How do I make a filed out carrier?

[tkamiya]

I'd like to try dirty border / filed out neg carrier technique.

I have a spare 35mm carrier for my Omega D-2. What exactly do I do to make this filed out carrier? The standard format for 35mm is 24x36. The opening on the carrier is a little smaller than that.

Is the object file it out so that it's opening is slightly larger than the standard frame size and that edges aren't even? Do I just sandwich the carrier, clamp it, and go for it with hand file? What do I need to be careful with and not do?

[ann]

Basically yes, I have never tried doing both sides at the same time. Just be careful that you don't remove to much or the negative will have problems staying in place.

You might also take a piece of very coarse sandpaper and "sand off the bur from the file.

[tkamiya]

How much do I remove? Just before the sprocket holes and "clear" part of the negs showing on all 4 sides?

[BradS]

maybe....before you destroy a good negative carrier, you could experiment with some matt board or something like that....

[jp498]

I just use an unpainted negative carrier for 35mm and scale down a little so the edges of the inside perimeter of the carrier show in the print. The plain aluminum has a nice look.

I agree with BradS that playing with matboard or something similar would be a good start.

[Bill Burk]

Hi tkamiya,

Remove to your taste. I take out just enough to barely expose the clear area all around.

I found a saw sharpening clamp was the best way to hold the two pieces together as I worked.

Patience and check as you go. I measured first and scratched guide lines where I wanted the cuts to go.

You only need to do 3 sides, because you can slide the negative left-to-right.

When done, use steel wool to remove burrs. Paint the edges with a matt black paint to reduce reflections, I used "Model Master" Flat Black enamel paint. There are probably better, flatter paints.

[bdial]

Mat board won't approximate working aluminum very well. If you want to pratice find some scrap aluminum sheet, or else buy a peice of aluminum extrusion from a hardware store and have a go at that. But you might as well just go for it on your carrier. Just be careful and stop well before you think you've taken off enough and check the result.
A file will load up quickly working aluminum, you'll need to clean it often with a wire brush or a file card (a short bristle wire brush meant for maintaining files).
You could also just work with sand paper, which would be my first choice. 180 or 220 grit will work well for the initial work, then some 320 or 400 to smooth it to your desired finish.
The sand paper will be a bit slower than a file, but give you somewhat more control. If you want a very flat surface wrap the sand paper on a piece of wood or metal that is near the width of the side you're working. If you want to remove metal faster, 150 grit would work, but much coarser than that will leave a surface that may need a lot of work to smooth out, and it would be pretty easy to take it too far.
Sandpaper will shape even thick aluminum surprisingly fast. For a metal, most aluminum is quite soft, with great care, you can even cut it with carbide tip woodworking tools.

[tkamiya]

Thank you.

I actually do have some experience working with aluminum. Here's a question. I see the goal is to have an opening larger than the frame size so that some exposure takes place through the clear part around the image. Some "filed out carrier" images have what is clearly an exposure through this clear part, then the outside edge of this black border is somewhat soft - not a hard edge I would expect from cut of aluminum. How is THIS done? Just a random reflection and diffraction from jagged edges?

How come mat board isn't an approximate?? (not in term of honing skills but visual impact)

[Bill Burk]

Hi tkamiya,

Yes the reflections give the soft edge. Even painting it black doesn't eliminate the reflections.

[tkamiya]

Thank you. I'll really have to try this. I do have a spare 35mm carrier.