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The Curse of the Curl



 
 
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  #11  
Old February 12th 10, 04:59 PM posted to rec.photo.darkroom
Richard Knoppow
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Posts: 751
Default The Curse of the Curl


"jay" wrote in message
...
On Jan 16, 9:47 am, Anton
wrote:
Hello, all

I have at last got collected courage to digitize some of
my
old films which were processed in cheap photolabs and
probably
dried in a hurry. I have been storing them in rolls and
now,
after cutting them into strips I have been struck by the
extent of lateral curl. My scanner won't just focus on
such
films, unless I use special film holder which is less
convenient and also crops the frame by about 2 mm in heght
and
width.

Do you have any suggestions as to how to flatten and old
and
heavily curled film (meaning alteral curl, from edge to
edge).

Thank you in advance,
Anton


I swear that I've seen this problem addressed. IIRC the
solution
involves glycerin .
I would also swear that I've seen possible solutions to this
in,
perhaps,:
“The film Developing Cookbook” (1998) or“The Darkroom
Cookbook” (2nd
ed. 2000)
I've looked through both & have not found a reference to
this topic.
In the mid '60s I used a quick drying solution that turned
the film
purple, but did not
have an adverse affect on the printing. I think that it, in
addition
to quickly drying film,
it flattened film, & caused the film to be an anti-static.
The name
that vaguely comes
to mind is Edwal.
I also vaguely remember that I used some sort of print
flattener that
may have used glycerin.
Perhaps it was a home brew.
I am fairly certain there is a chemical answer. However the
side
affects may not be worth it.
Perhaps a really old publication like “Morgan & Morgan Photo
Lab
Index” (IIRC) might be of value.
I wish I still had one.
I truly wish I could be of more help, JD

There was a sort of generic print flattener formula,
about 60 ml of glycerine per liter of water. Soak the prints
in this for about five minutes after washing. Then squeegee
off the excess and dry. Hydroscopic flatteners like this are
frowned on by conservators because they can promote the
growth of mold on prints. I've used various print flatteners
but not found any to be completely successful. I generally
flatten prints using a dry mounting press. Those seem to
stay flat permamently.



--
Richard Knoppow
Los Angeles, CA, USA



  #12  
Old March 13th 10, 05:57 PM posted to rec.photo.darkroom
Anton Shepelev[_2_]
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Posts: 5
Default The Curse of the Curl

On 2010-02-12 18:59:24 +0300, "Richard Knoppow"

There was a sort of generic print flattener formula,
about 60 ml of glycerine per liter of water. Soak the prints
in this for about five minutes after washing. Then squeegee
off the excess and dry. Hydroscopic flatteners like this are
frowned on by conservators because they can promote the
growth of mold on prints. I've used various print flatteners
but not found any to be completely successful. I generally
flatten prints using a dry mounting press. Those seem to
stay flat permamently.


Richard,

I don't quite know what a mounting press is. Do you mean
you keep your films flat under a constant heavy pressure?
How strong is that pressure? What kind of sleeves/packaging
do you use for films stored this way?

Anton


  #13  
Old March 13th 10, 08:02 PM posted to rec.photo.darkroom
Lawrence Akutagawa
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Posts: 145
Default The Curse of the Curl


"Anton Shepelev" wrote in message
...
On 2010-02-12 18:59:24 +0300, "Richard Knoppow"

There was a sort of generic print flattener formula,
about 60 ml of glycerine per liter of water. Soak the prints
in this for about five minutes after washing. Then squeegee
off the excess and dry. Hydroscopic flatteners like this are
frowned on by conservators because they can promote the
growth of mold on prints. I've used various print flatteners
but not found any to be completely successful. I generally
flatten prints using a dry mounting press. Those seem to
stay flat permamently.


Richard,

I don't quite know what a mounting press is. Do you mean
you keep your films flat under a constant heavy pressure?
How strong is that pressure? What kind of sleeves/packaging
do you use for films stored this way?

For what it's worth, what has worked for me well through the years is a
50-50 mix of denatured alcohol and water. Take a damp cotton swab of this
mixture and swipe it across the back of the print. Then place the print
face down under some moderate weight overnight - a couple of books will do.
In the morning, the prints are satisfactorily flat.


 




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