I have a few questions...

Where is the cheapest source of 669 film :) I am buring through it like no tommorrow, and having a blast doing it. B&H is 11.99 for 10 I dont want to move to 4*5 until I am confident in my abilities and dont want to throw too much money away :)

I am thrilled with this "unknown" process, though there is a lot of web info available I had never heard of it, and am absolutely thrilled I found it.

I am having pretty good results with image transfers, and not having such good luck with emulsion transfers, they tend to tear prematurely, rip and sometimes not even make it to the paper. Please give me some advice, it seems that many people online have the skill to get the entire piece and then can manipulate it to their desires. Please help me out if you can, I basically soak them for around 4 minutes or more, then peel it off slowly and thats ok, the edges all curl and whikle trying to put it on celllophane, it tears or if it makes it to the paper, it gets even worse, and I am really trying to be gentle. Thanks for any help to my questions. Chris

-- Chris A (xcontrol@erols.com), April 12, 1998

Answers

This is a reply to Chris A xcontrol@erols.com. You must be on the right track if your not having problems with the image transfers, emulsion transfers shold be a breeze after that.

Here's what I do. 1) I boil water in a kettle. 2) I pour boiling water in a frying pan aprox 2 inches deep. 3) I put clear packing tape on the back of a 669 print that has been dry for over 24 hours. 4) I slide the dry print with tape on the back into the hot water (near boiling). 5) I rock the pan like I would a developing tray. 6) after the emulsion is bubbled looking all over 2-3 minutes I put the print in cold water, in another tray or pan. 7) I PUSH the edges of the emulsion in towards the center with my thumbs (this is done under water. I must say that I am not gentle with this part I push without regards to how wrinkled it looks. 8) at this point I wrinkle the emulsion up pretty bad and keep rolling it off the backing usually starting at all edges and then concentrationg on going in one direction. i end up with a polaroid cigarette at the end. 10) I find that at this point when all the emulsion is off of the backing I need to wash off a jelly like coating by changing the cold water a few times. 11) I slip a piece of waxy plasticy paper under the print completely under water and let it spred out on it. the stiffer the piece of paper/plastic the better. I may just get an edge of the print on the plastic and then hold the edges and lift the piece in and out of the water a few times letting the rest of the emulsion drape out naturally on the plastic. 12) I hardly ever rip the emulsion and I am pretty rough with it, then I take the plastic and mash it on to water color paper (or whatever) with a roller, carefully peel the plastic back from a corner and make sure the emulsion sticks, and I'm done.

If this doesn't work maybe you have outdated film?? make sure the print is very very dry, like I said I wait 24 hours or more. check out some of my transfers at http://www.teleport.com/~glasers/ feel free to write me with questions at glasers@teleport.com, I'm interested to see if it works out for you.

Soren Coughlin-Glaser

-- Soren Coughlin-Glaser (glasers@teleport.com), April 13, 1998.