Q: Film Dryer.

Hello. I'm looking for a film (35mm format) dryer. Buying one
outright is too expensive for me. So, it's down to a DIY solution.
And I'm wondering which one would be a better solution: buying a
portable closet such as this one

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...1134 154&rd=1

or building one from scratch like the one described in "Petersen's
Guide To Photo Equipment You Can Make?"

Any suggestions?

Thanks.
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| Francis Hartojo SDF Public Access UNIX System http://sdf.lonestar.org |
| echo " | tr '[a-z]' '[n-za-m]' |
| __________ ___________ |
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+------ | There are two secrets to success in life: | ------+
/_______| 1. Never tell any one everything you know. |________\
`---------------------------------------------'

"Francis" wrote in message ...
Hello. I'm looking for a film (35mm format) dryer. Buying one
outright is too expensive for me.

I have one Senrac dryer left. Is $100 too much?

"Francis" wrote in message ...
Hello. I'm looking for a film (35mm format) dryer. Buying one
outright is too expensive for me.

I have one Senrac dryer left. Is $100 too much?

In article , jjs wrote:

I have one Senrac dryer left. Is $100 too much?

With shipping or without? (c:

Actually, I'm also debating between reel dryers and closet dryers.
I used a closet dryer when I took photo classes, so I'm more familiar
with them. I sort of like the space-saving feature of reel dryers,
though.

Anyone has strong preferences either way?

My plan is to build a closet dryer and just air-dry my films. I
live in Phoenix, AZ. Getting things to dry is not a big problem
around here. (c: And, I reckon, having as litle moving air around
the drying films as possible is probably the best way to get
dust-free negatives. Does that sound reasonable?

Thanks.
--
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Francis Hartojo SDF Public Access UNIX System http://sdf.lonestar.org |
| echo " | tr '[a-z]' '[n-za-m]' |
| __________ ___________ |
| \ .'-------------------------------------------`. / |
+------ | There are two secrets to success in life: | ------+
/_______| 1. Never tell any one everything you know. |________\
`---------------------------------------------'

In article , jjs wrote:

I have one Senrac dryer left. Is $100 too much?

With shipping or without? (c:

Actually, I'm also debating between reel dryers and closet dryers.
I used a closet dryer when I took photo classes, so I'm more familiar
with them. I sort of like the space-saving feature of reel dryers,
though.

Anyone has strong preferences either way?

My plan is to build a closet dryer and just air-dry my films. I
live in Phoenix, AZ. Getting things to dry is not a big problem
around here. (c: And, I reckon, having as litle moving air around
the drying films as possible is probably the best way to get
dust-free negatives. Does that sound reasonable?

Thanks.
--
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Francis Hartojo SDF Public Access UNIX System http://sdf.lonestar.org |
| echo " | tr '[a-z]' '[n-za-m]' |
| __________ ___________ |
| \ .'-------------------------------------------`. / |
+------ | There are two secrets to success in life: | ------+
/_______| 1. Never tell any one everything you know. |________\
`---------------------------------------------'

"Francis" wrote in message ...
Hello. I'm looking for a film (35mm format) dryer. Buying one
outright is too expensive for me. So, it's down to a DIY solution.
And I'm wondering which one would be a better solution: buying a
portable closet such as this one


http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...1134 154&rd=1

or building one from scratch like the one described in "Petersen's
Guide To Photo Equipment You Can Make?"

Any suggestions?

Thanks.

I think that's a great I idea using the portable closet. Easy to move and
store, cheap. Nice one. Might billow a bit when the hair dryer gets going.

"Francis" wrote in message ...
Hello. I'm looking for a film (35mm format) dryer. Buying one
outright is too expensive for me. So, it's down to a DIY solution.
And I'm wondering which one would be a better solution: buying a
portable closet such as this one


http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...1134 154&rd=1

or building one from scratch like the one described in "Petersen's
Guide To Photo Equipment You Can Make?"

Any suggestions?

Thanks.

I think that's a great I idea using the portable closet. Easy to move and
store, cheap. Nice one. Might billow a bit when the hair dryer gets going.

Francis wrote:
Hello. I'm looking for a film (35mm format) dryer. Buying one
outright is too expensive for me. So, it's down to a DIY solution.
And I'm wondering which one would be a better solution: buying a
portable closet such as this one

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...1134 154&rd=1

or building one from scratch like the one described in "Petersen's
Guide To Photo Equipment You Can Make?"



All you need is a long enough cabinet with a fan, heater and a good
filter in the air-flow. Should probably have the air come in one end,
and go out the other. The portable closet might be a little large, in
that you would need a pretty powerful fan to move the air through it,
although some baffles in the right places might work. A box long enough
and about 30cm square with the fan and heater from an old hair-dryer
with some portable A/C filter material on the intake side, and a hole at
the other end for the air to escape (also covered with the same filter
material), would probably work best. Just need to wash or replace the
filters once in a while....

W

Francis wrote:
Hello. I'm looking for a film (35mm format) dryer. Buying one
outright is too expensive for me. So, it's down to a DIY solution.
And I'm wondering which one would be a better solution: buying a
portable closet such as this one

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...1134 154&rd=1

or building one from scratch like the one described in "Petersen's
Guide To Photo Equipment You Can Make?"



All you need is a long enough cabinet with a fan, heater and a good
filter in the air-flow. Should probably have the air come in one end,
and go out the other. The portable closet might be a little large, in
that you would need a pretty powerful fan to move the air through it,
although some baffles in the right places might work. A box long enough
and about 30cm square with the fan and heater from an old hair-dryer
with some portable A/C filter material on the intake side, and a hole at
the other end for the air to escape (also covered with the same filter
material), would probably work best. Just need to wash or replace the
filters once in a while....

W

"Francis" wrote in message ...
Hello. I'm looking for a film (35mm format) dryer. Buying one
outright is too expensive for me. So, it's down to a DIY solution.
And I'm wondering which one would be a better solution: buying a
portable closet such as this one

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...1134 154&rd=1

or building one from scratch like the one described in "Petersen's
Guide To Photo Equipment You Can Make?"

Any suggestions?


I just made one not dissimilar to the one described here -
http://www.bonavolta.ch/hobby/en/photo/fdryer.htm

I didn't put the heater or fancy bits on. Basically just a box made of
laminated PAR pine (or upright coffin for a very skinny person :-) ). Holes
drilled in the top and a fan extracting at the bottom. The whole thing sits
on two battens to lift it of the floor and is reasonably stable. I made sure
the door frame had a good seal all round, and it closes on three 'buckle'
type latches. Several coats of clear acrylic varnish so it can be wiped down
before use. I bought a refill box of 'fine' vacuum cleaner filters that have
a plastic frame (Dyson), and made a small frame the right size on the top of
the box that the filter sits in. When the fan is on the filter is drawn down
into place by the partial vacuum. Air flow is quite slow, but this was the
desired effect, so the film inside doesn't flap about. Inside two dowels
across the top allow for hanging - I could probably fit 6-8 35mm films
inside, which is more than I need, but I built the box large enough so that
it isn't too top heavy.

In use, I give it a wipe down inside and leave it running for an hour before
use - when I need to hang the film in it, I switch of the fan and open and
close it carefully so as not to attract a load of new dust. When it closed
again, I switch the fan back on. I left it running for an hour, then turned
it off. I don't open the cabinet till I'm ready to snip up the negatives.

Previously I seemed to get a lot of dust problems (we have three dogs in the
house), the first films through the new dryer are much improved.

Cost was about £80 (GBP). It would have been cheaper if I'd built it as a
battening frame and covered that with hardboard or something simillarly
cheap, but this way seemed simpler as the boards themselves form the
structure and it all screws together quite easily.

--
Cheers

Phil Hobgen, Southampton, UK
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