P3D Batch cutting/sorting of slides (was: Mounting details for RBT mounts)

[Paul Talbot <ptww@xxxxxxxxx>]

As I mentioned, I prefer to work all the way through the cutting
and sorting process before turning my attention to the actual
mounting.  In the past this meant film chips lying around
"exposed" to a variety of dangers until they could be mounted.
(Which could be a long time if a) you are new, and/or slow like
me; b) you run into a large number of "redos" because of the
difference between the window of your RBT jig mount and the
cardboard tape-shut mount; c) you are interrupted from the
task; d) you just don't have time to cut and sort and mount
all the slides in one session; or e) you are waiting for a real
("Spicer") slide mounting jig to arrive so you can mount your
slides more easily.)

So here's what I did this past weekend:  after cutting and
sorting 1 complete roll of images, I slipped each chip in
the pocket of an archival storage page.  I used the stereo
format pages that I sell, but 2x2 format pages would work
also.  I didn't have time to mount any of the slides, but
now I have a stack of slide pages that I know are holding
the chips safely and securely until I have a chance to mount them.

I cut my film with the images correctly oriented (on the X and
Y axes), which means the last shots are cut first.  I found it
worked best to arrange the chips in a row/column pattern working
top to bottom, left to right.  At the end of the roll, I started
loading the chips into the pages, in the same order I cut them
(meaning end of roll first), always starting at the *bottom*
of a storage page and working toward the top.  If you treat
the first page loaded as the last page of a set (one roll),
your slides will be in proper chronogical order when you finish
loading them in the storage pages.

Paul Talbot


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