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Topic: "Film Renew"
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Michael De Angelis
Phenomenal Film Handler
Posts: 1261
From: USA
Registered: Jul 2003
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posted November 06, 2004 02:38 PM
Kev & John,
I must say that I am completely intrigued by the success which you have found in using water on film prints to remove scratches, as well as using a hair dryer.
My earlier anti-hair dryer comment, was based upon an experience with a 16mm film short which I received years ago that had some warp in the tail end of the film. It was so warped that it went out of focus. Thinking that heat restores memory to plastic, I wound it tight and placed a hair dryer to it. Well, it flattened the film to perfection and the picture in that area was as sharp as a tack, but it wreaked of vinegar smell. I suppose the film was degrading before my attempt.
But this could be for another thread on the forum. But getting back to what you had said earlier, are you using liquid hand soap mixed in with water to help the film dry faster? I'm thinking of what I could use here in the USA, that is to what you are using. We also have electric dishwasher detergent that claims not to leave streaks on glass and crystal ware.
Also if I were to try this with 800 feet to 1600 feet of 16mm film, how would you suggest that I run the cloth and dry the film so it will not stick on a take up reel?
Thanks for your help.
Best,
Michael
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Isn't it great that we can all communicate about this great
hobby that we love!
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Tony Milman
Phenomenal Film Handler
Posts: 1336
From: United Kingdom
Registered: Jun 2003
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posted November 08, 2004 01:51 PM
From the Kodak Web Site
Film-Cleaning Checklist
Here are some things to remember when cleaning films:
Use only well-known, high-quality film-cleaning solutions. Do not use alcohol of any kind because some types can soften the emulsion, or the base, and can increase the risk of abrasion during the cleaning process. Alcohols are not good oil solvents because they can remove magnetic striping, are highly flammable, and can lead to moisture condensation.
On film with magnetic tracks, first check the cleaning solution on a short section of film. If a brown color appears on the cloth, stop! An approved film cleaner is suitable for use with most magnetic striping, provided contact is brief.
Use a soft, lintless cloth such as a deep-pile plush. Avoid using hardsurfaced textiles or exerting excessive pressure on the cleaning pad as these tend to abrade film and hold any ant in contact with the film surface. Also, do not use cloths from which dyes bleed. Fold all cut edges inside the pad to prevent depositing lint on the film.
Refold the cloth pad frequently so that a clean surface is always in contact with the film. Advance impregnated dry-tape webs frequently for the same reason.
When cleaning with cloth pads and solvent, wear protective gloves and make sure there is adequate ventilation in the work area.
If you need to clean a 35 mm print, be sure to relubricate it properly by edgewaxing, because cleaning solvents remove the lubricants along with the dirt. Make sure that the film-cleaning solvent is evaporated from the film surface before you wind the film onto the reel or core. Place some sort of lamp on the table so that it will reflect light from the film surface as you clean. This way, you can observe the solvent on the film and the point where it evaporates.
To speed cleaning, lengthen the film path between the cloth pad and the take-up reel. Use idler rollers near the ceiling or place the reels far apart. Remember, the faster the film is wound, the more frequently you will need to replace the cleaner on the cloth and rotate the pad. Never let the pad become so dry that wet cleaner is no longer seen on the film surface.
A cleaned print will remain that way only as long as the contributing factors that cause dirt problems are known and remedied-or prevented. To begin with, oil acts as a lubricant when applied to bearings and other mechanisms to reduce friction and wear. Otherwise, oil on film acts like a magnet, drawing dust, dirt, and gritty particles to the film surfaces and keeping them there. Oil can come from an over-oiled projector, worn bearings, or from inadequate or improper equipment cleaning. In every case, the oil finds its way to projector-component surfaces that come into contact with the film. Once on the film surface, oil continues to migrate and film mottle develops. Contact with dirty surfaces and airborne dust and dirt, with the help of static buildup, does the rest.
General Guidelines
Try to do the best you can to prevent dirt buildup in the work area. If cement splices are made, be sure the film particles from scraping are cleaned away from the film before it is wound up. Also keep the splicer and bench top clean. Dirt particles that look like large chunks of debris on the screen are almost microscopic in size when viewed on the film surface. You can't see most dirt particles on a bench top with the naked eye.
Not a Cure All Simple film cleaning does nothing to eliminate scratches and cinch marks because all such marks are actually forms of physical damage to the film surface. Therefore, preventative maintenance and cleanliness are the keys. Once the damage is done, efforts to recover a print can be very expensive and can produce results that are only marginally satisfactory. A film will look best to viewers if it has been properly cared for and has always been in a clean environment on carefully maintained equipment.
Lubrication
All motion-picture films destined for projection are required some level of lubrication. The lubricant incorporated in some 8 mm or 16 mm films may be sufficient, even after processing. Since all films may not be lubricated, it should be done to assure a smoother projection. Most laboratories do apply a lubricant when necessary. Caution: Solvent film cleaners or lubricants require adequate ventilation and avoidance of prolonged contact with skin. If these precautions cannot be met, employ a professional firm to clean and lubricate the films. Also, local municipal codes must be strictly adhered to in using and disposing of any solvents.
Theatrical 35 mm release prints require considerably higher levels of lubrication to provide trouble-free performance during projection nuns. Since the required amount of lubricant is excessive for overall application, it is applied to the perforated film edges only on the emulsion side. During windup, some of the lubricant transfers to the film edges on the support side. The edge-wax solution consists of 50 grams of paraffin wax dissolved into 1 1itre of inhibited 1.1.1 Trichloroethane and is usually applied by a special edge-waxing machine. For more information, refer to the SMPTE Recommended Practice, RP151-1989, Lubricatlon, Print.
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Tony
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Paul Adsett
Film God
Posts: 5003
From: USA
Registered: Jun 2003
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posted November 08, 2004 03:10 PM
I agree with you Mark. The more you read, the more contradictory and confusing it gets. Talk about a load of Black Magic. As far as Kodak's warning about brown residue formed by the cleaner removing the stripe, if you take just about any super 8 sound film that has not been cared for, and just wind it thru a dry cotton cloth, you will get a load of brown crud on the cloth. I think this is loose oxide and dirt, and needs to be got off the film anyway.
As far as I am concerned, I'm going to stay with what works for me, and the best and safest household product I have found so far is the ArmorAll wipes. I am definately going to stay very far away from any professional film cleaning solutions.
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The best of all worlds- 8mm, super 8mm, 9.5mm, and HD Digital Projection,
Elmo GS1200 f1.0 2-blade
Eumig S938 Stereo f1.0 Ektar
Panasonic PT-AE4000U digital pj
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