Top three film cleaners?

[jhoneycutt]

Folks...

I mostly work with older 8 mm film. I don't have trouble (so far) with scratching. But I do have dirty film. I have been using Ecco VSF299 and a felt cloth and hand cranks. I clean the film, run it once in the Workprinter, then put the film away. I have about 200 rolls of my aunts & uncles film to clean, and the number keeps growing (big family).

I found this film cleaning machine on ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 95474&rd=1

This baby has alreay been bid up to the $90 range. Might it do a better cleaning job than could be done by hand? I clean with two passes by slowing running the film one way, then back again on the hand cranks.

I have not kept up with the many film cleaners, scratch removing solutions, anti-static solutions, etc. The Ecco VSF299 is a cleaner, conditioner, lubricates, and is a anti static all in one. I like the all-in-one ability of this solution because it means I only have to handle the film once on the hand cranks.

Is the VSF299 just about as good as any of the other cleaners? Most of the film is K-II, shot in the 1950s and 1960s.

jack in Portland Oregon

[MovieStuff]

I prefer to clean by hand, even though I detest the chemicals. Cleaning by hand lets you "feel" the film for ripped sprocket holes, torn film and bad splices; all of which must be attended to before running the film through the transfer unit. It not only services the client better but it also protects your equipment. We consistently get in film with big wads of scotch tape where the film broke in 1964 and Uncle Bob taped it together but never went back and installed a proper splice. That sort of thing can absolutely wreck your claw and cause registration issues on future film transfers.

My two cents....

Roger Evans
http://www.moviestuff.tv

[tim]

I always use isopropyl alcoho (propan-2-ol) and keep projector film paths lubricated with spray polish, like Pledge.

I find that, in the end, manual cleaning (rewinds - hand-held pad) saves time because you can feel damaged sprockets, film and splices and sort them as you go.

[bamboo]

I tried Renovex II, and Filmguard, and ended up choosing Filmguard, since it removed virtually all the scratches on old, badly scratched film, unless they went thru the emulsion, and it also cleaned well if I ran it thru three times.

with

http://www.8mm.filmshooting.com/scripts ... ard?full=1

without

http://www.8mm.filmshooting.com/scripts ... _filmguard

[labrat99]

That looks like a pretty sweet rig. IMHO, the cranks are too close together - you don't have long for the film to dry before it hits the takeup reel so you'd have to crank SLOWLY. I think the primary advantage would be that it will meter out your cleaner consistently. That could be significant bith cost and quality wise.

BTW - I use FilmGuard and it does a nice job. It is expensive though.

Take care.

Labrat

[cineandy]

Hi, well i am afraid i am not doing my bit for the enviroment, please dont report me. I still have a very limited supply of carbon tetrachloride that i use to clean film......

[ninjamoon]

liquid blue is my best cleaner. not made anymore. but i have supply to last for maybe next year.
ninja

[jhoneycutt]

I prefer to clean by hand, even though I detest the chemicals. Cleaning by hand lets you "feel" the film for ripped sprocket holes, torn film and bad splices; all of which must be attended to before running the film through the transfer unit. My two cents....

Roger Evans
http://www.moviestuff.tv

This is a good point that I had not considered. With out knowing it, I have gotten good at feeling the film as I hand crank it. I feel sprocket & bad splices before I can see them. That alone is worth it to me. I think I will stick with hand cleaning.

Thanks Roger.

jack

[jhoneycutt]

BTW - I use FilmGuard and it does a nice job. It is expensive though.
Labrat

Another cleaner I keep hearing about. I'll look up a data sheet on it and maybe try some.

Thanks labrat99

jack in Portland Oregon