Author Topic: Dust (on my brain?) (Read 5183 times)

Kai-san · « **on:** September 09, 2015, 09:38:36 PM »

Dust is not a major problem for me, but when I scan my films I like to dust them off with compressed air just in case. But I am pretty tired of buying air in cans, they are expensive, filled with some propellant gas however eco-friendly, they do not last long and of cause add to the ever growing refuse problem.
So I had the idea that maybe those small mains driven air compressors used for air brush work could be utilized for the purpose. The pressure in a can is about 6 bars while these compressors deliver anything from 1 to 4 bars, I do not know if that is sufficient? A compressor for this purpose should of cause have an oil free drive system and preferrably a water separator to ensure that the air is dry.
Do you have any experience of or thoughts about this? It would be interesting to know what you do with your dust issues.

Indofunk · « **Reply #1 on:** September 09, 2015, 10:08:40 PM »

I gently wipe the negs with a microfiber cloth. I'm sure I'm risking scratches, but to date I've never seen any, so I continue to do it

Francois · « **Reply #2 on:** September 10, 2015, 12:17:09 AM »

I know rocket blowers do a pretty good job at dusting. For the hard to remove crud, use cheap off-brand post-it notes...

Bryan · « **Reply #3 on:** September 10, 2015, 01:55:29 AM »

The problem with using compressed air is that it can cause static electricity that helps attract dust. I gently dust them with an Ilford Antistaticum cloth. It's designed for use on negatives and I've never had a problem with scratches from it.

Late Developer · « **Reply #4 on:** September 10, 2015, 11:39:18 AM »

I use lens cleaner and a micro-fibre cloth to keep the scanner lenses on my Epson v750 clean and a rocket blower to dust off the negatives. Keeping dust and crud off negatives during processing is probably as (if not more) important - as no amount of blowing will shift it if it's stuck to the negs.

scapevision · « **Reply #5 on:** September 10, 2015, 02:59:20 PM »

I just use my bathroom

Francois · « **Reply #6 on:** September 10, 2015, 03:30:03 PM »

I know kinetronics makes a special blower that ionizes the air before it reaches the negatives to prevent any triboelectric effect.

jharr · « **Reply #7 on:** September 10, 2015, 04:03:45 PM »

"triboelectric"?? Really Francois??? You are just provoking me.

FLOWER FOUL!

Chinon-Ektachrome-004 by James Harr, on Flickr

thatguychad · « **Reply #8 on:** September 10, 2015, 04:27:07 PM »

Quote from: scapevision on September 10, 2015, 02:59:20 PM

I just use my bathroom

I use mine, too, but probably for a different reason.

I, luckily, don't have much of a dust issue in the house (we have a whole-house air purifier installed by the previous owner), but I do have a Kinetronics dust vac that I bought new for $125. I have yet to use it because a rocket blower is usually all that's required.

Ed Wenn · « **Reply #9 on:** September 10, 2015, 05:36:20 PM »

Dust is my enemy. A huge PITA when I'm scanning.

charles binns · « **Reply #10 on:** September 10, 2015, 05:43:50 PM »

I've got antistatic cloths, brushes, blowers, the works - total waste of effing time.

I dry my negatives in the bathroom with the door shut and I spray the room with an atomiser first (and every time I walk in and out) to get rid of dust in the air. I have also tried running de-ionisers in the room. Don't know why I effing bothered.

Still get dust and a lot of crap on the negs (which probably is due to the poor quality of water in Hertfordshire). I have been thinking of wasting money on a water distiller to see if that does anything.

I can just see Mrs B asking what the water purifier is for - "It's not for you darling, it's for my photography, you can drink the crap that comes out of the tap"

Kai-san · « **Reply #11 on:** September 10, 2015, 07:14:56 PM »

Nice flowers, James!

Speaking of Kinetronics they also make some antistatic brushes which you pull the film through. Now if that doesn't harm the film I expect neither will antistatic cloths. I think I will give those cloths a try, but I wonder how long that antistatic effect will last? Perhaps I could zap the film with my Zerostat antistatic pistol which I use for my vinyl records? And if I attach a ground wire to myself at the same time...........

But seriously speaking I agree that the dust involved in the processing might be the biggest problem. What would I do without the spot removal in Lightroom........

jharr · « **Reply #12 on:** September 10, 2015, 07:42:40 PM »

I consistently forget to rinse out my dev tank before use, so I think some of my dust problems originate there and that dust is embedded. No amount of physical dust removal (that won't damage the image) is going to take that away. Enter my Huion pad and the PS healing tool. High res 4x5 negs can take some considerable effort, but it's all worth it to have squeaky clean tiff's.

Bryan · « **Reply #13 on:** September 10, 2015, 07:43:48 PM »

Quote from: Kai-san on September 10, 2015, 07:14:56 PM

Nice flowers, James!
Speaking of Kinetronics they also make some antistatic brushes which you pull the film through. Now if that doesn't harm the film I expect neither will antistatic cloths. I think I will give those cloths a try, but I wonder how long that antistatic effect will last? Perhaps I could zap the film with my Zerostat antistatic pistol which I use for my vinyl records? And if I attach a ground wire to myself at the same time...........
But seriously speaking I agree that the dust involved in the processing might be the biggest problem. What would I do without the spot removal in Lightroom........

I've been using the same cloth for over a year and haven't fully unfolded it yet so it still has a lot of life left.

I've been thinking about getting on of those Zerostat antistatic pistols for my vinyl records, do they really work?

scapevision · « **Reply #14 on:** September 10, 2015, 08:54:35 PM »

Quote from: Ed Wenn on September 10, 2015, 05:36:20 PM

Dust is my enemy. A huge PITA when I'm scanning.

use the bathroom

scapevision · « **Reply #15 on:** September 10, 2015, 08:56:22 PM »

Quote from: Kai-san on September 10, 2015, 07:14:56 PM

Nice flowers, James!
Speaking of Kinetronics they also make some antistatic brushes which you pull the film through. Now if that doesn't harm the film I expect neither will antistatic cloths.

Last time I tried it i got a thick layer of shit on my neg

Kai-san · « **Reply #16 on:** September 10, 2015, 09:01:27 PM »

Quote

I've been thinking about getting on of those Zerostat antistatic pistols for my vinyl records, do they really work?

They do really work if you have a static problem. I've not been using it much since I invested in a Clearaudio Performance deck and putting all my records in antistatic inner sleeves. But if I buy used records I often resort to it before playing them. You can almost feel your hair relaxing when you press the trigger!

Pete_R · « **Reply #17 on:** September 10, 2015, 09:35:24 PM »

Quote from: Kai-san on September 10, 2015, 07:14:56 PM

Perhaps I could zap the film with my Zerostat antistatic pistol which I use for my vinyl records?

Do they still make them? I had one about 1974.

I always scan immediately after drying (which tales place in the shower) and use a puff of air if I spot anything on the film or scanner. I still get a bit of dust but nothing that can't be handled.

I find the cans of air too powerful. A puffer (rocket blower) is strong enough.

Kai-san · « **Reply #18 on:** September 10, 2015, 09:55:15 PM »

Quote

Do they still make them? I had one about 1974.

They are now called Milty Zerostat 3, you can get them here: http://www.britishaudiostore.com/

Francois · « **Reply #19 on:** September 10, 2015, 10:05:06 PM »

Quote from: jharr on September 10, 2015, 04:03:45 PM

"triboelectric"?? Really Francois??? You are just provoking me.

FLOWER FOUL!

It's just a big word for a simple thing. It's just to say that the air passing over the surface of an object will generate a charge.

Quote

The triboelectric effect (also known as triboelectric charging) is a type of contact electrification in which certain materials become electrically charged after they come into frictive contact with a different material. Rubbing glass with fur, or a comb through the hair, can build up triboelectricity.

Indofunk · « **Reply #20 on:** September 10, 2015, 10:33:53 PM »

Quote from: Francois on September 10, 2015, 10:05:06 PM

Quote from: jharr on September 10, 2015, 04:03:45 PM
"triboelectric"?? Really Francois??? You are just provoking me.

FLOWER FOUL!
It's just a big word for a simple thing. It's just to say that the air passing over the surface of an object will generate a charge.
Quote
The triboelectric effect (also known as triboelectric charging) is a type of contact electrification in which certain materials become electrically charged after they come into frictive contact with a different material. Rubbing glass with fur, or a comb through the hair, can build up triboelectricity.

That's pretty much the textbook definition of a flower foul. Well done James. I will waive the flower foul on the word "frictive" because it was just a quote. However, consider yourself warned, Francois

jharr · « **Reply #21 on:** September 10, 2015, 10:55:12 PM »

Quote from: Indofunk on September 10, 2015, 10:33:53 PM

That's pretty much the textbook definition of a flower foul. Well done James. I will waive the flower foul on the word "frictive" because it was just a quote. However, consider yourself warned, Francois

You beat me to 'frictive'! I swear I was just about to throw another one at him!

Indofunk · « **Reply #22 on:** September 10, 2015, 10:58:04 PM »

Quote from: jharr on September 10, 2015, 10:55:12 PM

Quote from: Indofunk on September 10, 2015, 10:33:53 PM
That's pretty much the textbook definition of a flower foul. Well done James. I will waive the flower foul on the word "frictive" because it was just a quote. However, consider yourself warned, Francois

You beat me to 'frictive'! I swear I was just about to throw another one at him!

I was feeling lenient. He already had one flower foul in this thread, no need for a second one right away. But I do agree that he's acting a bit cheeky, throwing in "frictive" even whilst explaining "triboelectric". I just hope that this warning sets him straight, else we may have to throw a MACRO flower foul at him!

Francois · « **Reply #23 on:** September 11, 2015, 01:56:11 PM »