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  #11  
Old 16th March 2021, 01:22 PM
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Graeme Graeme is offline
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I used a squeegee on film for many years, negs are in better condition since I stopped, I'll not use again.
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  #12  
Old 17th March 2021, 03:05 PM
Dave Hall Dave Hall is offline
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One of those perennial issues that will go to the end of time.
I actually have allways used a "squeege", [ 42 years]
But admit that I have it soaking in rinse aid before use.
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  #13  
Old 17th March 2021, 11:37 PM
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I did use one for the longest time, rinsing in hot water before use. Can't say I ever saw a scratch but I always figured it was only a matter of time so stopped a few years ago. Generally now just wipe down the back with a paper towel as others have suggested and hang to dry over the bath after running hot water through the shower head for a few mins to let the steam knock down most of the dust. Door shut and no disturbance for as long as practical. More recently, once it/they are hanging up, I also give a zap with the Zerostat I bought myself for Christmas...
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  #14  
Old 18th March 2021, 01:01 PM
Terry S Terry S is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob View Post
More recently, once it/they are hanging up, I also give a zap with the Zerostat I bought myself for Christmas...
I remember when these first came out, for use with vinyl records, if I recall and they weren't too badly priced either.

Just looking around, I didn't even know that they were still produced, but I was shocked to see that they now go for anything between £50 and £90+ each!!! I have a small anti-static brush that I use occasionally, so I think that I'll stick with that just now.

Terry S
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  #15  
Old 18th March 2021, 09:53 PM
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Yep, they are not cheap - at least 45 beer tokens - that's why it was a Christmas present

I imagine the prices went up as vinyl became less popular and shot up again now it is the domain of the hipster...
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  #16  
Old 11th April 2021, 10:26 PM
jedoffshore jedoffshore is offline
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Default Salad Spinner

May I suggest that you use a salad spinner to remove as much water as possible?

Afterwards, a passing with a fresh j-cloth over the backing (not the emulsion side) will remove any remaining drops.

This leaves the emulsion slightly tacky and the film dries very quickly.

Thanks,

Gerard
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  #17  
Old 2nd May 2021, 07:37 AM
John King John King is online now
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Default Squeegee's

They are the photographers equivalent of sandpaper used to polish fine metal!

I have used them in the past but never nowadays. I dry my films in what some may say a 'Cavalier' fashion. I only develop in the evening when the house is quiet and hang them up held by clips on the crossbar of the kitchen to living room door frame. I only very, very rarely get dust and they always dry flat.
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  #18  
Old 2nd May 2021, 11:45 AM
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Martin Aislabie Martin Aislabie is offline
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I have always used a squeegee on my 35mm and 120 films in conjunction with a little bit of wetting agent and a Paterson in line water filter.

Ask yourself the question - where is this grit/scale which causes the problems to come from - most likely the water supply - so if you filter it for sand/grit/scale that we all get in out water supplies from time to time - you should be OK.

In 40+ years of squeegeeing films I have never had a scratched negative.

I also dry my film in a film drying tent complete with air filter.

Martin
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  #19  
Old 2nd May 2021, 12:29 PM
John King John King is online now
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Martin, it is not always dust or grit that causes the damage it can be the tapered edge of the rubber blades of the squeegee itself, these can harden quicker than the rest of the tool and go unnoticed.

I found it better to let them dry normally in still air as I do now.

I have known the use of a well soaked and NEW Vileda kitchen cloth. It does work but I am not satisfied that it is better than leaving to dry naturally. Fortunately the water where I live is very soft, so I'm not troubled by watermarks either.
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  #20  
Old 4th May 2021, 09:39 PM
Molli Molli is offline
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Everybody else has already answered the question of sqeegee-ing (supremely awkward word!), so I'll answer the water drops portion. I hang my negatives in the shower after running it to knock any dust down, as mentioned above. What I do to avoid water drying marks is tie a long piece of string to the bottom film clip and use it to angle the film, pinning the string to the floor with a handy bottle of hair conditioner or whatever else is within reach. By angling the film so that the long edge of the film is toward the floor, the water runs off to the sprocket holes and, even if it leaves a drying mark, it's outside of the image area.
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