8mm Forum: Good old rubbing alcohol apparently makes for a good film cleaner :/?

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Topic: Good old rubbing alcohol apparently makes for a good film cleaner :/?

Elyas Tesfaye
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 520
From: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Registered: Nov 2012

posted February 06, 2016 07:59 PM

Hi all,

I read this somewhere and was wondering if anyone could share experiences they may have [Smile]

? I eagerly await and wish you all an awesome weekend [Big Grin]

!!!

Cheers,
Elyas

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Steve Klare
Film Guy

Posts: 7016
From: Long Island, NY, USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted February 06, 2016 08:42 PM

I've heard that used repeatedly it dries the film base out and causes shrinkage.

-but...

I use a Bolex bevel splicer on acetate based films. This makes a wonderful splice but it makes for a great deal of dust. If you projected a film edited this way it would be like being inside a blizzard. Afterwards, the insides of your projector would look like the machine has dandruff.

So I clean it by pulling the film through a film cleaning cloth moistened with 90% isopropyl alcohol.

This is typically a one time operation and I've never had any trouble as a result.

This makes sense especially in cases where you plan to stripe the film: cleaning with something containing a lubricant would mean you'd just have to clean that off too before the stripe can stick.

--------------------
All I ask is a wide screen and a projector to light her by...

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Terry Sills
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1423
From: Weymouth,Dorset,England
Registered: Oct 2012

posted February 07, 2016 02:35 AM

What's a Blizzard?
Answer- the insides of a Buzzard! - L&H - Pardon Us.

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Dave Groves
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 508
From: Southend on Sea, Essex, UK
Registered: Feb 2015

posted February 07, 2016 03:26 AM

Oh dear!!! I can't cope with jokes like this at nine on a Sunday morning. I should have waited till later!!

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Dave

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Simon Balderston
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 164
From: North Lincolnshire, UK
Registered: Nov 2015

posted February 07, 2016 11:05 AM

if you want me to go i will stay as long as you like

Stan laurel

--------------------
kinema king

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Terry Sills
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1423
From: Weymouth,Dorset,England
Registered: Oct 2012

posted February 07, 2016 11:49 AM

We could start a whole new topic on this subject!
I can't help it. I was dreaming I was awake and I woke up and found myself fast asleep! - L&H Oliver the Eighth.

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Steven J Kirk
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 873
From: Southern England
Registered: Apr 2008

posted February 07, 2016 01:34 PM

Alcohol for hardware cleaning but not generally for film. Though in the past I have used it and it takes off more stripe than it should and with what folks say now, I wouldn't recommend it. Perhaps as a one-time deal, as said above, or if really stubborn marks or something stuck on the film.

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VistaVision
Motion Picture High-Fidelity

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Elyas Tesfaye
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 520
From: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Registered: Nov 2012

posted February 13, 2016 09:41 AM

Hi all,

P.S: I meant 100% alcohol, not rubbing alcohol.

Best,
Elyas

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Barry Fritz
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1061
From: Burnsville, MN, USA
Registered: Dec 2009

posted February 13, 2016 11:32 AM

Comments would be the same for 100%

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Steve Klare
Film Guy

Posts: 7016
From: Long Island, NY, USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted February 13, 2016 12:05 PM

I once read an article about striping film that recommended cleaning film that had an existing lubricant on it with gasoline to help the stripe stick.

-makes alcohol seem kinda tame!

Years ago I had EVT magnetics stripe some of my (un-lubed) films and before I sent them I cleaned in isopropyl alcohol on his recommendation.

It's actually very useful stuff: when I have something to clean it is my second step after regular old tap water doesn't do the job. It's a mild solvent that does its job without leaving any damage behind.

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All I ask is a wide screen and a projector to light her by...

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Barry Fritz
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1061
From: Burnsville, MN, USA
Registered: Dec 2009

posted February 13, 2016 04:42 PM

I use it a lot also Steve. I use in order of strength, alcohol, naptha, acetone. Need to be careful with acetone one plastic parts.

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Steven J Kirk
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 873
From: Southern England
Registered: Apr 2008

posted February 20, 2016 05:55 AM

I have IPA and it is very good for cleaning. It dissolves gunge, left-over sticky labels, marker pen, etc. But it is very powerful. Great for cleaning metal and plastic reels and cans. I wouldn't now use it on film itself.

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VistaVision
Motion Picture High-Fidelity

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Doug Thompson
Junior
Posts: 20
From: Jacksonville, FL USA
Registered: Nov 2012

posted May 18, 2016 08:18 PM

WARNING: THE FAINT OF HEART SHOULD SKIP PASSED THIS RESPONSE!!

Okey, now that it`s just the brave, stout hearted of us here, I`ve used alcohol to clean adhesive off of leaders, although, when the stickum is hardened, alcohol doesn`t cut it. In that case, I use PEC12 on the acetate base of the film. On the emulsion, I use break parts cleaner followed immediately by alcohol on the acetate base, just in case a little break parts cleaner seeped around the edges and sprocket holes. Break parts cleaner doesn`t effect polyester base.

How about those Tenite reels, huh? I think it was in the `60s and early `70s that Kodak returned home movie processing on them. A plastic made from wood pulp, Tenite breaks down and gets a white dryish ooze on the reel and film.

I received the super 8 films my second cousin shot. About a dozen of them were on Tenite reels. Alcohol cleaned the base okey, but just smeared the white crap around on the emulsion. Soooooooo, out came the break parts cleaner. I tried it on one roll, and it looked better than the film on regular plastic reels. (Because it was cleaned and the others weren`t.) I did the remaining rolls, and they`re still fine.

If all this curled you hair, break parts cleaner can do the same if you try to clean the BASE side of acetate film with it!

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