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Author Topic: Removal of Emulsion from film? Robert Burtcher Expert Film Handler Posts: 194 From: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Registered: Jun 2005 posted 03-06-2006 05:08 AM                     Okay, a rather odd question to be sure. I am considering adding some clear leader to the tail of our prints to help protect them, but I'm fairly sure the money men won't go for that. As an alternative, I'd like to make some "Poor Man's" clear leader by removing the emulsion from old, scratched trailers that get thrown in the trash. I know water softens the emulsion, but it doesn't wash it away. Is there any way to easily wash away or otherwise remove the emulsion? Or is this really even worth my time to think about? (I get the feeling it's not)  |  IP: Logged Kris Dirix Film Handler Posts: 54 From: Antwerp / Belguim Registered: Feb 2005 posted 03-06-2006 05:20 AM                     use sodium hypochlorite (= Bleaching Water)  |  IP: Logged Robert Burtcher Expert Film Handler Posts: 194 From: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Registered: Jun 2005 posted 03-06-2006 06:18 AM                     I just tested that on a scrap of film... Holy cow, that works insanely well! Thanks! Just a tip for you all if any of you try to do this, though: the reaction seems to evolve a lot of gas that might be chlorine. It sure smells like a pool.  |  IP: Logged Randy Stankey Film God Posts: 6539 From: Erie, Pennsylvania Registered: Jun 99 posted 03-06-2006 08:40 AM                     quote: Robert Burtcher ...the reaction seems to evolve a lot of gas that might be chlorine. It sure smells like a pool. It is clorine. Almost the exact, same thing as pool clorine except there are a few extra ingredients to make it better for washing clothes and stuff with. I've used hot water and Clorox to remove emulsion several times. It works well but it can be a lot of work. You have to rinse the film really, really well to get all the chemicals off or else you will unwittingly clorinate your projector and all the film that runs through it.  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 03-06-2006 12:50 PM                     I used to do the same trick when making 8 and 16mm leaders - fill a bucket up with a good concentrate of bleach water (good 20% mix), take some 16mm film and fill the bucket and let the goo steep and brew for an hour. Then, drain the bucket (all of this was outside) and throughly rinse off the film and hang the film on the clothesline to air dry.  |  IP: Logged John Pytlak Film God Posts: 9987 From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922 Registered: Jan 2000 posted 03-06-2006 02:39 PM                        If you are just looking for protective tail leader, why must the film be clear? Just use old trailers, but be sure to cue the film so sound and picture don't end up on screen. Film emulsion is made of gelatin, so hypochlorite bleach solution will dissolve it. Protein enzymes could also be used (e.g., Papain, Bromelain).  |  IP: Logged Bill Enos Film God Posts: 2081 From: Richmond, Virginia, USA Registered: Apr 2000 posted 03-06-2006 05:03 PM                     I use old trailers, just to remind myself I put a couple fat scratches the length of them using a box cutter  |  IP: Logged Robert Burtcher Expert Film Handler Posts: 194 From: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Registered: Jun 2005 posted 03-06-2006 07:03 PM                     quote: Randy Stankey It is clorine. Almost the exact, same thing as pool clorine except there are a few extra ingredients to make it better for washing clothes and stuff with. Okay, that's what I thought. I'm assuming that the reaction between the sodium hypochlorite and the geletain emulsion is freeing elemental chlorine gas, as it did bubble pretty good. quote: Randy Stankey You have to rinse the film really, really well to get all the chemicals off or else you will unwittingly clorinate your projector and all the film that runs through it. I thought that might be an issue. I might not do this project then, just to be absolutely sure I don't mess anything up at work. quote: John Pytlak If you are just looking for protective tail leader, why must the film be clear? Simply to help reinforce the fact that it's just protective tail leader and not part of the film. Since I'm not the only one at my theatre that breaks down prints, if I do add the protective tail leader, I want it to be plainly obvious that it is not a part of the film. [ 03-06-2006, 10:24 PM: Message edited by: Robert Burtcher ]  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 03-07-2006 12:11 AM                     ..course, if one wants clear film, a lot of features nowdays have gobs of clear leftover film at the end of the tail leads of the reels that one can snip off. ..these make good film wraps so if one uses a chunk of this clear stuff as a wrap for the filmroll, you can see the title through the clear wrap.  |  IP: Logged Dominic Espinosa Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1172 From: Boulder Creek, CA. Registered: Jan 2004 posted 03-07-2006 12:25 AM                     quote: John Pytlak Just use old trailers, but be sure to cue the film so sound and picture don't end up on screen. That's what I do. I flip it over so the digital systems don't see a proper track.  |  IP: Logged

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