Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Cleaning a oily print

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Posted by Robert Carnino (Member # 5633) on 09-23-2010, 05:25 PM:

I am getting a print tonight that I have been told is very oily form the theatre it is running at now. Any ideas on how to clean it without having a film cleaner? Thanks!!

Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 09-23-2010, 06:34 PM:

If you don't have a film cleaner, the only way you can do it, really, is to clean it by hand.

Put it on the bench winder and wipe it with something soft and clean that won't scratch. Sometimes I use a clean film glove but anything dust and scratch free will work.

You can probably do this while you build it up. Just wind a reel and wipe as you go. Make the splice for the next reel and wipe as the next reel spins on.

Just remember to go slowly. Probably about half speed.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 09-23-2010, 09:06 PM:

And change the wiping cloth VERY frequently.

Posted by Jack Theakston (Member # 4484) on 09-23-2010, 09:12 PM:

Buy yourself some Webril pads, and a tin of Naptha or Toluene from your local hardware store and get a-crackin'.

When you do this, do it in a WELL VENTILATED area, with protective gloves. The last thing you need is to pass out or to have this stuff be ingested through the skin.

Posted by Robert Carnino (Member # 5633) on 09-23-2010, 09:26 PM:

thanks

Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 09-23-2010, 11:49 PM:

Does the oil show on the screen; does it mar the image? If it's not harming presentation, why should you clean it for the distributor? And if you decide to do so, then send the distributor a bill for the work. If your theatre management has a set of stainless steel balls, it should deduct a fair price for film cleaning labor and materials right off the top of the overage and fight that battle after the fact should it come up. [evil]

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 09-24-2010, 11:06 AM:

Yeah, like he'd ever have a chance of winning THAT battle.

I think that an oily print should be cleaned if possible to prevent all that crud from getting into the machine. It doesn't matter if presentation is affected by the oily-ness or not.

Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 09-24-2010, 11:16 AM:

If I knew it was oily I'd probably wipe it as I built it up, regardless of its visibility on the screen.

It just keeps all the crap from building up and getting all over your projector, your equipment, the bench and anything else it touches. A few extra minutes of attention at the beginning can save you hours of cleanup at the end of the day.

Posted by Tony Bandiera Jr (Member # 2365) on 09-24-2010, 12:55 PM:

I have cringed at the suggestions in this thread...unless you REALLY know what you are doing, attempts to hand-clean a print on a bench WILL result in scratches and damage. (Don't ask how I found this out.. [Smile]

)

You have to go VERY slow (less than half-speed) and stop frequently to inspect your cleaning pad...even then there is a chance for damage.

BTW, Webril wipes SHED like crazy and you will end up with fine fibers all over the film and big chunks of fibers at any nicks or splices.

In reality you could easily spend upwards of FOUR hours to try to hand-clean a 90 minute film. (More if the film is longer.)

There is only one reasonably safe way to attempt to clean this print in the booth...invest in a dry media cleaner and Film-Guard media and run it DRY to soak up as much oil as possible.

Otherwise the print needs to be professionally cleaned with an ultrasonic cleaner.

Having said all that, in 29 years of running film I have encountered many oily prints, some almost literally dripping wet, and yes there is a visible difference, but you need to weigh that vs. the damage you WILL cause if you try to clean the print by hand.

Only sure thing to do is try to pre-screen the print and evaluate how bad it is.

Posted by Jack Theakston (Member # 4484) on 09-24-2010, 05:40 PM:

Of all the years I've used Webril pads for hand cleaning, I've never had a print scratch on me, and I'm pretty anal about that sort of thing. It's all about keeping the pad soaked, and changing it out when dirt starts to accumulate (and if you use the woven side, you have little to no shedding).

Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 09-25-2010, 10:33 AM:

Y'Know, Tony, you're right. When I get prints that are crapped up like that it's always a tough call what to do with them. You really can't tell until you get the print into your possession and look at it.

Often, when I get a print that is really dirty or oily or otherwise messed up I just sit there and look at it and think for a few minutes. Usually accompanied by a long sigh.

If the print is really dirty or oily but you don't have a film cleaner, sometimes you just have to do what you have to do in order to get it to run well.

Weigh the pros and cons. Decide if the oil is bad enough to cause trouble. Take the course of action you think is best. Be careful in whatever solution you chose. Cross your fingers and hope for the best.

I guess, when other people ask these kinds of questions, I assume that other people see the situation the way I do. I expect others to take the solutions I propose and think about them and apply a bit of common sense.

That's why, when I answered, I said, "If you don't have a film cleaner, the only think you can do is...." Then I topped it off with, "Go slow," and "Be careful."