How have you addressed this problem with the 20th Century Camera 4x5 Film Reel?

[Certain Exposures]

I've had good results with the 20th Century Camera film reel (QL45-JP 4x5 Quick Load 6 Sheet Film Reel for Paterson and Jobo tanks). However, there's a feature on it that I fear because it can ruin my negatives if I'm not careful.

The red spirals with hooks at the end are flexible. When you remove a wet negative, you need to push the red plastic piece back a bit. That same piece can bounce back and scratch the negative if you don't move fast enough or hold it. I've had it remove bits of an eye or a lip in a portrait, for example. It's a frustrating user error.

I started to address this by moving much slower while removing my wet negatives. However, sometimes I still get unlucky.

Main question:

Have any of you ever let the negatives sit inside the reel until they're dry? Do the little hooks in the red spirals leave drying marks if you leave the film there for too long? I'd rather not have to test this and find out if someone else already has.

Thanks in advance for your replies!

[LabRat]

Mainly, drying of any (sheet or roll) film should not be done on a reel or rack... There is usually a place where a drop of water to hide that can dislodge later onto drying film and leave a water mark...

Then wherever film makes contact with holder can leave a ridge or mark on film...

And most reels bend film to hold them, and drying can leave a wave dried to films that will make them not lay flat later, causing a headache...

Sheet film is easy enough to dry in a bathroom shower stall by first steaming some hot water into the air to settle dust/debris, then hanging sheets on clips that hook to a wire or rod over shower stall, and letting them dry completely undisturbed... (Usually takes an hour or two...) These sheets have been bathed in dilute Photo Flo for less than 30 seconds, and hung... Run your finger under corners while still drying to remove drips, but don't touch drips in image areas as film is still soft there...

Good luck!!!

Steve K

[Alan9940]

I'm confused... If you're loading with the emulsion facing in (as the instructions state), how can the hook be scratching emulsion off the film? I've used this same reel to process many sheets of 4x5 and I've never had a scratched negative. After processing, I simply push the film a bit to release the hook, then gently slide it out of the reel.

[Certain Exposures]

I'm confused... If you're loading with the emulsion facing in (as the instructions state), how can the hook be scratching emulsion off the film? I've used this same reel to process many sheets of 4x5 and I've never had a scratched negative. After processing, I simply push the film a bit to release the hook, then gently slide it out of the reel.

Yes, I am loading the film with the emulsion facing in. It's the opposite side that gets scratched sometimes. I should have titled the thread, "have you ever had this problem..." because now I'm more interested in knowing if it's just me.

Mainly, drying of any (sheet or roll) film should not be done on a reel or rack... There is usually a place where a drop of water to hide that can dislodge later onto drying film and leave a water mark...

Then wherever film makes contact with holder can leave a ridge or mark on film...

And most reels bend film to hold them, and drying can leave a wave dried to films that will make them not lay flat later, causing a headache...

Sheet film is easy enough to dry in a bathroom shower stall by first steaming some hot water into the air to settle dust/debris, then hanging sheets on clips that hook to a wire or rod over shower stall, and letting them dry completely undisturbed... (Usually takes an hour or two...) These sheets have been bathed in dilute Photo Flo for less than 30 seconds, and hung... Run your finger under corners while still drying to remove drips, but don't touch drips in image areas as film is still soft there...

Good luck!!!

Steve K

Thanks! Have you ever managed to remove a fingerprint after a positive dries? I just developed some e6 and touched one positive's corner slightly while the film was somewhat wet. That greasy fingerprint is haunting my sight right now!

[LabRat]

Try Pec-12 film cleaner on those fingerprints...

Long ago, someone asked me to save a few sheets of 35mm Ektachrome slides that had fused to the slide pages of images of the WTC while still standing... The slides looked doomed, but tried the Pec-12 first... It removed the melted PVC completely, and slides looked almost new!!! Follow the directions carefully, and it looks worse during process than when finished...

Good luck!!!

Steve K

[Certain Exposures]

Try Pec-12 film cleaner on those fingerprints...

Long ago, someone asked me to save a few sheets of 35mm Ektachrome slides that had fused to the slide pages of images of the WTC while still standing... The slides looked doomed, but tried the Pec-12 first... It removed the melted PVC completely, and slides looked almost new!!! Follow the directions carefully, and it looks worse during process than when finished...

Good luck!!!

Steve K

Thanks! Will do.

thanks for the advice guys

It might just be me but I cannot see your attached image.