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MORE ON FILM STORAGE

Mike, you wrote a note about vinegar in relation to storage in metal vs plastic cans. I would
like to make the following comments.

The basic point about vinegar must be that film positives were never intended to spend long
periods inside cans. They were intended to be shown regularly, with the film booker trying
to squeeze the maximum of show days for a given print. (Somebody should write about the
craft of film booking.) The celluloid would be flowing on the winding bench or in the
projector, not sitting in a can in a cupboard for months and years. The old-style metal cans
with a 1000 ft roll of 35 mm in each were not close-fitting, so even in storage there could be
some air movement.

Home-use metal cans for 16 mm sold by Kodak were not usually all that tight fitting. Often,
a piece of blotting paper (or similar) was fitted into the lid to absorb moisture. From
memory, the Kodak hire library used square cardboard boxes. I believe that the Tasmanian
state film library held its films in cardboard boxes, too. Whereas the metal cans made for 16
mm by Maspro in Sydney, usually in bland grey paint, were known for their close fit – you
can often see the dint where someone has forced it open by dropping on edge on the floor.
Clearly there was little air movement once the Maspro lid was clamped on.

As we know, Tuscan's usually blue reels/cans
made in Australia were not that tight fitting.
Tuscan may have given up production in Austral-
ia but Tuscan Corporation is operating in Arizona
with the same products in 16 mm and 8 mm, also
an 'archival' line that is fully ventilated with slots
and fins.
Tuscan Corporation boast of those that -
"ProVent’s innovative design uses active ventila-
tion to reduce acetic acid levels and bring new
life to your valuable film collection. It’s the only film can in the world that conforms to
National Film and Sound Archive Australia’s ventilated film can research".

There are pictures and more information on Tuscan Corporation's website at:
www.tuscancorp.com/archive-storage.html

There is a link to Mick Newnham's research at the NFSA website:
www.nfsa.gov.au/preservation/guide/research/ventilated-film-cans

So, rather than the metal vs plastic material, it seems the main factor is ventilation in
preventing Vinegar Syndrome. Get your films into the air now and then. Project them!

David Donaldson
ph 08 8267 5069
Adelaide

REEL DEALS September 2017 11