8mm Forum: Film Preservation

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Topic: Film Preservation

Grant Fitzgerald
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 161
From: Owatonna, MN
Registered: Oct 2011

posted November 13, 2011 07:52 PM

is there a best way to preserve film? If so what is the storage process, cleaning and protecting processes?

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Dino Everette
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1535
From: Long Beach, CA USA
Registered: Dec 2008

posted November 13, 2011 11:32 PM

Grant that is a loaded question, trust me I am writing a book about it as we speak, but if you are asking what is the best way to store your films.. The easy answer is cool and dry.. The not so easy answer is cans or boxes...I believe you will do best with paper boxes or plastic vented cans that will allow air to flow in and out of freely..All film is constantly off-gassing and those gases need to be able to escape or else they can turn back against the film and escalate the onset of vinegar syndrome.

As for cleaning there are many different cleaners, and since they are often proprietary in nature you will get as many answers as there are cleaners. Again the simple answer is to try and store your films as close to being dry as possible regardless of which cleaner you choose..i use many different cleaners for different purposes, but mainly there are slow drying and quick drying types.. The slow drying ones such as film guard or film renew can be used to soak particularly filthy films or for cleaning super 8 films with mag tracks, where as the quick drying ones such as hexane or solvon can be used for normal cleanings on a rewind bench, but I would stay away from these cleaners when dealing with magnetic tracks. Whenever using any cleaners ALWAYS make sure you have good ventilation as breathing in too much can make you woozy....I'm sure you will get a great deal of useful information from others..

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"You're too Far Out Miss Lawrence"

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Bryan Chernick
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 654
From: Bothell, WA, USA
Registered: Mar 2010

posted November 14, 2011 02:56 AM

The quote below is from this article: The Library of Congress Unlocks The Ultimate Archive System

quote:
We have differing conditions depending upon the materials stored in them and their use. Our nitrate film is stored at 39 degrees Fahrenheit, with 30% relative humidity. This equates to a Preservation Index of 655 years.

For non-nitrate film preservation masters (also known as “safety film”), we store at 25 degrees Fahrenheit, 30% relative humidity, for a PI of 2125 years. All of our new film preservation masters go into this storage environment.

That's how the Library of Congress does it but I'm not sure how you would achieve that at home? You would need a humidity controlled freezer.

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Joe Caruso
Film God

Posts: 4105
From: USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted November 14, 2011 05:41 AM

I find metal cans/reels and original cardboard boxes (as in the case of first distribution), are fine in maintaining films - As Dino rightly said, cool and dry - Clean your collection bi-annually, using cotton swabs and a film renew cleaner, as the film unwinds, let dry - Tend to them faithfully, as you would to a record or comic book collection - That's my long-standing take on 8mm, Super 8mm, 28, most all gauges, except 35 - Shorty

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Grant Fitzgerald
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 161
From: Owatonna, MN
Registered: Oct 2011

posted November 14, 2011 11:27 AM

Could anyone post a like for a good cleaner to buy? Do you clean films buy hand? How do I keep a film cool and dry?

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Bryan Chernick
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 654
From: Bothell, WA, USA
Registered: Mar 2010

posted November 14, 2011 01:07 PM

quote:
Could anyone post a like for a good cleaner to buy?

I use Film Renew to clean my films. There have been a lot of discussions on film cleaners on this forum, just do a search of the forum for Film Renew and you will find a lot of information.

quote:
Do you clean films buy hand?

You will need some film rewinds to clean with, you can find them on ebay.

quote:
How do I keep a film cool and dry?

I keep my films in a closet in an air conditioned house. Keeping them in a place like a garage that gets hot, cold, humid, dry etc is probably one of the worst places you could store them. They may not last 2125 years but they will likely outlast you.

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