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Dave miller
11th May 2010, 06:11 PM
When transferring printing paper from a bulk packet to a paper safe it’s worth writing a note of the paper make/type on the back so that “orphan” sheets can be identified later.

Alan Clark
11th May 2010, 06:18 PM
I never leave paper in a paper safe.....in theory!

Alan

Neil Smith
11th May 2010, 06:29 PM
I have just started using paper safes, and I can already see this is a good idea. I told myself I will write a label for them later that was last week. Mental note to do it later:D

Neil

Rob Archer
11th May 2010, 07:01 PM
Maybe I'm missing something, but I don't see the point of paper safes. I use paper staight from the box - so no problem identifying it.

What is the benefit of using a paper safe?

Rob

Dave miller
11th May 2010, 07:07 PM
Maybe I'm missing something, but I don't see the point of paper safes. I use paper staight from the box - so no problem identifying it.

What is the benefit of using a paper safe?

Rob

Because I only have to slide open one of three large draws to get at it. No fiddling with opening and closing boxes and bags. The downside is, as I said, when sheets get out of place and need to be identified.

Richard Gould
11th May 2010, 07:44 PM
Good Idea for those who use papersafes, I prefer the box, Guess I have got used to it after all these years,Richard

RH Designs
11th May 2010, 08:57 PM
I use a Quadro safe and more than once paper has turned out to be not what I thought it was, so this is a good idea. I always thought I'd remember, but the years have overtaken me :rolleyes:.

Mike O'Pray
11th May 2010, 11:25 PM
Papersafes dispense paper one sheet at a time "safely" and once decanted from the box into the safe allow instant access to various surfaces and types according to your needs. No danger of leaving the box open which has happened to me once when I got caught up in a series of prints and my hands were moving faster than my brain.

On some safes there is a section on it like the back of older cameras that allow you to place a note of the paper in a similar fashion to using the end of the film box to make it clear what its content is.

You need to label the safe as soon as you move the sheets. I was always going to remember and as a result have several safes with remnants of paper that I cannot recall type etc.

Despite this carelessness on my part I still think that papersafes are worthwhile.

Mike

Dave miller
12th May 2010, 06:24 AM
I use a Quadro safe and more than once paper has turned out to be not what I thought it was, so this is a good idea. I always thought I'd remember, but the years have overtaken me :rolleyes:.

Maybe it's only those of us with walk-in Quadro's that suffer? :o

Niall Bell
12th May 2010, 08:22 AM
I always write in very soft pencil the make and model of the paper when I remove it from pacage and before I put it into the paper safe. My paper safes have a range of different papers therein and I find no problem in distinguishing them with pencil details on back.

I also keep one safe for for RC paper and one for FB papers.

When using paper bigger than 10x8, I take it directly from the package and I find that a real pain.

Niall

Dave miller
12th May 2010, 08:42 AM
I always write in very soft pencil the make and model of the paper when I remove it from pacage and before I put it into the paper safe. My paper safes have a range of different papers therein and I find no problem in distinguishing them with pencil details on back.

I also keep one safe for for RC paper and one for FB papers.

When using paper bigger than 10x8, I take it directly from the package and I find that a real pain.

Niall

Good point Neil. The "very soft pencil" is important, I use a 6B grade because it's too easy to mark through to the emulsion side with a hard pencil or pen.

B&W Neil
12th May 2010, 08:43 AM
I don't think this would work with a Quadro but with my old 'lift up lid' Jessops safe I just use a paper marker with the type of paper marked on it placed on the top sheet. I quite often have several different papers in the same paper safe.

Neil.

Les McLean
12th May 2010, 09:01 AM
I use the Tompkins paper safe and lay the manufacturers box beside the paper safe during the printing session. If I don't remove the excess paper after the session the original box stays nest to the paper safe to remind me of the paper that is in the safe. I've done this for years and have not yet slipped up to be left with paper I don't know what type it is. Bottom line is that it's all about personal discipline and sticking to your system.

Mike O'Pray
12th May 2010, 04:56 PM
Good point Neil. The "very soft pencil" is important, I use a 6B grade because it's too easy to mark through to the emulsion side with a hard pencil or pen.

I actually managed to obtain a 9B and well worth the price it was. As long as you don't use it to write your memoirs even very soft pencils last a long time.

I had left instructions that mine will go on e-bay after my demise but thinking about it and to avoid inheritance tax I will instruct the executors to offer it for sale here as an undercover transaction;). So just make sure you all stay healthy enough to be around to buy it:D: I don't want Fiona examining it "Antiques Roadshow"


I'll stop now. I can feel the ghost of Sid James taking over my being.

Mike

Neil Smith
27th May 2010, 08:37 AM
Just to highlight this as a good idea, in the first two printing sessions I did before marking the paper safes with which paper was in each. I now have a small collection of off cuts of paper that would be good for test printing if I only knew what they were:D


Neil

Dave miller
28th May 2010, 12:49 PM
Just to highlight this as a good idea, in the first two printing sessions I did before marking the paper safes with which paper was in each. I now have a small collection of off cuts of paper that would be good for test printing if I only knew what they were:D


Neil

My problem exactly. :)

PavelDerka
9th November 2010, 12:58 AM
I like and use paper safes ... but I better get a system in place. I've has many a surprise and grotesque results as a result of my poor memory. Good to be in similar company! :D

Dave miller
9th November 2010, 08:23 AM
I managed to open a papersafe the other day and immediately solved the problem of the orphan sheets because the room light was on at the time.

Fortunately I do keep uncut sheets in their black bags until I need them so it wasn’t so much of a disaster.

Anyway it was a timely reminder to replace the dead battery in the RH Designs light alarm.

FrankS
15th November 2010, 06:59 PM
I have exactly one paper safe, and it's big enough to hold 11x14 paper. Since I don't often print much larger than that, and because I don't use a very wide variety of papers, the system works. The way I see it, it's just convenient temporary storage and not somewhere I keep paper between sessions. Simply load up the safe with what you're going to need for the session and put it away when you're done. Besides, I don't really have room to stack large paper safes. I'm struggling for space in my little cubby-hole darkroom as it is.

Paul.
20th March 2011, 12:10 PM
I have 3 paper safes, all labeled with a sticky label on the lid on which I write with soft pencil (mines a 7B) what is inside. Now if only I could afford more paper it would be a problem;).
Paul.

bill spears
20th March 2011, 01:08 PM
I've never really used a paper safe in over 20 years of printing but have always wanted too. Trouble is I hate the flimsy plastic things on the market and I'm envious of those of you with the Quadro and Tompkins ones which virtually are never seen on the secondhand market. It's about time someone..... photographer/engineer (Richard R perhaps ?) started to manufacture something !

Mike O'Pray
20th March 2011, 05:43 PM
Good idea Bill. The ideal would be an 8x10 with slots in its side and taylor-made partitions that allowed division into 5x7 when required with space for a label to identify the paper.

Mike

cliveh
20th March 2011, 06:09 PM
I've never really used a paper safe in over 20 years of printing but have always wanted too. Trouble is I hate the flimsy plastic things on the market and I'm envious of those of you with the Quadro and Tompkins ones which virtually are never seen on the secondhand market. It's about time someone..... photographer/engineer (Richard R perhaps ?) started to manufacture something !

I don’t use a paper safe, as I don’t really do enough printing to justify one. However, some years ago I did make a test strip box for my students. I made it in the garage out of ½” thick wood, painted it black inside and out and at the front it has a spring loaded trap door (hinged at the top inside) that pushes inwards. Inside the box it has battens round the trap door (light can’t go round corners) and so you just push your hand in to grab a test strip and when you take your hand out, the spring flap trap door shuts. I have used it at more than one college for many years. Being made out of sturdy wood with only one moving part it has never broken and it means multiple tests can be made with many test strips, thus allowing only one sheet of paper needing to be removed from the paper box when making the final print. It works so well that later I thought that if I had sufficient electronic knowledge, it would probably be possible to build it with a small cell on the top that could differentiate between white and red light and lock it from inside in white light situations.