| How to Develop Film Posted: 21 Aug 2019 05:00 PM PDT In the digital age, film cameras are still widely popular as a retro way to take pictures. While many stores offer services where they can develop film or send orders to a lab, you can develop film in your own home with the right materials. Whether you have black and white or color film, you'll have to set up the proper workspace and dry your film. After that, you can develop your own negatives to print or scan later! [Edit]Setting up Your Workspace and Film - Work in a room without any visible light when your film is out of its canister. Work in a closed space, like a spare bathroom or large closet when you handle film you haven't exposed yet. Cover lit areas, like cracks underneath the door with tape or towels. Even a little bit of light can cause your negatives to fog and ruin the pictures you've taken.[1]
- Stand in the darkroom and let your eyes adjust to the darkness. See if there are any sources of light coming through that you couldn't see before.
- A red light should not be used in the room when you develop your film.
- Purchase the proper developer's kit for either black and white or color film. Search online or at specialty photography stores for a developer's kit. The kit includes all the chemicals you need in order to process your negatives. Make sure you choose the kit based on the type of film you're developing.[2]
- A full developer's kit will cost around $130 USD.
- The basic chemicals you'll receive in a developer's kit are a developer, a fixer, a stopper, and a wetting agent.
- Use liquid chemicals since they are easier to measure and mix.
- Wear rubber gloves and safety glasses. Since you'll be working with chemicals, use safe practices to protect your eyes and your skin. If you're worried about splashing the chemicals on your clothes as well, consider wearing an apron.[3]
- Take your film out of the canister in a dark room using a can opener. Make sure you're working in a completely dark room so your film doesn't fog. Wait until your eyes are adjusted to the dark so you can work easily. Place the sharp edge of the can opener on the bottom lip of the film canister. Push down on the can opener to pop the end off of the canister. Dump the film into your hand and get rid of the canister.[4]
- Lay your tools out in front of you so you can easily find them while you work in the dark.
- Cut the leading end of the film and start feeding it on the spiral. Use a pair of scissors to cut off the leading end of the film. Take the spiral, or the spool inside the film tank, out from the center of the tank. Find the protrusions on the inside of the spiral since these will mark the film's entry point. Pull the film onto the spiral.[5]
- The film spiral is usually set for a 35mm size. If you're working with a different sized film, adjust the width of the spiral to match.
- Rotate the sides of the spiral to wind the film. Pull out some of the film from the canister and twist one side of the spiral clockwise. The film will be pulled from the canister and spool onto the spiral. Keep rotating the spiral until the film runs out. Cut the end of the film with scissors to make the ends even.[6]
- Place the film spiral into the film tank and close it. Set the spiral on the bottom of the film tank and screw in the top piece to protect the film from any light. Place the lid on top until you're ready to pour the chemicals in. You can now turn the lights back on.[7]
- The top piece acts as a light blocker and a funnel to make it easier to pour your chemicals in later.
- You only need to work in the dark when you're loading your film into the tank. After it's inside, you can turn on the lights.
[Edit]Developing Black and White Film - Pour of developer liquid and of water into a large measuring cylinder. Use water that's room temperature, or about . Add the developer to the cylinder first before pouring in the water so it has a chance to mix.[8]
- The developer makes the image appear on the film negatives.
- The amount of developer you mix depends on how much film you're developing. Use this amount if you're developing one set of 35mm film.
- Always follow the mixing directions on the packaging carefully since it may vary from the amount listed here.
- Mix of stop bath with of water in a second cylinder. Keep the stop bath solution separate from the developer or else it will not work. Add room temperature water to the cylinder after the stop bath. Try to be as precise as you can with your amounts so there are no errors when the film develops.[9]
- The stop bath finishes the development process so your photos don't get overexposed.
- Put of fixer and of water in a third cylinder. Mix the solution with room temperature water in another cylinder or measuring cup. Give the solution a slight stir to make sure it's thoroughly mixed.
- The fixer makes the developed image permanent on the film strip.
- Pour the developer solution into the film tank for 9 minutes. Take the sealer cap off the top of the film tank and pour in all of the developer solution. Start a timer as soon as all the liquid is inside the tank. Replace the cap and turn the tank upside-down continuously for 10 seconds. Every minute, agitate the solution again. Pour the solution back into the cylinder after the 9 minutes.[10]
- Agitating the solution will make sure the developer evenly coats all of the film.
- Add the stop bath to the film tank and agitate it for 30 seconds. Pour all the stop bath into the tank and replace the sealer cap. Rock the tank back and forth for 30 seconds to stop your negatives from developing and overexposing. Once you're finished, pour the stop bath back into its cylinder.[11]
- Use the fixer solution for 5 minutes to completely stop the developing process. Put the solution into the tank and replace the cap. Agitate the tank for the first 10 seconds before setting it down again. Rock the tank back and forth once every minute for 5 total minutes. Pour the fixer back into the cylinder when you're finished.[12]
- Fixer can be reused with other film so pour the solution back into a storage bottle if you want to save it.
- Rinse the film with clean water to remove chemical residue. Fill the tank with room temperature water. Invert the tank 5 times before removing the water. Refill the tank 2 more times, increasing the number of inversions by 5 each time so you do 10 on the second fill and 15 on the third.[13]
- Use distilled water if possible so it doesn't leave drying spots on your film later on. Otherwise, tap water will work fine.
- Fill the film tank with water and add 1 drop of the wetting agent. Fill the tank with water once more with the wetting agent. Reseal the cap on top of the tank and invert it 5 times before dumping it out.[14]
- The wetting agent helps the film dry evenly and quickly.
[Edit]Developing Color Film - Heat the developer and the blix to in a bath of hot water. Fill either a large plastic tub or a sink with hot water, checking the temperature periodically with a kitchen thermometer. Once it reaches , place your bottles of chemicals in the bath until they reach the same temperature.[15]
- The developer makes the images appear on the film strip.
- The blix is a bleach and fixer solution that stops the development process and solidifies the image on the film strip.
- Rinse the film with warm water. Fill the film tank with water heated to about and seal the cap on top. Agitate the water by rocking or inverting the tank back and forth for 1 minute so the chemicals can stick to the film easier. Once you're done rinsing, empty the tank.[16]
- Fill the film tank with the developer solution and let it soak for 4 minutes. Fill the tank with the developer solution provided in your chemical kit and seal the tank. Invert the tank repeatedly for the first 10 seconds and then once every minute. This ensures that the developer coats the film evenly and allows all the images to develop. After 4 minutes, drain the tank.[17]
- Store the developer in an airtight storage bottle if you want to reuse it later on.
- Pour the blix into the film tank and let it sit for 6 minutes. Fill the tank and seal the cap. Agitate the solution for 10 seconds. Once every minute, rock the tank back and forth to agitate it again. After 6 minutes have passed, empty the tank.[18]
- Save the blix in a storage bottle if you want to use it again for more film, but don't let it mix with the developer. If any of the blix mixes with the developer, it will not work.
- Rinse the tank and film in warm water. Fill the tank with water heated to and agitate the water to clean off any of the chemicals. Empty the water after about 30 seconds.[19]
- Put your stabilizer in the film tank and soak the film for 1 minute. Fill the tank with the stabilizer and leave the film inside. You do not have to agitate the stabilizer for it to work. After 1 minute, drain the stabilizer from the tank and your film is done.[20]
- If your chemical kit does not come with a stabilizer, then all you need to do is rinse your film.
[Edit]Drying Your Negatives - Attach a clip to the end of your film strip. Remove the film spiral from the tank and gently pull the end of the film strip out. Use a clothespin or a similar clip to hold onto the end of the film.[21]
- The end of the film strip will not have any exposed photos on it so you don't have to worry about damaging them.
- Pull the film off of the spiral slowly and hang the strip off the ground. Hold the clip with one hand and the spiral with the other. Pull slowly on the clip so the film unravels from the spool. Place the clip along a string so the film doesn't touch the ground or the wall. Don't let anything touch the negatives.[22]
- Work in a clean room where wind or dust won't damage your negatives.
- Wipe any excess liquid off the film strip with a squeegee or your gloves. Start from the top of the film strip and gently squeeze it between 2 fingers or a squeegee tongs. Work down the entire length of the film so there is no dripping water.[23]
- Wear clean vinyl or rubber gloves if you're using your fingers.
- Attach a weighted clip to the bottom of the film strip. Place another clip on the bottom of the strip so it doesn't twist or deform while it dries. The clip will also catch any drips that fall off of the film strip.[24]
- Put a tray on the ground below the film strip if you don't want water or chemicals falling onto the floor.
- Let the strip dry for at least 4 hours. Don't touch your strips for at least 2 hours after you've cleaned and hung them to dry. Check how wet the film still is each hour by touching an area without an exposed photo. Once they are dry, they can be stored or scanned.[25]
- To speed up the drying process, use a hairdryer on the lowest speed and heat setting and hold it from the film strip.
[Edit]Warnings - Work in a room that doesn't have any visible light or else your negatives may be foggy.
- Wear safety glasses and rubber gloves since you're working with chemicals.
[Edit]Things You'll Need - Room with no visible light
- Developer's kit for black and white or colored film
- Rubber gloves
- Safety glasses
- Film tank
- Film spiral
- Can opener
- Scissors
- Kitchen thermometer
- Measuring cylinders or cups
- Pins or clips
- Squeegee tongs
[Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
| How to Make a Volcano Posted: 21 Aug 2019 09:00 AM PDT A volcano is a fun science project, especially for kids. You can easily make a volcano if you need a project idea for a science fair! Make your own dough out of common household items and shape it into a volcano. Then, paint the volcano to make it more life-like, and add your ingredients for the eruption! [Edit]Mixing the Dough - Mix 3 cups of flour, 1 cup of salt, 1 cup of water, and of oil. Measure out each of the ingredients and put all of them into a large bowl. Use a fork or a spoon to mix everything together.[1]
- The dough will be hard to mix after a few minutes, so you might want to ask for help from a parent, teacher, or older sibling.
- Knead the dough with your hands to form it into a ball. When the dough mixture gets too stiff to mix with a fork or spoon, use your hands instead. Squeeze and press the dough like clay to mix everything together. Use your hands to shape the dough into a big ball.[2]
- Make sure to knead the dough on a sturdy surface, such as a table or counter. 4
- Using a rolling pin to flatten and knead the dough may also be helpful.
- Pour in 1 tablespoon of water if the dough won't stick together. If the dough is crumbling off the ball while you knead it, then it is too dry. Add 1 tablespoon of water. Then, use your hands to knead the dough and mix in the water.[3]
- If the dough is still dry, add 1 teaspoon of water at a time until it sticks together.
- Be careful not to add too much water or the dough may become sticky!
- Add 2 tablespoons of flour if the dough is too sticky. If you can't get the dough to stop sticking to your hands, then it is too sticky. Sprinkle in 2 tablespoons of flour. Use your hands to knead the extra flour into the dough.
- If the dough still feels sticky, add 1 more tablespoon of flour and knead. Keep doing this until it feels smooth and does not stick to your hands.
- Don't add too much flour or the dough will not stick together.
[Edit]Creating a Volcano Shape - Press the dough ball onto the center of a tray or box lid. Your volcano will make a mess when it erupts. Put it onto a rimmed tray or box lid and press down on the ball to attach it. This will help to contain the mess.[4]
- If you are using a tray, make sure to ask your parent or guardian first. Don't use one that you might want to use again because attaching your volcano to the tray will ruin it.
- The lid of a cardboard box will also work, but make sure to ask a parent or guardian first!
- Use your hands to shape the dough to look like a mountain. Press your hands against the sides of the dough ball to shape it. Make the dough ball into a mountain shape using your hands.[5]
- Ask for help from an adult or older sibling if the dough is too stiff to shape!
- There are several different types of volcanoes. Some have steeper slopes than others, and some are even flat at the top. You can shape the dough to look like a specific type of volcano, but keep in mind that most will have an uneven surface and won't be completely flat.[6]
- Push a small glass cup or jar into the center of the dough mountain. After the dough is in the shape of a mountain, take a small (roughly ), cylinder-shaped glass cup or jar and press it down through the center of the mound. Push down until the edges of the cup or jar are level with the top of the dough mound. This glass or jar will be the opening of the volcano.[7]
- This part can be hard. Ask for help from your parents or someone else with strong hands if you cannot get the cup or jar to go down into the dough.
- Make sure to ask for your parent or guardian's permission before you use a cup or jar! It will become part of the volcano and you won't be able to use it again.
- Shape the dough around the cup to make it look like a volcano. Once the cup or jar is in place, begin shaping the dough again to make it look like a volcano. Use your hands to press the dough around the cup or jar.[8]
- Keep in mind that volcanoes are not perfectly smooth! They are rocky and rough on the outside, so it is okay if your dough is a bit bumpy.
- Remember that you can make your volcano look like a specific type of volcano if you want to get technical, or just make a standard volcano. Search for images of volcanoes on the internet to find 1 that you would like to model your volcano after.
[Edit]Painting the Volcano - Wait for the dough to dry completely before painting the volcano. The dough will need to dry for at least 8 hours, so leave it out overnight. Place it somewhere out of the reach of pets so that it will not get damaged, such as up on a high shelf or in a room away from pets.
- The clay will feel hard to the touch when it is dry. Check it after about 8 hours by pressing it.
- If the dough is still soft after 8 hours, give it a few more hours to dry.
- Apply a coat of brown or black paint to the outside of the volcano. Acrylic paint works best for painting a volcano. Choose a paint color that will make your volcano look more realistic. Try painting it a medium brown, dark brown, or black. Use a large paintbrush to sweep paint over the sides of the volcano and cover it completely.[9]
- Make sure to put down some old newspapers or paper towels before painting to protect your work surface.
- You might also want to put on an old t-shirt.
- Paint the inside of the volcano orange or yellow for added effect. If you want the inside of your volcano to look like it has lava in it, you could also paint the cup inside of the volcano. Use a medium sized paintbrush to apply the paint.
- Opt for a bright orange for a vivid contrast to your brown or black paint on the outside of the volcano.
- You can make orange paint by mixing equal amounts of red and yellow paint.
- Let the paint dry overnight before making an eruption. The paint on the inside and outside of your volcano should be completely dry before you make the volcano erupt. Let it dry overnight to be sure it is dry. Otherwise, the paint may run when you add the eruption ingredients.[10]
- Place the volcano out of the reach of pets, such as up on a high shelf or closed room.
- You can touch the paint to see if it is dry. It will feel tacky if it is wet and smooth if it is dry.
[Edit]Making the Eruption - Put 2 tablespoons of baking soda into the volcano. Measure out 2 tablespoons of baking soda and add these to the cup in your volcano. Make sure that the inside of the volcano is completely dry when you do this. Any moisture may cause the baking soda to fizz before you want it to.[11]
- Baking soda is a common household item, so you probably have some.
- Ask a parent or guardian before you use the baking soda.
- Squirt about 1 teaspoon of dish soap onto the baking soda. The dish soap will make the eruption extra foamy. You only need a 1 teaspoon to get this effect.[12]
- Any type of dish soap will work! Use whatever is in your kitchen.
- Make sure to ask for permission from your parent or guardian first![13]
- Add a few drops of red and yellow food coloring to the volcano. Food coloring will make the foam look more like lava. Add a few drops of red and a few drops of yellow food coloring for a bright lava flow.[14]
- If you have orange food coloring, you can also use this to color the lava.
- Pour in vinegar to make the volcano erupt! Vinegar is the final ingredient and as soon as you add it, your volcano will erupt! Pour it in when you want the eruption to happen.[15]
- Don't add the vinegar until you are ready for the eruption! You can leave the other ingredients in the volcano for as long as you need until you are ready to make the volcano erupt.
- You can pour in extra vinegar if there is still some baking soda in the bottom of the jar.[16]
- If you don't want to make your own dough and form a volcano, you can add the eruption ingredients to an empty 2 Liter soda bottle. The ingredients will cause a volcano-like eruption out of the top of the soda bottle![17]
[Edit]Warnings - Don't look down into the volcano while it erupts!
- Ask a parent or guardian for permission before you do this experiment. You may also need help from an adult for some parts of the experiment.
- Stand back after you pour in the vinegar!
[Edit]Things You'll Need [Edit]Mixing the Dough - 3 cups of flour
- 1 cup of salt
- 1 cup of water
- 2 tablespoons of oil
[Edit]Shaping the Volcano - A tray or box lid
- A small plastic or glass cup
[Edit]Painting the Volcano - Brown paint
- Orange paint
- Paintbrushes
[Edit]Making the Volcano Erupt - 2 TBS baking soda
- Dish soap
- Red food coloring
- Yellow food coloring
- of white vinegar
[Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
| How to Cook Pasta Posted: 21 Aug 2019 01:00 AM PDT Cooking a pot of pasta is one of the best kitchen skills you can learn. Pasta is inexpensive, cooks up quickly, and there are many ways to serve it, so if you don't know what to make for dinner, boil a pot of noodles! While they're cooking, check your pantry or refrigerator for pesto, sauce, or vegetables you can toss in. Within half an hour, you can have a homecooked pasta dinner on the table. [Edit]Boiling the Noodles - Fill a large pot about 2/3 full of water. Since the pasta needs lots of room to move around as it cooks, use a big pot. For example, if you'll be cooking a box of pasta, get out a pot that's at least in size. Then, pour in enough water to come 2/3 up the side of the pot.[1]
- If you use a pot that's too small, your pasta is more likely to clump together as it cooks.
- Cover the pot and bring the water to a boil. Set the pot of water on the stove and put a lid on it. Turn the burner to high and let the water come to a boil. You'll know the water is boiling when you see steam escaping from under the lid.[2]
- Covering the pot with a lid will make the water boil faster.
- Add salt and of pasta to the boiling water. Once the water boils vigorously, remove the lid and add 1 tablespoon (17 g) of salt and of pasta. If you're cooking long noodles, such as spaghetti, that don't fit in the pot, wait about 30 seconds and then push them into the water using a spoon or pasta fork. of pasta, use a sized pot.}}
- The salt will season the noodles as they cook, which will give you flavorful pasta.
- If you're unsure how many servings of pasta to cook, check the side of the box for recommended serving sizes.
- Set a timer for 3 to 8 minutes. Stir the noodles with a pasta fork to break the noodles up and leave the lid off the pot. Then, check the pasta package for a recommended cooking time and set a timer for the minimum time that's suggested. For example, if the box says to cook the noodles for 7 to 9 minutes, set a timer for 7 minutes.[3]
- Thin pasta, such as angel hair, will cook faster than thick or long noodles, such as fettuccine or penne, which take closer to 8 or 9 minutes.
- Stir the noodles occasionally as they boil. The water should continue to bubble as the pasta cooks. Stir it every few minutes to prevent the noodles from sticking together.
- If the water looks like it might boil over the sides of the pot, turn the burner down to medium-high.
- Bite into a noodle to see if it's cooked enough for you. Carefully scoop a noodle out of the water when the timer beeps and set it aside to cool a little. Bite into the noodle to tell if it's still hard in the center or if it's as soft as you like. Most people prefer to cook pasta until it's al dente, which means it's still a little firm in the center.[4]
- If the pasta is still too hard for your liking, boil it for another minute before checking it again.
[Edit]Draining the Pasta - Scoop out about of pasta water and set it aside. Carefully lower a mug into the pot and scoop some of the pasta water into it. Set the mug aside while you drain the pasta.[5]
- You can also use a ladle to spoon of the pasta water into a mug instead of lowering the mug into the water.
- Set a colander in the sink and put on oven mitts. Place a large colander in the bottom of the sink and wear oven mitts to protect your hands from the boiling water. Even though the burner is turned off, the water can burn you if it splashes your skin.[6]
- Pour the pasta into the colander and shake it. Slowly pour the pasta directly into the colander so the water drains into the sink. Hold the sides of the colander and shake it gently back and forth so excess water drips into the sink.[7]
- Avoid adding oil or running cold water over the pasta if you plan on using sauce. You may have heard people recommend tossing the cooked pasta with some olive oil or running cold water over the noodles to stop them from sticking together. Unfortunately, these can prevent sauce from sticking to your noodles.[8]
- Put the pasta back into the pot and toss it with your choice of sauce. Take the colander of pasta out of the sink and transfer the noodles into the pot that you cooked them in. Then, pour in as much of your favorite sauce as you like and use tongs to combine it with the pasta.[9]
- If the sauce is too thick, add some of the pasta water you reserved until the sauce loosens and coats the pasta.
[Edit]Pairing Pasta Types with Sauces - Toss short noodles with pesto or vegetables. Cook a pot of penne, fusilli, or farfalle pasta and stir in basil pesto. To add even more fresh flavor to the pasta, add chopped cherry tomatoes along with shredded bell peppers and zucchini.[10]
- To serve this as cold pasta salad, refrigerate the pasta for at least 1 hour before you serve it so the flavors can develop.
- If you don't like the taste of traditional pesto, give sun-dried tomato pesto a chance. It has a more mellow flavor that works well with a rich cheese, such as parmesan.
- Mix cheese into macaroni or shells to make a creamy pasta. For the richest macaroni and cheese, stir together butter, flour, milk, and cheese to make sauce. Then, stir in cooked macaroni or shells and serve it or bake it to make it extra-bubbly.[11]
- Play around with using different cheeses to find what you like. For example, use monterey jack, feta, mozzarella, or smoked gouda.
- Serve meaty sauce over tubular or wide pasta. Boil a pot of pappardelle, penne, or bucatini and place it in a serving bowl. Spoon meat sauce, such as bolognese, over the noodles and stir them very gently so the meat sauce coats the pasta. Sprinkle a little parmesan over the top and serve the pasta while it's very hot.[12]
- Remember to thin the pasta with a little reserved pasta water if the sauce is too thick.
- Stir creamy alfredo sauce into long pasta. To coat the strands of long pasta, such as spaghetti, fettuccini, and angel hair, use tongs to mix them with rich alfredo sauce. Heat heavy cream with butter and garlic to make classic alfredo sauce and consider serving the pasta with grilled chicken or smoked salmon.[13]
- For a slightly lighter sauce, melt butter with garlic and parsley. Then, toss the noodles in the simple sauce.
[Edit]Pasta Sauce and Topping Ideas - If you don't have access to a stove, try using your microwave to cook pasta.
[Edit]Warnings - Always wear oven mitts and use caution when you drain the pasta into the colander. Hot water could splash you and cause burns.
- Avoid stirring the boiling pasta with a metal spoon because the metal can heat up and make it difficult to hold.
[Edit]Things You'll Need - Colander
- Pasta fork or spoon
- Oven mitts
- Timer
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
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