Wet Mounting Fluid - Isopropilic Alcohol anyone?

[gui_maranhao]

<p>Hello from Brazil to all!</p>

<p>I've been researching the web and the real world lately before I start doing Wet Mount scanning of negatives on a flatbed scanner I own (a PFU 2400, also known as the Quato Lynx, or even the Qubyx Lynx, a A3 format scanner).<br>

I read all about Kami fluid, a few tutorials online, what a lot of people said about avoiding water at all (emulsion swelling, sticking, etc).<br>

Then yesterday I sat down with a friend, who owns a Nikon 9000 scanner and uses the glass carrier with pure Isopropilic Alcohol with sucess. He told me this is what our local Cinemateque uses to capture old movies, in a technique called Janela Molhada (wet window), I believe the principle is the same with wet mounting, only faster, there is a spray of alcohol on the film as it enters the projector/scanner.</p>

<p>Has anyone here had this experience using this fluid?</p>

<p>Regards,<br>

Guilherme Maranhão</p>

[wogears]

<p>Just a caution: Isopropanol is extremely hygroscopic. I would be afraid that the percentage of H2O would get high enough to damage the emulsion.</p>

[keith_b1]

<p>As Les has said, Isopropyl alcohol is hygroscopic...it may leave the factory at 99.9%, but it continually absorbs water from the atmosphere...forever!. Also, it's fairly flammable at high concentrations(>90%) I've always heard that that 'wet-gate' printing was done with an oil compound...some sort of mineral oil.</p>

[leicaglow]

<p>Yeah, I'm not sure why you'd want to ruin good negative for a cheaper solution. Kami fluid is not that expensive, and there are some other alternatives for brand. I also wonder if Isopropanol would evaporate too fast in some weather or climate conditions.</p>

[Ed_Ingold]

<p>Kami mounting fluid does not contain alcohol and is not hygroscopic. It is flammable, however.</p>

<p>The refractive index of the mounting fluid should be similar to that of glass in order to optically fill the grain and scratches in film, and to prevent internal reflections. Besides its other undesirable properties, the refractive index of Isopropanol (2-propanol) is too low to serves as an effective mounting agent.</p>

[bob_sunley]

<p>Kami fluid is a mix of naptha, mineral spirits and hexane according to the msds.</p>

[gui_maranhao]

<p>Thanks for all the replies!</p>

[dan_max1]

<p>Hi Gui:<br>

Look at the properties of LUMINA. It is not flammable, non hygroscopic.<br>

Dan Max<br>

</p>

[stwrtertbsratbs5]

<p>Yes, Lumina is excellent.</p>