8mm Forum: Sticky 16mm film, can be saved?

This is topic Sticky 16mm film, can be saved? in forum 16mm Forum at 8mm Forum.

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Posted by Arturo Glez (Member # 4700) on December 25, 2016, 09:52 AM:

Hi friends,

I found a 16mm film reel, but the film is with vinegar odor and have the film surface like with sticky.

Must I destroy it or can be saved with any product?

Attached picture, regards, thanks in advance for your reply.

http://subefotos.com/ver/?bc40a4fb7d86827bc49a0869ecaf1f04o.jpg

http://subefotos.com/ver/?bc40a4fb7d86827bc49a0869ecaf1f04o.jpg

Regards, Arturo.

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on December 25, 2016, 10:36 AM:

Arturo
If the film smells of vinegar and is sticky, you should dispose of it as soon as possible, until you do, keep it away from the rest of your film collection.

Posted by Barry Fritz (Member # 1865) on December 25, 2016, 01:45 PM:

Those links are odd. The picture appears for a second or two and then it switches to a picture of a Visa card.

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on December 25, 2016, 01:58 PM:

I have no problems accessing the pics. The 16mm film also looks warped.

Posted by Adrian Winchester (Member # 248) on December 25, 2016, 02:47 PM:

Arturo,
Steps can be taken which can at least considerably slow down the deterioration caused by vinegar syndrome. However, the photos (and possibly the smell) makes this case already look serious, so unless it's a print that's very rare and would be a great loss, it may not be worth effort that could be futile.

Posted by David Guest (Member # 2791) on December 25, 2016, 04:10 PM:

bin it

Posted by Clinton Hunt (Member # 2072) on December 25, 2016, 05:00 PM:

Yeah,if it had a slight hint of VS then I would "ummm and errrr" for a while then clean it with Filmguard and see.
But a sticky film I would get rid of .... unless it's very rare [Smile]

If it's not rare then count ya loses and look for another copy in better condition.

Posted by Terry Sills (Member # 3309) on December 26, 2016, 02:39 AM:

I had the same experience as Barry. The picture appears very briefly then an advert replaces it which you can't get rid of.
As for the film- it looks too far gone for any rescue attempt.

Posted by Arturo Glez (Member # 4700) on December 26, 2016, 09:38 AM:

Dear Friends,

Thanks for all your replies, helps me a lot.

The film is very important for me, because is a familiar film of my grandpa.

But as you say is in a very bad state, and the worst, is deformed,I thought that with a liquid maybe could try, but as you say is impossible to save the film.

Will go to the bin unfortunately. :-(

Is very sticky and deformed, this is because was closed over 40 years in a plastic bag.

I see that a lot of 16mm films are with vinegar odor, but not deformed, on this case, is not possible to save it I see.

Thanks for your help, and all the best for you in 2017.

Posted by Jim Schrader (Member # 9) on December 26, 2016, 10:35 AM:

here's his film

Posted by Arturo Glez (Member # 4700) on December 26, 2016, 11:37 AM:

Hi Jim, thanks for your help posting the pic, but seems is nothing to do with the film unfortunately.

Regards,Arturo.

Posted by Barry Fritz (Member # 1865) on December 26, 2016, 02:42 PM:

OK guys, it is a rare and valuable film (to Arturo), so what might he possibly do to enable him to run it at least once through a projector? If that would work he could capture it with a digital camera and then toss the film.

Posted by Adrian Winchester (Member # 248) on December 26, 2016, 08:22 PM:

Arturo - something odd is happening here as the pic Jim posted is one of the ones I see if I click on your links, so I presumed it was your problem film!

Do you know if it's currently possible to project the film? If so, you could at least film it or perhaps have a DVD copy professionally made.

Posted by Barry Fritz (Member # 1865) on December 27, 2016, 12:36 PM:

Jim just grabbed Arturo's photo from the page and reposted it so those of us having trouble viewing it could see it.

Posted by Arturo Glez (Member # 4700) on December 27, 2016, 03:48 PM:

Dear Friends,

Thanks for your preocupation, I do not have words to say thanks.

I am sorry that you are with problems opening the links, for me there is no problem opening it, i do not why appears the aforementioned advertisement.

I put the film in the housetop out of home, i hope during this week stay "better" after feel the cold air.

Suggestions will be welcome about how to save the film, i am doubting about put the film in my Bauer P6 I do not want that breaks the projector, but thanks for your help.

A big hug for everybody here.

We keep in touch, kind regards, Arturo.

Posted by Joseph Gerard (Member # 5721) on January 03, 2017, 02:26 PM:

Hello,
You might not be able to project it using a normal projector because of the frame rate per second through the gate. You might not be able to find someone who would scan it on a frame by frame basis because if it has vinegar syndrome it has the potential to infect other film (a matter of opinion).

Whilst I have not used them, I have seen as a new development small cheap and affordable units (put film scanner into you tube as a search term) which scan single frames of small format film and although these might take some time to complete your reel I would think its worth trying one of those and then not using it for anything else after you have digitised each frame of the affected film.

Once digitised there is a lot that can be done to restore the image (and if you are really keen telecine it back onto a new reel of film). That's what I would do if i had a problem reel.

Good Luck To You

Posted by Michael Lattavo (Member # 4280) on January 03, 2017, 07:05 PM:

Don't throw it away yet- while you can't "cure" it, there is something you can do that should get several viewings out of it. Rewind it onto a metal reel, then soak it in filmrenew in a sealed metal can for a week or two. Remove from can, let it sit out to dry for the same amount of time it soaked. That should get rid of the sticky. Next, put it in a different sealed can with a small chunk of camphor for a few weeks (use a can that is larger than the film reel to keep the camphor from touching the film). This should help make the film more elastic.

Posted by Arturo Glez (Member # 4700) on January 11, 2017, 12:24 PM:

Dear Friends,

Thanks a lot for your advices, and support.

I will try save the film, I put it this days ago in the house top with temperatures betweeen 0-5 degrees.

It seems that the vinegar smell has been reduced.

Soon I will manipulate the film and I will tell you how is.

Thanks again for your help, I really appreciate it.

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