oxygen. So keep them dark and cool.

[pacviewcam]

Acid free paper would work too, in case you find the transparent sleeves unsuitable for any reason.

[Doremus Scudder]

AFAIK, all the really clear (i.e., not just translucent) A4 page protectors I purchased when I lived in Europe were polypropylene. There should be a way to confirm what your product is made from.

Doremus