Wiping film after rinse

I don't have the time to process all of my film, but I have never found a company that does acceptable work with Delta 3200 so I always do this myself.

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After final rinse I was using photo flo but the increased wet time, and the propensity to attract dust, made me go to wiping the film with a Jobo squegee. I noticed a few scratched areas in a recent batch, and I wonder if the soft emulsion can be easily damaged by the rubber lips on the squegee.

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Without a drying cabinet, what is considered the best solution to drying the film?

The general opinion is never to wipe film. Use a good wetting agent

and put it out of drafts that carry dust, or use a drying cabinet.

You can "snap" the film to remove the bulk of the water. The rubber

lipped squegees are death on film, as the slightest grit in the

water, or defect on the lips, will scratch. When they age, the lips

get harder and develop fine cracks. Result- scratches. I've used them

in the past, and if you can filter the water, they are capable of

working well. The problem is that sooner or later, they won't.

Contrary to my advice, I do wipe film with a pair of very soft photo

sponges. They are washed every use, then stored in a plastic bag to

keep them clean. I use these with Photo-flo and never have trouble,

but I tend to get away with a lot of things that other people have

problems with- thus my advice never to wipe film.

If you insist on wiping the film, rather than the squeege, which I

agree is "death to film", try using non-powdered surgical latex

gloves and run the film between your fingers after soaking your

gloved hand in the photo-flo. A box of 100 is about $5 - 7.00.

I agree with James. I do this all the time, but with me bare wet

fingers. Never had problems with scratches.