Re: Wet HIE Film Boxes

[boblong@xxxxxxxxxxx (Robert Long)]

On Mon, 23 Dec 1996 21:46:30 +0000 (GMT), "Shade of the Cottonwood,
L.L.C." wrote:

|boxes were exposed to moisture. Many of the ends have become unglued,
|some corners are torn, the boxes are mushy instead of crisp, and even
|the black ink in one spot has leached out in to the surrounding yellow
|field. There is no indication of moisture on the larger box everything
|was shipped in. The expiration date is 9/97. What I would like to know,
|I am right in demanding replacement by the film wholesaler? I haven't

It sounds very much as though some unknowledgeable person wrapped the
boxes in plastic at room temperature before stowing the lot in the
freezer.  Given a good seal, this will inevitably cause
condensation--very heavy condensation unless the ambient humidity is
extremely low--on the inside of the plastic as the contents cool.  The
condensation then freezes, and this frost melts to water, rather than
vapor, when the package is removed from the freezer, soaking the boxes
as you describe.  Even without the plastic wrap, my boxes get that way
in my home freezer.

Given the expiration date you quote and the presumption that storage
in the meantime has been in frozen form, I'd imagine that you have
nothing too worry about.

A dealer once told me that film, like meat, should never be re-frozen
and pointed out that gelatine is a sort of meat product.  One thing
I've learned from this mailing list is that the advise was hogwash.
Willem says he regularly takes film from the freezer in anticipation
of use and then puts it back when it's unused.  (Of course he doesn't
break the inside seal, I'm sure.)  So just put what you won't need for
immediate use into your own freezer, and the film itself should be
good almost indefinitely, whatever the condition of the packaging.

Bob Long
(boblong@xxxxxxxxxxx)

------------------------------

End of INFRARED-PHOTOGRAPHY Digest 161
**************************************