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Author Topic: Film cleaner  (Read 3284 times)

CeeVee

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Film cleaner
« on: May 23, 2017, 09:22:49 am »

I'm wondering if one of the Ethanol based hand cleaners ("Purell") would do for last-ditch effort film cleaner.

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mouse

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Re: Film cleaner
« Reply #1 on: May 25, 2017, 05:40:37 pm »

Easy to determine if you have some old film around and don't care what happens to the images.
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CeeVee

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Re: Film cleaner
« Reply #2 on: May 25, 2017, 07:07:21 pm »

Old film? Who, me? Nah.

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donbga

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Re: Film cleaner
« Reply #3 on: May 25, 2017, 07:58:20 pm »

I'm wondering if one of the Ethanol based hand cleaners ("Purell") would do for last-ditch effort film cleaner.

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No that contains glycerine or something similar which would result in a sticky mess. A water soak may help. If the dirt or grit is embedded in the emulsion then changes are not good it can be removed.

Are you scanning or projection printing in the dark room?

The later means the print will have to be spotted or you need to make a duplicate positive to spot.

Have fun.

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CeeVee

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Re: Film cleaner
« Reply #4 on: May 25, 2017, 08:16:43 pm »

I am scanning original negs and I had some, relatively benign, film cleaner stashed. Some kind soul borrowed it. In the midst of fixing the krap spots, X5 scanner does not have digital ICE, I was wondering if the Purcell might work.

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Alan Goldhammer

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Re: Film cleaner
« Reply #5 on: May 26, 2017, 03:00:45 pm »

Google is you friend:  http://www.old-photo.com/pages/35mm-slide-cleaning.htm   Solid advice to avoid water based cleaners of any kind (this would include Purell which has glycerine and probably some other things that might leave a residue on the image).  If you have access to a chemistry lab you could mix your own but since you don't need much, better to buy a commercial product.
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TonyW

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Re: Film cleaner
« Reply #6 on: May 26, 2017, 03:15:05 pm »

Good advice to avoid Purell for this purpose. 

If your negatives have any value then why not pay out a little more for a product designed for the job?

One such product (based on Ethanol) PEC 12
http://photosol.com/products/pec-12/
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CeeVee

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Re: Film cleaner
« Reply #7 on: May 26, 2017, 03:18:41 pm »

That's a good resource. I wonder how long the website will be maintained. PEC 12 is the stuff I had stored until it developed legs and left. Seems to me the only thing they guarantee is that it will clean ink smuges.


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TonyW

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Re: Film cleaner
« Reply #8 on: May 26, 2017, 03:32:52 pm »

Not sure why you would think that the web site would not be maintained but Photosol is a company I have had connections with in the past and found them to be very good, but since a change from UK to the US some years ago have lost touch

PEC 12 It is intended for removing non water based stains and crap from conventional based photographic emulsions.  It is probably a safe bet, but it should be understood that it is best practice to make the best copies you can (and validate them) prior to attempting any cleaning - as an emergency fall back in case of catastrophe!

Hazard substances declared as Ethanol and N-Butyl Acetate.  The latter giving the product a slightly fruity smell

Quote
PEC-12 is designed to remove non-water based stains, grease and inks from photographic emulsions and bases. It removes finger oils, grease pencil, adhesive tape residues, mildew, smoke and soot damage, gold foil stamp and most ball-point and permanent inks. It will aid in the removal of firmly affixed adhesive tape. Graphic arts applications include the easy removal of wax and rubylith.
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Alan Goldhammer

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Re: Film cleaner
« Reply #9 on: May 26, 2017, 04:42:52 pm »

Hazard substances declared as Ethanol and N-Butyl Acetate.  The latter giving the product a slightly fruity smell
Yikes, my wine and bourbon bottles have a hazardous substance in them!!!!!
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TonyW

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Re: Film cleaner
« Reply #10 on: May 27, 2017, 07:25:16 am »

Yikes, my wine and bourbon bottles have a hazardous substance in them!!!!!
Yes, but only if you allow them to sit for a period of weeks before ingesting  ;D
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Garnick

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Re: Film cleaner
« Reply #11 on: May 27, 2017, 11:16:22 am »

Not sure why you would think that the web site would not be maintained but Photosol is a company I have had connections with in the past and found them to be very good, but since a change from UK to the US some years ago have lost touch

PEC 12 It is intended for removing non water based stains and crap from conventional based photographic emulsions.  It is probably a safe bet, but it should be understood that it is best practice to make the best copies you can (and validate them) prior to attempting any cleaning - as an emergency fall back in case of catastrophe!

Hazard substances declared as Ethanol and N-Butyl Acetate.  The latter giving the product a slightly fruity smell

Good advice all round, especially scanning before the "cleaning" approach.  PEC-12 is exactly what I was going to suggest, but as I read further I found it already mentioned, as expected.  It's an excellent product, but you can also get a lot of dirt off the film by simply soaking it for a while in slightly warm water and then using a very soft cloth also soaked in water.  I would normally use J-Clothes for this approach.  That will work well for water soluble dirt and PEC-12 for other issues.  Then of course you should soak the film in Photo-Flo for about a minute, to insure even drying with no water spots.

EDIT:  This is a link to purchase PEC-12 on Amazon if you wish - https://www.amazon.com/Photographic-Solutions-795122010111-Emulsion-Cleaner/dp/B00009R72R

Hope this helps,

Gary   

 
« Last Edit: May 27, 2017, 01:43:44 pm by Garnick »
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Gary N.
"My memory isn't what it used to be. As a matter of fact it never was." (gan)

TLGG

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Re: Film cleaner
« Reply #12 on: June 25, 2017, 04:28:52 pm »

PEC 12 is a good film cleaner.
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