Film-trimming expertise

[david_oconnor1]

I have sluethed up as much as possible on older posts regarding cutting down film to get 2 5x7's from an 8x10. I can understand the roto-trim theory, and the 5x7 block-template-to-trim-around theory.

The physical trimming of the film is not ponderous. My concern is, should some sort of liner paper be used below the film as a protective measure. Or even a film-sandwich between 2 sheets of something? As nice as sheet film comes from the box, I would like to keep it that way. Of course I would give a dust-off w/anti-static brush between trimming & loading. Thanks in advance for your input. your

[david_oconnor1]

....expertise is appreciated

[david_oconnor1]

....expertise is appreciated.

[qtluong]

I've cut down close to two thousand sheets of 8x10.

I don't use any of those. The only concern is getting dust on

the emulsion surface, and I am not sure this would help.

It was suggested to me by a Fuji rep that

cut sheets should be interleafed with a sheet of paper, but I didn't

really see why since they don't come that way in film boxes.

[david_clark4]

Hi David, chose your paper carefully, a lot of paper is very dirty.

Ilford Ortho Plus has a soft emulsion and it comes interleafed, but I

don't know what kind of paper it is, feels different though. Good

luck, David

[duane_kucheran]

Three suggestions:

- wear gloves to prevent depositing skin oils & other stuff on the

emulsion. Wash them a few times to remove any lint.

- find a place as dust free as possible. If you don't have a clean

darkroom, a bathroom in which the shower has run on hot for a minute

or two to clear out the dust is a good compromise. Use a damp cloth

to wipe down the cutter and all nearby surfaces.

- dust free paper is hard to find & I doubt it matters as scratches

on the back of the film don't matter much unless they remove any

antihalation layers.

 

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Good luck,

[qtluong]

Unless you sweat a lot, gloves are not useful and might create

problems. Finger marks are washed away by the developper.

[bruce_wehman]

David,

An easy and clean way is to fold a 14" piece of paper in half and

tape the bottom edge (opposite the fold) 1" from the cutting edge.

Then simply register one side of the film up to the inside of the

fold, fold the loose side of the paper down and press firmly on the

paper to keep the film from sliding while making the cut. Make the 5"

cut in a similar manner. If you have a sharp trimmer you can do 3

sheets per cut. And if you really want to get fancy you can put the

folded paper for the 5" cut inside the one for the 8" cut and do one

cut right after the other. Have a Ball.

bw

[bruce_wehman]

Trying to do this two minutes before leaving from work. That should

be 7" cut instead of 8". And a 14" paper folded in half taped up to

the cutting edge.....well, you get it.

[doug_paramore]

I think the purpose of the paper interleaving on home-cut film is to

protect the adjacent sheet from the rough edges left by the cutter.

Not many of us have a really good cutter that leaves a smooth edges

with no minute turned down sharp areas.

 

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Regards,