Jobo Expert 3010 [Archive] - Large Format Photography Forum

Chiron

7-Feb-2010, 13:04

Arne Croell

7-Feb-2010, 13:14

Hi,

I recently got the JOBO 3010 4x5" Expert Drum, 10 sheets with the Uniroller Motor Base from a used seller. Everything seems to be in fine working conditions.

Does anyone have experience developing BW film with the 3010? I'm looking for feedback on what kind of developer, continuous agitation time, etc. How do you get the cap off?

I'm new to the forum but have read many helpful threads here. Thanks so much.
Paul
The cap comes off with inside air pressure through a foot pump, connected by a hollow rubber stopper.

TMX and TMY-2 in TMAX RS 1+9 works great for me, 11:30min and 8:30min, respectively, at 50rpm and 75F for N development.

Eric Woodbury

7-Feb-2010, 13:48

I have used a 3006 for a long time. This is 6x 5x7. I always used PMK in a nitrogen atmosphere, but I wouldn't recommend this because it is tedious and I'm now abandoning this developer/technique. I rolled mine with a different base at about 10 rpm (?).

Easiest way to remove the top is to put a one-hole stopper that is hooked up to the water supply with a rubber hose. Jam the stopper in the top and turn on the water. It will pop the top right off.

vinny

7-Feb-2010, 14:17

I use pmk with edta added to it. Best negs I've ever made come out of that thing.
I don't use the foot pump even though I own one. The guy I bought my drums from showed me cracks inside some of his drums the he figured could only be caused by excessive pressure when applying the foot pump. He had decades more experience than I so I just put the drum against the edge of the counter and pull down the drum, letting the lid catch the sharp corner. Do this in two places on the lid and it'll come loose.

ic-racer

7-Feb-2010, 14:37

Make sure you use enough developer. My experience has been that as the developer exhausts during the process the center of the sheetfilm gets less development.

Allen in Montreal

7-Feb-2010, 14:37

Paul,

Like many here, I use all of the LF Jobo drums (3005 3006 and 3010), they are great.

On the uni roller, I pick it up and switch the direction every minute (also do this for fixing). You can use most any developer once you get the groove of the film/dev combo. I use to use txp in HC 100 until kodak messed with the formulas, now I use HP5 in D-76. In Gordon's PMK book he advises using a split batch dev. and dump batch one after 50 percent dev for fresh amount of soup for the second half of the process time.

My roller runs about 28 rpm.
I use 16 oz in the 3006 but have started to use 20oz in the 3010. (edit:as also mentioned by IC above :-) )

You can pop the lid by placing it under your left arm and gripping it well, insert your right thumb and pry slightly, rotate and do this a few times and it pops off.
Don't try to pry it off in one single pull.

The one thing with the 3010 is to be careful when you slide the film into the track, if it pops out at the bottom, you will get a white line through the sheet that is underneath the popped sheet.

Michael Gordon

8-Feb-2010, 09:25

I have a detailed video with specific instructions on how to develop 4x5 film with the 3010 and continuous agitation (using my preferred developed Rollo Pyro). You can find it on my blog (http://michaelegordon.wordpress.com/2009/11/05/how-to-video-daylight-sheet-film-4x5-development-2/). I hope it's helpful to you.

venchka

8-Feb-2010, 09:55

Single direction on Uniroller or Beseler base. No swapping ends. 4-5 minute prerinse. 400ml to 800ml of Xtol 1:3 (100ml Xtol + 300ml water per Kodak directions). 68F. Start with 10 minutes for most films. Adjust to taste. The old Kodak German Xtol technical information is what I use for my starting times. To date I have developed Delta 100, Efke 25, Arista-Foma 200, Tmax 100, Tmax 400, HP-5+, I guess that's all. 135-120-4x5. No complaints.

Funnel and tube from Walmart auto oil change section for pouring fluid into 3010 while spinning. Pour Xtol. Start timer. 30 seconds left, dump Xtol. Pour stop (tap water) when timer buzzes.

Good luck.

Chiron

8-Feb-2010, 10:49

Wow! So much really useful info. I'm heading to the darkroom for the day and hope to start experimenting with the Jobo 3010.
Thanks so much for the great feedback.
Paul
p.s. the video link is terrific!

Jim Graves

8-Feb-2010, 10:50

... and, be careful when "blowing" the top off ... if stuck it can come off with amazing force ... as I found out from personal experience with a Jobo 3005 and a foot pump.

One trip to the emergency room, 24 hours without any vision but light and dark in one eye, and yearly checkups since to monitor eye pressure because of a damaged drainage system in the eye.

Now I always have a firm hand on the top as I'm pressurizing it.

Chiron

8-Feb-2010, 11:10

I noticed in Michael's Gorden video the motor base rotates in one direction and he flips the tank every 30 sec. My Uniroller does not have continuous rotation and it goes back and forth. I placed the Jobo 3010 and observed the rotation happens just right at a full rotation of the tank. Will this be a problem? Do I need to flip it since the motor base is doing it for me?
Thanks,
p

vinny

8-Feb-2010, 11:39

Your method sounds fine. I used one on a beseler base before I got the jobo machine and had no issues as long as the drum rotated in both directions a bit for each step of processing. The drum doesn't need to rotate in two directions to process the film evenly but in my experience it helps to get liquid to the base side of the film.

Matthew Rolfe

8-Feb-2010, 12:09

Jesus Jim! I will never look at a Jobo drum in the same way again!...am I safe with a Combi Plan?? who knows

venchka

8-Feb-2010, 12:19

Hijack:
My Uniroller stopped reversing. Is there a cheap way to fix it? For a complete klutz? Or should I buy another one?
Meanwhile, my Beseler is non-reversing and I haven't seen any problems with the negatives. I do use 600ml to 800ml of Xtol. Lots of sloshing going on.

d.s.

8-Feb-2010, 14:58

Venchka,

Open up your Uniroller and look inside. IIRC there is a piece inside that has a plastic "flap" that flips a switch to reverse the motor. I was able to repair mine when I first got it as it didn't reverse back then. Haven't had any problems since.

d.s.

venchka

8-Feb-2010, 14:59

Thanks. Now that I have a dSLR, I may be back with photos for help.

Jim Graves

8-Feb-2010, 17:48

Jesus Jim! I will never look at a Jobo drum in the same way again!...am I safe with a Combi Plan?? who knows

Here's the link to the previous discussion on this forum about the eye injury and several good suggestions for avoiding the problem: Link (http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?t=40524)

Greg Blank

8-Feb-2010, 19:03

Whoa. Glad you are OK, I always have placed my hand over the lid in such a way the lid is deflected somewhat back to its pre installed location on the drum.

Yikes:
I can't image bleeding out of my eyes or even one :(

Here's the link to the previous discussion on this forum about the eye injury and several good suggestions for avoiding the problem: Link (http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?t=40524)

Andre Noble

8-Feb-2010, 21:37

DO NOT use the air pump or any other internal air pressure to to get the cap off! The pressure has been known to bust/crack the thin inner walls. These drums sell for $500 each now.

I use a much safer method: Holding the drum firmly with both hands I pull the drum downward across a sharp on a ledge so as to catch the lip of the lid on the well defined ledge of the top of my shower stall, in order to avoid chipping, I drape a T shirt over the ledge - this provides cushioning to avoid metal on plastic. I slowly rotate the drum, and repeat. It takes about 15 to 25 of these raps to pull the lid off.

I tried putting a thin film of vaseline on the inside lip of the lid, and this does work, but I don't really like the possibility of vaseline on my emulsion.

I have a Jobo foot pump I never use, I can send it to your for the price of shipping (US only) if you would like to take a chance on busting your expensive expert drum.

Andre Noble

8-Feb-2010, 21:38

DO NOT use the air pump or any other internal air pressure to to get the cap off! The pressure has been known to bust/crack the thin inner walls. These drums sell for $500 each now.

I use a much safer method: Holding the drum firmly with both hands I pull the drum downward across a sharp on a ledge so as to catch the lip of the lid on the well defined ledge of the top of my shower stall, in order to avoid chipping, I drape a T shirt over the ledge - this provides cushioning to avoid metal on plastic. I slowly rotate the drum, and repeat. It takes about 15 to 25 of these raps to pull the lid to the point were you can easily pull it off by hand. You will easily feel when you have gotten to this point.

I tried putting a thin film of vaseline on the inside lip of the lid, and this does work, but I don't really like the possibility of vaseline on my emulsion.

I have a Jobo foot pump I never use, I can send it to your for the price of shipping (US only) if you would like to take a chance on busting your expensive expert drum. But then again, I really don't want that bad karma on my hands.

vinny

8-Feb-2010, 22:28

Andre, thanks for backing me up. I said the same thing in post #4 on page one of this thread. Glad I'm not crazy.

Ramiro Elena

13-Feb-2010, 04:57

Are there any options for us europeans to use a Unicolor Roller type of motor here in the old land appart from the Jobo CP's.
I'd like to have one of those smaller/simple rollers but I imagine getting one from the US will carry voltage problems (i'd need a converter).

Greg Blank

13-Feb-2010, 05:21

Actually I would check ebay in Europe, the CPP2 and other Jobo's are natively 240 volt machines. They were sold in Europe to work on the 50 hertz electric you have. There may even be new units available if you research where to buy.

You would need a convertor to buy a US model because they use 110V at 60 hertz. But if you did buy a US model I have the 240 Volt transformer circuit boards to convert them back to European specifications. It all depends on how much money you are willing to spend.

A US made Unicolor roller would probably need a converter as well.

Are there any options for us europeans to use a Unicolor Roller type of motor here in the old land appart from the Jobo CP's.
I'd like to have one of those smaller/simple rollers but I imagine getting one from the US will carry voltage problems (i'd need a converter).

Ramiro Elena

13-Feb-2010, 05:39

Well, I would of course be happier spending $20 to $40 on a smaller roller than $150 to $300 on a CPP. But mainly, I'd like something that doesn't take that much space.

Ideally, an ATL-2000 but well, you know... :)

What are the european users in this forum using with their expert drums? Jobo CP's only?

senderoaburrido

16-Jul-2022, 11:05

Does the lid not leak on the Jobo 3010 without a rubber cap like that in the attached picture? I was using the 2509n system in a 2500 tank and I had to pop off the cog head to replace it with a rubber cap. I can see on Catlabs' website that said cap only fits the smaller tanks. Can I assume that this means the open cog head doesn't spill liquid from its orifice when spun on a rotary developer without the associated Jobo system spout attached?
229135

Vaughn

16-Jul-2022, 11:33

...Can I assume that this means the open cog head doesn't spill liquid from its orifice when spun on a rotary developer without the associated Jobo system spout attached?

Yes, that would be a valid assumption. If anything leaks out of the cog opening when the drum is horizontal (spinning or not), it will only because the drum was overfilled (beyond Jobo's recommended max capacity).