Page 12 - RD_2019-03.ppp

This reduces the smell in time but
alas, do not halt the process!

Film Storage - General:
Matching plastic spool & can sets
(Tuscan, Cecolite, etc) are proba-
bly best for long term storage.
They protect the film from light,
dust and dirt and are virtually air-
tight. When stored in towers, the
weight of the films above is taken
by the walls of the can and not by
the actual film spool within. Re-
member also that acetate film Ventilated film cans. Note the slots
stock does not like sudden changes
in temperature. Being virtually airtight, match- the turns and wound up wet. Experience has
ing spools & cans moderate the temperature shown this softens the film base in time and
gradient (change) inside the can, thus protect- destroys the film. One of the first things I
ing the film from sudden changes in external learned from an old film library professional
ambient temperature. was, don’t put anything on it. Old film stock
Film Storage - Acetic Films: may also smell of camphor. Collectors only
need be concerned about acetic (vinegar) smell-
This is difficult: Store the effected film in a ing films!
spool & can and the gas will build up inside, so
vent periodically; or store on open reels away Rob Foxon is an independent film archivist. He
from the working environment to vent freely; has been presenting touring 16 mm railway and
not really recommended, or store in loose fit- transport archive screenings in theatres, town
ting cans to enable the film to breath. Older halls, community venues and the like, for more
metal spools and cans are less airtight and are than 40 years. He holds a large collection under
a good compromise. the title ‘The Railway Film Archive’ and has
researched and restored many otherwise ‘lost’
Some manufacturers have produced a range of films, dealing with film laboratories and UK
vented plastic spools & cans. These are similar archives along the way in the restoration and
to the usual ones, but with venting slots in the production of duplicate negatives and prints.
cans and seem ideal for storing films with ace-
tic syndrome but they still need to be isolated Rob has also produced the Debonair Film Col-
from the rest of the collection or others will lectors List (a UK version of Reel Deals) for the
become infested too. Perhaps the thinking be- past 20 years. He checks every single film sold
hind them is that it is good to let films breath? through the list (many thousands of reels by
Collectors in the UK are not convinced by the now!), so has extensive experience in film
use of vented cans for normal film storage! checking, repair and handling. He thinks he
must have seen everything that can possibly be
Postscript: inflicted on a film by now, but is never sur-
prised at what may come up next!
It smells!! We sometimes hear from customers.
Some films retain a chemical smell from labo-
ratory processing or from having had film Film images supplied by Author.
cleaner applied. Film cleaner is a total no-no in
our books as modern (safe) formulae’s do not
evaporate quickly and can get trapped between

12 REEL DEALS March 2019