Graflex.org

vic valis · Joined: 21 Nov 2001 Posts: 247 Location: San Francisco

Picked up on ebay a graflex film pack adapter for display purposes (I need to put something in the barrister's bookcase I'm almost finished making), and it still has several sheets loaded. The current tab sticking out is for sheet #8. but there are several that look like they have pulled off, leaving the film behind. Porbably unexposed film. Anyone have instructions on how to extract those sheets and/or tabs? In the darkroom, that is... may try to develope a few sheets... just in case! Or were the film packs sealed and had to be taken apart to be processed?

jeff

_________________
That money talks,
I'll not deny.
I heard it once;
It said "good-bye."

Les · Joined: 09 May 2001 Posts: 2682 Location: Detroit, MI

Legend has it that you can open a film pack, take out the few exposed sheets, for processing and then put it back together. But the guy that did it said you needed a '39 Buick with an empty trunk.

I haven't opened any of my film packs, but suspect the film is packed individually. Polaroid packs are stuck together-- pulling the film on #1 pulls the tab for #2. Since ALL of the tabs are out there, I think you'll be okay getting the exposed film out and still leaving some tabs for the bookcase.

Now processing will be fun, since the base is thin and will need support. Tray processing or finding a jobo reel that will adjust to the right size and then processing one at a time would be the safest. Maybe a 4x5 jobo would work, either the reel type or the expert. but limit the number as there's a good chance the film will get floppy when wet.

vic valis · Joined: 21 Nov 2001 Posts: 247 Location: San Francisco

Handling thin based film doesn't scare me: I started out using Tech Pan 4x5, and that's THIN stuff! At one point, according to Just Film in San Francisco where I had been buying the stuff, I had purchased the entire supply for northern California. But I'm lazy, so I may just leave it as it is. Once in a very long while filmpacks themselves come up on auction; when I have more than one pack I might start fooling around.

jeff

_________________
That money talks,
I'll not deny.
I heard it once;
It said "good-bye."

clnfrd · Posted: Thu Jun 05, 2003 11:55 am Post subject:

I used film packs way back when. The paper tabs simply pull each sheet from the front to the rear. They are in no way attached to each other. Since it's been a few years, I don't remember how you pop it open, but since each sheet is individual with the paper tab attached, it sounds plausible to open the pack in the darkroom...remove the sheets in the rear...and snap it shut again. I always used tray development, since the film is as thin as rollfilm. It may be possible to use stainless hangers and an open tank...but I don't recall doing this. Don't know if the sheet sizes are the same as cut film. Fred.

vic valis · Joined: 21 Nov 2001 Posts: 247 Location: San Francisco

Yes, I remember reading somewhere about how the film packs operated, and either saw a cut-away diagram of the film pack, or else something very like. I don't think it was a post here, it was some other site. Eventually I'll come across it again. Thanks.

jeff

_________________
That money talks,
I'll not deny.
I heard it once;
It said "good-bye."

Jim23 · Posted: Thu Jun 05, 2003 9:00 pm Post subject:

Now that JandC has 127 film, 2x3 and 3x4 film in packs and other odd stuff, maybe they'll make 4x5 pack film again! This would also send the price of film pack adapters upward...

Jim23 · Posted: Thu Jun 05, 2003 9:02 pm Post subject:

Correction J/C has SHEET film in odd sizes, perhaps they would be interested in producing film packs ....

alecj · Joined: 09 May 2001 Posts: 853 Location: Alabama

No way! Labor costs are too high to make it profitable. Get a Grafmatic, or the new Fujimatic, or whatever their unit is called.

Springback · Posted: Fri Jun 06, 2003 2:07 am Post subject:

It would be interesting to see if any images develop. Maybe Jimmy Hoffa? Marilyn Chambers? Ousay in a sailor suit? The Hindenburg? Ted K. launching his car off a bridge? The imagination runs rampant with the possibilities!

Les · Joined: 09 May 2001 Posts: 2682 Location: Detroit, MI

I was helping a widow of a signal corp vet clean out what was left of his stuff and came accross several tins of 16mm film.

She said, "I have no idea what on these"

Before I could stop myself I asked, "Your husband wouldn't have been stationed in Dallas in Nov of '63 would he???? Alas no, it was footage from China.

Stephen Furley · Joined: 11 May 2001 Posts: 79 Location: London, England

I have a couple of packs in front of me, one is yellow and green Tri-x, the other is an older, empty, Super xx one that is all green, a darker shade than the later one.

Look at the metal part about 28mm wide, at the tab end of the pack, it's the part that's painted green on the later type, and has the film type printed on it on both types. You can see how this hooks into thin slots in each side of the pack, close to the ends of the light seal. This part can be pulled off the end of the pack, taking one half of the light seal with it. Then the top of the pack can be lifted up at that end. The exposed film will be just under this plate, under that will be the paper tabs for the remaining unexposed film, then there is a metel device with 'fingers' which are the springs pressing down on the pressure plate, then the unexposed film.

The small part which pulls off locks the two halves of the pack together; it can sometimes be difficult to get back on. You really need an empty pack to practice on in the light first.