DIY in-reel film dryer, for when hanging is not an option

[Foto Ludens]

Although hanging film to dry is usually the best bet, it isn't always possible (for a variety of reasons). Given the restrictions I currently face, I decided to build a film dryer a few weeks ago, and it works well enough that I thought I'd share it (in case it proves helpful to anyone else).
Here's the finished dryer:

It may not be pretty, but it works!

The dryer consists of a 4" diameter (12" long) aluminum tube (which will hold the film, still in its developing reels), a 4" in-line duct fan, a 2-micron filter to fit the fan, and some wire with which to fashion a hanger for the dryer and a support for the film reels in the aluminum pipe. I also used a bit of aluminum wire to ground the aluminum pipe (in order to avoid static charges from building and attracting dust -- which was a problem in the first version of this dryer, when I used a PVC tube instead). You'll also need a drill and some duct tape.

Note: I use stainless steel tanks and reels: those using larger plastic reels will likely have to go for a larger tube/fan/filter set up.

Here's a photo of the filter mounted on the fan:

The filter seems to do a good job of preventing dust from sticking to the drying film. The electric tape I added on the sides is likely unnecessary, but it doesn't hurt anything.

A wire cross at the bottom holds the stainless steel developing reels in place. Note the thinner metal wire used to ground the tube.

Attaching the thin wire to a water pipe would be a better way to ground the dryer, but this seems to work well enough.

This set up will dry 1 roll of film in 30 to 45 minutes, and 2 rolls in a little over an hour. By using wetting agent in distilled water as my last bath, I get no streaks or water marks on my film (I do shake the reels a bit before dropping them into the dryer, to get rid of excess water).

For a cost of about $60, this is probably only worth it for those who cannot hang their film to dry, for whatever reason. But hopefully it proves helpful to someone!

 

[wiltw]

Nice work, but the idea of film curl set into the negs is hard to swallow.

 

[Foto Ludens]

Nice work, but the idea of film curl set into the negs is hard to swallow.

So far it's not been a problem. Put the dry negatives in sleeves and in a binder (with other sleeves of negatives on top), and they're pretty much flat in a few hours. So far, only Bergger Pancro 400 have been a bit stubborn. Fomapan, Kentmere, and Rollei films have been pretty flat after being sleeved.

 

[mshchem]

Looks pretty good. No heat required and a proper pleated sealed filter. Heat is what puts a curl into negatives. The ground wire is a excellent idea. These kind of things were done very poorly in the past. Modern filters, no blistering heat, Looks good.

 

[removed account4]

Nice! Have you had issue with film getting stuck in the reel ? Having seen this happen ( not mine ) I all always leery of drying film in reels…

 

[Foto Ludens]

Looks pretty good. No heat required and a proper pleated sealed filter. Heat is what puts a curl into negatives. The ground wire is a excellent idea. These kind of things were done very poorly in the past. Modern filters, no blistering heat, Looks good.

Thanks! The filter is a game changer for me. My negatives end up needing very little dust removal when scanned ( unless I drop them on the carpet, of course)

Nice! Have you had issue with film getting stuck in the reel ? Having seen this happen ( not mine ) I all always leery of drying film in reels…

I've not had that issue, but maybe it's more common with plastic reels than metal ones? I didn't think to worry about it, and lucked out In the end.

 

[mshchem]

I am playing around with 70mm film, Hasselblad back. Length of film is 15 feet, standard practice is to dry on the reel. The reel I use is 7 inches in diameter so I would need a bigger model .

 

[Foto Ludens]

I am playing around with 70mm film, Hasselblad back. Length of film is 15 feet, standard practice is to dry on the reel. The reel I use is 7 inches in diameter so I would need a bigger model .

That would be a hefty set up!

 

[removed account4]

I've not had that issue, but maybe it's more common with plastic reels than metal ones? I didn't think to worry about it, and lucked out In the end.

knock on wood I guess
its common in both metal and plastic reels and is the reason it is often suggested not to dry film in reels, sticking to reels and marks on film.

best of luck
John

 

[Foto Ludens]

knock on wood I guess
its common in both metal and plastic reels and is the reason it is often suggested not to dry film in reels, sticking to reels and marks on film.

best of luck
John

Interesting. I'll keep an eye out for it, then! Maybe since I don't use heat to dry this won't come up. Knock on wood indeed!

 

[removed account4]

Knock on wood indeed

I'll knock on wood for you too

 

[wiltw]

Why not simply get a 6' long PVC large diameter pipe, and outfit it with filter and fan for airflow (like you did to fit the loaded developing reel with processed film)? Or even corragated dryer vent tube?
Hang the tube in your shower with strip of film dangling inside (large binder clip on film so it hangs straight within the tube, and the binder clip keeps the film from touching the wall of the tube)

 

[Foto Ludens]

Why not simply get a 6' long PVC large diameter pipe, and outfit it with filter and fan for airflow (like you did to fit the loaded developing reel with processed film)? Or even corragated dryer vent tube?
Hang the tube in your shower with strip of film dangling inside (large binder clip on film so it hangs straight within the tube, and the binder clip keeps the film from touching the wall of the tube)

PVC is hell for static electricity (and therefore dust), in my experience. A corrugated dryer vent tube could work, if it is strong enough to hold the reels without tearing.

 

[wiltw]

PVC is hell for static electricity (and therefore dust), in my experience. A corrugated dryer vent tube could work, if it is strong enough to hold the reels without tearing.

My point was use of a long tube, to eliminate the need to dry film on reels...you could be processing more film, if the reels were not full of drying film, and they would have absoutely no tendency to stick to the reel. the long tube would have filtered air only. And even PVC tube could be rinsed before the end cap/filter was placed on the ends, and devoid of dust in the interior.

 

[Foto Ludens]

My point was use of a long tube, to eliminate the need to dry film on reels...you could be processing more film, if the reels were not full of drying film, and they would have absoutely no tendency to stick to the reel. the long tube would have filtered air only. And even PVC tube could be rinsed before the end cap/filter was placed on the ends, and devoid of dust in the interior.

That's an idea, but in my case that sounds like more trouble than it's worth. For other folks with different situations it might be worth trying...

As for film drying in reels: I must have developed 15-20 rolls with this dryer so far, and haven't seen any hints of film sticking to the reel. I wonder if people who have had this happen were using heat to speed up the drying.

 

[Down Under]

An odd-looking contraption, like something from a space ship - or an 1930s Art Deco era gadget.

I reckon, ideal for blowing dust all over one's precious films.

But needs must, I suppose. Many of us need projects to keep us sane during the current Covid madness, and this is as good as any.

After several decades of dust problems on my films, I looked into this 'problem' in the '90s, and came up with my own innovation - I bought a plastic clothes hanging unit from K-Mart and set it up in a hall closet, having beforehand worked out that this location was likely to have the least free-blowing dust in my house. I hang up my films in it (after final-rinsing them with a very weak mix of Photo-Flo mixed in distilled water), zip up the thing and just let them hang. Presto, no more dust sticking to my rolls of precious negatives or slides.

I did connect an electric portable hair dryer to this, but it just blew in more dust. So I removed it and sealed up the slit I had made in the unit, and let the film hang to dry. A few hours will do it during the warm months.

When is hanging films to dry not an option. Even cheap motel rooms or fleabag budget hotels in Asia usually have closets. Okay, I know some don't, but I no longer travel that way. Nor do I particularly enjoy developing films in a tent in the Gobi Desert.

I admit it, there are times when one is on the road or away from home and has to process film - but how often does it happen?? I did for some years with an Agfa Rondinax but then gave it up as it was too difficult to buy chemicals locally in the places I was visiting. I also had an 'experience' at an airport in Southeast Asia when my luggage was inspected and an overzealous customs officer got curious about the Rondinax, which then involved a 45 minute wait until an English-speaking officer was found to translate my explanation to the inspector. At that point I decided "never again!!" and gave up developing films on the road.

As for the other suggestions, I have to say my films are too valuable for me to risk having them stick to reels after drying. I now take them home with me and process them there in bulk after my journeys, or find a local darkroom to use - surprisingly there are still many even in Asia, altho these days they don't see much use other than arts students dabbling in film or the occasional elderly photographers like me.

As for this thing, well, if it works, why not? Kudos to this inventor for having created it.

 

[Jim Jones]

Decades ago the journalism school at the university of Iowa used a commercially made 35mm negative dryer similar to Photo Ludens' model. It was longer to accommodate quite a few rolls of film. A simple latch at the bottom retained the reels and provided easy access. I don't remember if it had a center rod through all of the reels to reduce the possibility of dumping all of them all on the floor. Curvature of film never seemed to be a problem. However, to eliminate the possibility of this, all film was cut to fit zig-zag photo wallets soon after drying. This eliminated curvature in any direction.

 

[Foto Ludens]

Decades ago the journalism school at the university of Iowa used a commercially made 35mm negative dryer similar to Photo Ludens' model. It was longer to accommodate quite a few rolls of film. A simple latch at the bottom retained the reels and provided easy access. I don't remember if it had a center rod through all of the reels to reduce the possibility of dumping all of them all on the floor. Curvature of film never seemed to be a problem. However, to eliminate the possibility of this, all film was cut to fit zig-zag photo wallets soon after drying. This eliminated curvature in any direction.

Cool! A latch on the bottom is something I've thought about... and I can see that (given my clumsiness, at least) having a center rod or lifter of some sort would be necessary. Food for thought before the next round of tinkering takes place. Thanks!

 

[AgX]

I reckon, ideal for blowing dust all over one's precious films

You reckon wrongly as the air is filtered before passing the blower.and the film.

 

[faberryman]

What were the restrictions you faced preventing you from hanging up your film to dry?

 

[Foto Ludens]

What were the restrictions you faced preventing you from hanging up your film to dry?

There were a variety of things. Does it matter?

 

[faberryman]

There were a variety of things. Does it matter?

Not really. I am just curious what set of circumstances motivated you to go to the time and expense of building the film dryer.

 

[Foto Ludens]

Not really. I am just curious what set of circumstances motivated you to go to the time and expense of building the film dryer.

A few ruined rolls of film that were hung to dry in less-than-ideal conditions were the initial motivation. The usual APUG suggestions for protecting/managing hanging film either were not viable or did not work in my case, and so I decided to make the dryer. As an added bonus, my film now dries much faster!

 

[faberryman]

A few ruined rolls of film that were hung to dry in less-than-ideal conditions were the initial motivation. The usual APUG suggestions for protecting/managing hanging film either were not viable or did not work in my case, and so I decided to make the dryer. As an added bonus, my film now dries much faster!

That makes sense.

 

[MattKing]

Perhaps, like many of us, Foto Ludens has to share the location used for film drying with others who use the same location for non-photographic purposes .
One of the biggest advantages of drying film on the reels is that any water on the surface only needs to flow across the short dimension (width) of the film, not down its length.