Cleaning Sound-Striped Film (Ecco 1500)

[tfunch24]

I asked this on the S8 Forum but no one bit. Here goes...

I have some sound-striped film that's chilling in my freezer and later this week I'm going to shoot some of it. Since labs have dropped the ball when it comes to cleaning film, I'm going to have clean it myself. Can Ecco film cleaner damage the sound stripe? What precautions should I take?

Tom

[dr.sanchez]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size=2 face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><table border="0" width="90%" bgcolor="#333333" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="0"><tr><td width="100%"><table border="0" width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" bgcolor="#FF9900"><tr><td width="100%" bgcolor="#DDDDDD"><font size=2 face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by tfunch24:
Can Ecco film cleaner damage the sound stripe? What precautions should I take?

Tom</font></td></tr></table></td></tr></table></BLOCKQUOTE>

I'll just latch on to this thread since it's related. I just bought some Ecco film cleaner and used it last night. As is my custom when receiving unknown chemicals, I took a big whiff of the stuff. It smells awfully close to isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol). I know smell doesn't tell you what's in it, but is this Ecco stuff just really expensive rubbing alcohol?

[c_77]

I use Filmrenew on my sound stock with no problems. You may want to ask your developer if they take this step, or what they recommend. Or you may even ask the nice people at Urbanski film supply given that they sell the stuff and have been doing so for years; they'll be glad to help. I don't have experience with Ecco but Filmrenew smells just like turpentine to my nose!

P.S. The only trouble I encountered was when I didn't let the film completely dry before projecting it. The sound came out warbled. Try and clean off the sound head on your camera first before shooting because they probably haven't been used in years! Use rubbing alcohol and tape head swabs. Also, go to radio shack or a music store and buy Tascam brand rubber conditioner for the rubber wheel if necessary. Make sure the wheel is completely dry cause that will really mess up your sound if it isn't. Have fun!

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ February 13, 2003 04:53 PM: Message edited by: c_77 ]</font>

[tfunch24]

C_77, thanks for your assistance.

As for whether or not Ecco is just rubbing alcohol sold at an inflated price, why don't you just look at the list of chemicals on the back label? I'd do it, but I'm between bottles of Ecco right now.

Tom

[dr.sanchez]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size=2 face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><table border="0" width="90%" bgcolor="#333333" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="0"><tr><td width="100%"><table border="0" width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" bgcolor="#FF9900"><tr><td width="100%" bgcolor="#DDDDDD"><font size=2 face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by tfunch24:
C_77, thanks for your assistance.

As for whether or not Ecco is just rubbing alcohol sold at an inflated price, why don't you just look at the list of chemicals on the back label? I'd do it, but I'm between bottles of Ecco right now.

Tom</font></td></tr></table></td></tr></table></BLOCKQUOTE>

There isn't a list of chemicals on the bottle I have (though I have product number 1500, not 1550). There is, however, something that says "does not contain carbon tetrachloride." I guess that narrows it down.