Kitchen-Sink 8X10 in a tube.

[cjbroadbent]

I would appreciate adjustments (and even disapproval) to this inexpensive setup before I pass it on.

Chemicals: HC110 and Rapid Fix.

Gear (see photo):
2 measures (30ml) (aka for laxatives).
2 brown bottles (1000ml) (from the pharmacy).
A paper cup (150ml).
An 8x10 print tube (Ilford processing tube, aka Durst Codrum, aka Patterson Color Print Processor.
'Pre-owned' tubes abound).
A pocket timer.
A thermometer.
A negative clip.

Preparation:
Dilute HC110 to 'B' - just pour in a 30ml measure then fill the bottle with water.
You get 4 sheets to the bottle. Use 2 measures for the fix.
Go by the book (http://www.covingtoninnovations.com/hc110/)for development times,
but do factor in the following:
* Do everything TWICE. Because an 8x10 needs at least 240ml of diluted chemicals
and the tube will take only a cupful (penalty, a weak, pink negative).
* Adjust time for temperature. It's an integral factor.
* Adjust time for gentle but constant agitation. Another integral factor.

The process (pedantically laid out):
Insert the film in the tank emulsion inwards.
Using the one paper cup and about 120ml liquid at a time:
Pour in a cup of water.
For 2 minutes, roll. Tip gently now and then. Empty.
Pour in a cup of developer
For 5 minutes (or whatever), roll. Tip very gently now and then. Empty.
Repeat developer.
Pour in a cup of water.
For 1 minute, roll. Tip gently now and then. Empty.
Pour in a cup of fix.
For 3 minutes, roll. Tip gently now and then. Empty.
Repeat fix.
Pour in a cup of water (for the eco-conscious).
For 1 minute, roll and tip gently now and then. Empty.
Repeat water.
Toss the cup
For 20 minutes, wash, in the tank, under the tap.
Clip and hang away from dust.

Notes:
Ok. there's the tray. But this is kitchen or bathroom stuff.
I say HC110 because it's compact, flexible and it keeps.
Xtol would be more eco-friendly. Whatever, funnel the swill into a plastic bottle
for correct disposal. You produce less than a liter of dilute chemicals per sheet.
Clearly mark bottles and and keep the measures apart.
Yes, no stop. The fix is ditched.
Bathroom too small to roll a tube? Make a skate-board from 4 small trolly wheels (see photo).
Do without pre-wash with weaker dilutions like half 'B' - It's only against streaking.

[David A. Goldfarb]

Process aside, I appreciate that you've treated even such utilitarian illustrations as elegant still lifes.

I've tried processing sheet film in tubes on a rotary base a few times. I find it needs to be washed in a tray so that the back of the film gets washed, or the anti-halation dye may not be washed out. This of course depends on the film and the tube, since some tubes are smooth and some have ridges.

[ic-racer]

Seems like a well thought out plan.

I just started using a drum for 8x10 and it is better than when I used a tray. I also do multiple changes of developer (up to eight) when using 100:1 Rodinal. http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?t=23322

[cjbroadbent]

.... This of course depends on the film and the tube, since some tubes are smooth and some have ridges.
Good point. Thanks. Though I guess that exhausted fix is the real cause the pink curse. My Ilford has ridges. I'll test a smooth Durst Codrum.

[Daniel_Buck]

I process 8x10 film & paper on a roller next to my kitchen sink, with HC110 and TF-4 (a rapid fixer needing no stop other than water), it works quite well. Aside from taking a while to do more than one or two sheets, since only one sheet can be done at time in the tubes, unlike 4x5's in tubes that I do 6 at a time with a reel inside a short tube.

I use the HC110 as a 1:31 mixture from the stock solution (I'm not sure if this mixture has a letter designation or not), I've had no issues with the roller, it works well for 8x10 if you aren't shooting alot of film.

[cjbroadbent]

Daniel, You do such good stuff in b&w that it is a great encouragement to learn that you too use the kitchen sink. How much liquid does your roller take?

[PViapiano]

I never have a problem with the anti-halation layer in my Unicolor drum. The film base layer does not sit flat on the side of the drum, there is room for solution to move behind it.

[Daniel_Buck]

Daniel, You do such good stuff in b&w that it is a great encouragement to learn that you too use the kitchen sink. How much liquid does your roller take?

if I remember correctly (I've got it written down at home), I use 320ml for 8x10's in the unicolor drum (10ml developer, 310ml water). for my developing combo, I let it spin for 8 minutes.

[cjbroadbent]

That's 'B' dilution. A last question. Do you prepare your 300ml with a syringe as suggested by http://www.covingtoninnovations.com/hc110/ or do you make up a larger quantity? (Maybe my litre bottles are overkill for the occasional user). And thanks.

[Daniel_Buck]

I don't use the syringe HC110, I use the bottled 'solution', from here: http://www.freestylephoto.biz/sc_prod.php?cat_id=&pid=479

and from that bottle solution I mix it 1:31 with water. On the back of the bottle, it says that 1:7 is "B" I believe, so I'm not sure what the letter designation is for what I do, but I mix it much thinner than what the bottle says is "B".