3 Sep
2002
3 Sep
'02
5:36 p.m.
Ironically, they also accidentally trashed 1000s and
1000s of photos,
slides, negatives (both plastic and glass plate), and home movies.
The slides and negatives are also subject to mold, since the emulsion is made
of yummy gelatin, and should be left out or hung up to completely dry. The
older ones are likely to be more vulnerable, since modern films typically
contain a fungicide, and I would guess that color film would be more
vulnerable than black-and-white.
I still need advice on unsticking/cleaning the
home movie films, since none were in water tight containers.
Put them in room-temperature flowing water (e.g. a sink or bathtub that has
an overflow drain, with the tap running) for about half an hour. A minute
before you take them out, add a *tiny* amount of dish detergent -- dab your
finger on the spout and rinse it off in the water -- or better, get a bottle
of wetting agent for about $3 from a camera shop and add according to
instructions. Unroll and hang up to dry; probably the easiest cheap way to do
this is on a series of plastic clothes hangers on a shower curtain rail.
Shortly before hanging up the film, run the shower hot for a few minutes to
help keep dust down. Leave to dry at least 12 hours. (Obviously, try this out
first with one relatively unimportant film.)
--
Kevin Schoedel
<schoedel(a)kw.igs.net>
"If I have not seen as far as others,
it is because I am standing in the footprints of giants."