Sandy McLennan

Is there any word on the availability of Double 8 perforation by anyone other than Wittner? Or, as was said, buying 25’ spools from FPP (glad that they do that business with the large Wittner minimum). I just purchased 100’ spools of Fomapan R100 from Fotoimpex in Berlin, who ship to North America (when Foma does not). It would be great to get a variety of stocks (colour, too) in 100 feet. Edward Nowill, when last we communicated quite a while ago, might perhaps (pending personal and machine maintenance issues) re-perforate acetate (not polyester, too hard) double-perf 16mm.

Forgot to mention: remjet removal is finished by passing the film between any two rinse buckets, squeezing it between a folded cloth/sponge. Three or four passes back and forth. And the last wash I did in a bucket under the tap: fill, swish, dump, repeat a few times. 30 seconds in a room temperature tap water bucket which has a drop or two of Photo Flo in it. Hang to dry

Thanks Nick for that info many moons ago. Got back at it and have good results with 50D and 250D (double 8mm, super 8 and 16mm which makes sense since it's the same film), overexposed about 1 stop and not overdeveloped (too hot and/or too long made highlights too clear and therefore too orange). Best for me was close to normal E-6 kit times and temps. Bucket processing (two litres of liquid in each bucket): tap water soak 100F 5min, 1st dev 100F 7min, rinse one minute in each of two buckets (room temp or higher), colour dev 100F 7min, rinse two buckets, room light can be on now, blix 100F 7min (may not need that long; it's done when the unexposed leader and edges are clear - well orangy clear which is as "clear" as it gets). Most was a nice subtle turquoise tint in white or blue or highlights, some was underexposed (day-for-night look) so may have needed another minute or few degrees more in 1st dev. Hopefully I'll get to flatbed scan then post some images here. I know that helps.

My success with Tri-X 7266 super 8 reversal for experimental film (will not look like it's from a lab, there shall be emulsion chunked off, floating in your buckets, so go gentle on the agitation/picking up) as follows: In total darkness, pull the film out and gather it in a dry bucket. Cut off with scissors (it's hard to tear). Ten plastic buckets (1 gallon, 4L each) laid out on a table in the darkroom. In Canada, buy at a dollar store. First bucket Dektol 1:5 (333ml Dektol stock, 1666ml water), 22C, 10min, agitate @ 30sec (raise up the film with a gloved hand, put it back in). This chemistry can be re-used. I've added 1/2 teaspoon of sodium thiocyanate to the Dektol, but don't know what difference it makes.Does it make the emulsion softer? Two buckets of water for rinse, house room temp, two minutes in each bucket with gentle swishing, or pick up and dunk. Third bucket is bleach (a 1:1 diluted version of "Ilford reversal bleach" is 2g potassium permanganate, 10ml 93% sulphuric acid, in 2L water), I get the chemicals from Nymoc, 24 McGee St, Toronto, ON M4M 2K9,Phone: (416) 465-1929. I'm fortunate I can drive 3 hours to pick them up (or the other photo chemicals they sell) and I don't know if they ship. 20C, 1 minute then turn on room light, bleach to completion. I believe you can't over-bleach, but I get nervous so watch it. Might be 2 or 3 minutes. Hold the film up to light and look for cleared areas where you can see the colour of the bucket behind the film, so not opaque. Best to throw this out after one use, or enjoy the thrill (angst) of uneven bleaching next use. Two buckets of rinse water, 2 minutes each. Place the film in a dry tray (eg. 11" x 14") and wrangle to expose all frames on both sides a few inches under a gooseneck 800 lumen desk light. It will be tangly and drippy (annoying). I understand you can't over-re-expose under a room light. If frames don't get exposed to this light, there can be some crazy "effects" when projecting. A bucket of Dektol 1:5, without the sodium thiocyanate, 20C, 2 or more minutes, until black parts like edges are fully black. I understand you can't over-use this second developer. You could re-use the first developer (without any sodium thiocyanate) but then throw it out. A bucket of rinse water, or two, or take it to running water and change out the water a couple of times. A bucket of fixer. I've been using Kodak Fixer, diluted 1:1, 20C, 4 minutes. When it is well used, do a clip test to determine if it's still working and how long to leave the film in it: snip a short length of super 8 Tri-X that's been completely exposed to light, hold it in the fixer and time how long it takes to clear, then double that time. A bucket of rinse water (or the same on used for the second developer, with fresh water). Rinse and replace the water two or three times. A bucket of water with a few drops of Photo Flo (or I've read dish soap?), 20C, 1 minute. To dry I've draped it over the shower curtain rod, hung it by paper clips spread open on a clothes line, through the sprocket holes, or draped it around a portable clothes drying rack. Good luck. Enjoy the experience and the ride! Then thread up a projector.

Always concerned about continued manufacturing of double 8mm and, less so, super 8 stock. A search for news about this returned nothing. Anyone here know if there's a chance the company won't be back? On http://www.wittnercinetec.com, it states: " WEB SHOP CURRENTLY !!!!! CLOSED !!!!! Company is closed until mid/end of July 2017 because of restructuring.

Blix had a good effect at the end of this procedure: 33 feet of Fomapan regular (double) 8mm R100 (way overexposed), 1 litre bucket of Dektol 1:5 + 1/4 teaspoon sodium thiocyanate crystals (one minute at 23C), 30 seconds in each of 3 water buckets, used bleach (for 100' of super 8, kept topped up containers) "R10" (potassium permanganate, sulphuric acid, Calgon) for 3 minutes (room light on after 2 minutes - thanks Richard for that tip). Images showed the sun reflecting off water as black dots; they were visible while in the bleach after 2 minutes then disappeared as a yellow opaque surface took over the film. 3-bucket rinse, re-exposed to light, 3-bucket rinse, second developer Dektol 1:3 (no hypo), 3-bucket rinse, Kodak Fixer 1:1 double the time of clip test. Film was almost opaque, with a sepia kind of tone, the sun images barely visible when projected. Dunked it a few minutes in a bleach which is 800ml Hydrogen Peroxide (9%) + 200ml vinegar (no change in the film). A couple of days later I pre-soaked it in water then 1 litre of room temp (23C) E-6 blix for 3 minutes. That was too long, as some of the film cleared completely, but many feet are partly cleared and a nice high contrast, useable projected image. Thanks! PS. Half the 33' I developed as negative in the Dektol 1:5 + hypo, rinse, Kodak Fixer. The sun spots appeared black (although that whole length of film was very dark, with the sepia-like tone). After the blix, that length of film is mostly completely clear, except for some black images of the sun - so it seems it is a negative. I will try again, with "better" exposed film. PPS. We can't buy Calgon in Canada. What can I substitute for it in the permanganate/sulfuric acid bleach? Thanks

That must be a thrill. The film looks so great; I hadn't thought of the wonder of it being processed manually. Are these racks still available to see? Thanks for your post. I am happy with bucket processing; don't feel the need to seek a spooler. Happy to have screened a home-processed super 8 (Tri-X 7266: Dektol 1:5+thiocyanate, R9 bleach, Dektol 1:3) the other day in Huntsville, Ontario, Canada [i tried to insert an image here, but it didn't like my URL] It was a home-made pop-up cinema tent

Yes. This happened again, so that is correct. No worries now, hanging it up on the shower rod with it looking non-see-through!

thanks for this post. my questions are: relative to: "E6 kit and some adjusted times" what times? At 105F? Then: "put the film in a tray with some fresh water and photoflow and using a sponge, gently scrubbed the film to remove the remjet backing" Both sides, or which side? thanks

New to forum. Very pleased with normal-exposed super 8 Tri-X 7266 (In 2.5-litre or bigger, juice containers and small plastic buckets, 2 litres of Dektol 1:5 + 1/2 teaspoon sodium thiosulphate, 8min, 23C; bleach (permanganate, sulphuric acid, Calgon) with lights on after 2 minutes to ensure film is clearing; re-expose with 100W bulb; Dektol 1:3 until good and black: 2-5min; Kodak Fixer 1:1 after clip test recommended 4 minutes; photo-flo; hang on shower curtain rod). Thanks to Richard Tuohy for the key tip of being able to turn lights on to observe the bleach in the bucket. This also worked for Fomapan 100R 8mm. E6 kit from Argentix.ca worked with Agfachrome 200D even after being mixed and used for one super 8 cartridge then stored for 3 months or so in airtight containers. Question: why did the film appear not cleared, even after leaving it in the blix for 20 minutes with agitation, then it cleared while it was hanging up to dry (after wash and photo-flo)?