Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Film Guard and VS

This is topic Film Guard and VS in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Jeff Taylor (Member # 443) on 10-21-2000, 11:25 AM:

I've shared with Brad an experiment I've been performing, and would like to also share it with the Forum. 15 years ago a friend GAVE me an IB Tech print of Strategic Air Command which was starting to evidence vinegar syndrom. It still ran well, so I've kept it isolated and have shown it numerous times. Lately the VS has become worse, and the print began to ribbon and cup to the point where it became a pain to project and wouldn't wind tightly. With nothing to lose I've been working on it with Film Guard for three months now, and the results are amazing! Using REPEATED HEAVY applications of FG and lots of rewinding and venting the print is now free of vinega odor, and sitting for a month with TIGHT "tails out" reverse winding and lots of FG has virtually eliminated the ribboning/cupping. There is still some shrinkage, but not an excessive amount. Admittedly, FG isn't cheap, and the print was like a greased eel when I got through, but I removed the exces FG with a volatile cleaner and it's now relatively normal feeling. I think we all know that VS is "forever", but for those of us who collect older titles--especially IB's for some reason--I had to share this tip. It's a lot of work, but even if Technicolor really gears up for IB production we'll never see these older titles again. Try it, and let me know how you make out. I'm NOT recommending this for preservation elements, but it appears to have some real value for older release prints.

Posted by Pete Lawrence (Member # 130) on 10-21-2000, 08:47 PM:

That will be great if it proves to work. That brings up a question for Brad. What is the PH of Film Guard, acid, base or neutral? I don't have access to a PH meter. If it's slightly basic, it could help neutralize any acetic acid.

Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 10-30-2000, 12:20 PM:

The Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for FilmGuard dated 9-7-99 lists the "Solubility in Water" as "Nil", so technically, it does not have a pH, since there are no water-soluble ions.

------------------
John P. Pytlak, Senior Technical Specialist
Worldwide Technical Services, Entertainment Imaging
Eastman Kodak Company
Research Labs, Building 69, Room 7419
Rochester, New York, 14650-1922 USA
Tel: 716-477-5325 Fax: 716-722-7243
E-Mail: john.pytlak@kodak.com

Posted by Kevin Crawford (Member # 469) on 10-30-2000, 11:25 PM:

Correct me if I am wrong, but pure water has a pH of 7.

Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 10-31-2000, 10:28 AM:

Kevin: I'm rusty on my chemistry

, but I recall that acids (pH <7) have free H+ ions in water, and bases (pH >7) have free OH- ions. So if a material has "nil" solubility in water, it should not affect the pH.

Posted by Pete Lawrence (Member # 130) on 10-31-2000, 05:47 PM:

After making that comment about pH, I thought about it, it didn't make much sense without water, as John has pointed out. Chemistry was a long time ago!

But, just to keep things interesting I will mention this quote from Enclyclopedia Britannica: "pH: quantitative measure of the acidity or basicity of aqueous or other liquid solutions." I wonder what those other liquid solutions could be?

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 10-31-2000, 06:37 PM:

Pete the only other liquid solution that counts is either Guiness (notice Dick i didn't sya Tetleys) or Single malt scotch

Posted by Pete Lawrence (Member # 130) on 10-31-2000, 07:34 PM:

Gordon, you are correct as usual!