Isopropyl alcohol for cleaning negatives?

[Steve Roberts]

BTW, you can really speed up neg drying time by using a bath of 50/50 water and IPA for a couple of minutes. I believe it is an old newspaper shooter's trick. It's apparently not recommended for general use, but on the films I've used it on, I've had no ill effects.

I used it a couple of times many years ago with no problems. The only down-side I ever heard was that it could leave the film rather brittle (I don't know whether that referred to the base, emulsion or possibly both). The work-around for this was to print what was needed quickly, then re-wash the film in water and dry as per normal.

Steve

[ic-racer]

None of my local camera shops carry the I use the 99% isopropyl alcohol because it's available and I haven't had a problem with reside although some dusty waterspots are more resilient than I am willing to scrub.

99%, you got the good stuff!

[Paul Verizzo]

Yes, it is very good, and at present times, it is the easiest product to be found on the market.
But be aware, there is a very little amount of water in it, about 1 to 2 %.
After a wile, the alcohol evaporates and the percentage will change in favour of the water.
Do NOT drink it...

Good luck,

Philippe

The usual drugstore rubbing alcohol is 30% water, if that is what you are referring to.

[leicam5]

The usual drugstore rubbing alcohol is 30% water, if that is what you are referring to.

Certainly not! I spoke about 1 % water, so it is the 99% stuff, the more water there is in, the more trouble one might have.
The one I was referring to, in particular, is : Isopropanol 99+%(GC) C3 H8 O / CAS : 67-63-0 / EC : 200-661-7 from SIGMA-ALDRICH CHEMIE GmbH.
This is the stuff I also use to mix the 1% Phenidone stock dilution.

I used to clean negatives with C Cl4 (= Tetra Chloor Koolstof, I do not know the name in English), but this one is prohibited now due to causing health problems (cancer).

Philippe

[patrickjames]

I recently started using IPA instead of LFN as a final rinse for black and white film. After I hang the film up I wipe off the excess off the non-emulsion side of the film with a Kimwipe. The film dries really fast and I can't see any ill effects.

[Paul Verizzo]

Certainly not! I spoke about 1 % water, so it is the 99% stuff, the more water there is in, the more trouble one might have.
The one I was referring to, in particular, is : Isopropanol 99+%(GC) C3 H8 O / CAS : 67-63-0 / EC : 200-661-7 from SIGMA-ALDRICH CHEMIE GmbH.
This is the stuff I also use to mix the 1% Phenidone stock dilution.

I used to clean negatives with C Cl4 (= Tetra Chloor Koolstof, I do not know the name in English), but this one is prohibited now due to causing health problems (cancer).

Philippe

Certainly is! Please reread my post. When most non-chemists think of isopropanol alcohol, they think of drugstore rubbing alcohol. And that is, indeed, only 70%.

Not everyone has a S-A down the street.

[leicam5]

Certainly is! Please reread my post. When most non-chemists think of isopropanol alcohol, they think of drugstore rubbing alcohol. And that is, indeed, only 70%.

Not everyone has a S-A down the street.

Dear Paul,

Do forgive me if I have offended you! I must have misinterpreted the teneur your post, please do apologise my lack of true knowledge of your language.
I am not a chemist and S-A is not down my street, it is somewhere at an other end of the internet, just one of the advantages of the net.
But, if S-A is out of reach, perhaps an pharmacist might help, but I do not know how these things are functioning in the US.

Philippe

[Paul Verizzo]

Dear Paul,

Do forgive me if I have offended you! I must have misinterpreted the teneur your post, please do apologise my lack of true knowledge of your language.
I am not a chemist and S-A is not down my street, it is somewhere at an other end of the internet, just one of the advantages of the net.
But, if S-A is out of reach, perhaps an pharmacist might help, but I do not know how these things are functioning in the US.

Philippe

No offense ever taken, no apologies needed. But thanks. And I didn't see where you are, in regards language. Your English is perfect.

Maybe the generic 70% iso alcohol is not common in France. It is here.

Cheers!

Hey, isn't it kind of late there?

[john_s]

........I used to clean negatives with C Cl4 (= Tetra Chloor Koolstof, I do not know the name in English), but this one is prohibited now due to causing health problems (cancer).

Philippe

Carbon tetrachloride used to be in every house here (Australia), for spot removal on clothing. It was back in the 1950s and 1960s.

Also gone is "trike" which was, I think, trichlorethane, the solvent of choice for cleaning greasy machinery and bike parts in particular.

[Fireguy2002]

Certainly is! Please reread my post. When most non-chemists think of isopropanol alcohol, they think of drugstore rubbing alcohol. And that is, indeed, only 70%.

Not everyone has a S-A down the street.

I'm late on the issue, but since we're talking science, isn't isopropanol alcohol kinda redundant?