Home Movies (1944)

HOME MOVIES FOR MARCH ^^^^^ < ho* and pe'a,u'e. water •'tni*ed. „ chamberin trt*»* 1 ORTH or south, east or west, controlling temperature of solutions is an important factor in successful processing of home movie film. In the summer, excessive temperatures tend to keep solutions too warm, subjecting films to reticulation and other irrepairable emulsion damage. In the winter, subnormal temperatures play havoc in general with developing and processing solutions. Living in New England, my home processing is subject to both excesses in temperatures; but recently, I licked the problem with a simple "mixing" device that conditions all water used in compounding solutions and washing film. And in conjunction with this is an overhead washing device which insures • Fig. 2 — Wash water for film is also conditioned and distributed over film drum from overhead valves to insure ridding film of all chemical residue after processing. PROCESSING B y U R M a most thorough washing of film in fresh, running water. The temperature controlling device is pictured at top of page in Fig. i. The unit is a home-made mixing valve that delivers controlled amounts of hot and cold water to a central chamber fitted with a thermometer. Rubber tubing extending from this mixing unit delivers water at the required temperature to the processing tank, the sub-tank for maintaining even temperature of contents in processing tank, and to the overhead film washing apparatus. What happens is that hot and cold water are admitted to the central chamber. The amount of each is regulated until desired temperature of the two combined together, as registered by the thermometer, is reached. The supply valves are then set to insure a steady flow of both hot and cold water to maintain the desired temperature of the water ultimately reaching the film. During the time I am preparing my film, solutions, etc., water mixed to a temperature of 65 F. is being run into the developing tray. Temperature of the water supply remains constant within one half a degree of 65 F. throughout the entire processing period regardless of the length of time. My processing equipment is set up in the basement of my home, near the laundry trays, and close to the hot and cold water supply lines. As may be seen from a study of the top photo, two small air cocks are fitted in the hot and cold water supply lines leading to the laundry. Holes were drilled in each pipe and tapped for V%" pipe threads. After the air cocks were inserted, two short lengths of copper tubing were soldered to nozzles of the air cocks and then connected to a J/s" pipe tee. This tee becomes the mixing chamber. It is here that the streams of hot and cold water meet, become mixed, and pass on to the processing tray. And inserted in top of this tee is the thermometer which contacts the water and registers its temperature. The thermometer used was purchased at a dime store. The glass tube was first marked or "keyed" with the 70 : mark on the scale, so that it could be put together accurately later. It was then detached from the metal scale plate. Alterations were necessary to permit inserting part of the glass tube into the pipe tee so that it would contact the water and thus register its temperature. This was done by cutting off the scale plate at the 50 : mark as shown in Fig. 3. A short Y&" pipe nipple was then screwed into top of the pipe tee. The thermometer tube was wrapped with waxed string around the 45 : mark, inserted in the pipe nipple, then screwed down tight by means of a hard rubber bushing taken from end of an old electric light socket. Combination of the waxed string packed down tight in the nipple plus the bushing, made a watertight fit. A piece of wood dowel was then drilled in the center to permit slipping it over the thermometer tube. Then a slit was sawed into one and wide enough to accommodate edge of the scale plate. The dowel was then set in • Continued on Pjgc 112 • Fig. 3 — Showing parts necessary in constructing the thermometer with which temperature of mixed water is checked. Ordinary dime store thermometer was used.