best method to process film?

[stradibarrius]

If you were going to start all over, what method would you use to process your 4x5 film.
With 135 and MF I always used a hand tank and had great results. Since I have started shooting 4x5 I have tried the tray method, Homemade BTZS tubes and a Yankee tank.
The trays work fine if I amonly developing 1-2 sheets. The yankee tanks is messy and the BTZS tubes didn't work for me.

So what is the best method to process 1 sheet or 10+??

[false_Aesthetic]

1 sheet = rocking a tray back and forth every 15 sec.
2-3 sheets = not worth my time.
4-6 sheets = constant shuffling bottom to top, emulsion side up in a 8x10 tray with 2L of chem.
6+ = scratches. i break em up into smaller groups.

if I were to go back to 4x5 I'd probably purchase a slosher tray from formulary.



i tried daylight tanks but i always screwed something up or got bad agitation patterns.
never had access to 5x7 film hangers.

[Vaughn]

Starting over I would get a Expert 3010 drum (ten 4x5's at a time), tho I might not fill it up each time. Then tray develop if I thought a neg needed the extra attention. I believe there is an expert drum that can handle 4x5 and 5x7 negs that would probably fit me better -- less negs at a time but more versatile.

I am using the 3005 drums for 8x10 -- I have three of them so I can run 15 negs in a session without having to clean and dry the tubes in between batches -- not that I ever do since I usually don't expose that much film. I got the third one so that I would have a spare and could feel better about letting others use one of them without worrying about it as much.

Vaughn

PS...I developed 4x5's, 5x7's and 8x10's in trays for more than a couple of decades before finally getting the 3005.

[E. von Hoegh]

One sheet in a 5x7 tray and agitate every 15 sec.

10+ in a stainless Nikor tank, if you can find one at a non-exorbitant price.

[Bob Salomon]

Nothing is easier and safer then a CombiPlan T system. Processing in full daylight, inversion agitation, no scrathing as the film doesn't touch anything and the largest dark area you have to have is a chaanging bag! The only dark time required is the time it takes to slide 6 sheets of film into a holder and put the holder into the tank and put the cover on. Less ten 2 minutes for most people.

[mlatterich]

I would say it depends. I most frequently use the JOBO 3010 for all color and most B&W processing.

Dependent on the B&W film and the looks I want to create, I use standing tank development and sometimes tray development in an 8x10 tray.

If all I need to develop is a single sheet or two, I often use standing tank development with Diafine, since that developer keeps and it is really convenient.

[stradibarrius]

I thought about the Comiplan tank but I have heard that they leak like the Yankee Tank does????
Does the Combiplan tank require a a lot of chemistry even to process 1-2 negatives?

[Bob Salomon]

I thought about the Comiplan tank but I have heard that they leak like the Yankee Tank does????
Does the Combiplan tank require a a lot of chemistry even to process 1-2 negatives?

If the tank leaks then we replace whatever part is leaking.

The amount of chemistry is the same for any number of sheets per the instructions.
Some people here are placing the tank on its side to process a couple of sheets at a time. We do not recommend this but they seem to feel that it works. Doing so will require less chemistry but we don't know how much they are using.

[Andrew O'Neill]

I prefer trays, but sometimes I use BTZS tubes for both 4x5 and 8x10. When I use xray film, it's always flat-bottomed trays. And when I use trays, it's always one sheet at a time.

[jeroldharter]

You will get varied answers. Depends on your budget and temperament.

If you are old school and cheap, use trays.
Old school and a little lazy, slosher.
Want daylight processing and cheap, Combiplan or the new Patterson insert.
A gear head who is cheap, BTZS tubes.
A gear head who resents the exorbitant prices of Jobo drums, Jobo reels
A gear head willing to pay through the teeth for any advantage, Jobo expert drums.

At various times, I have been in each group (except number 3). Now I use Jobo expert drums which are mostly foolproof and allow daylight processing. The main limitation is that each sheet must be processed for the same time in each batch.

[Graybeard]

Hangers work very well for me.

[Ari]

Open my own lab.
Failing that, I'd buy a Jobo ATL; let the machine do the work.

[Brian Ellis]

Why didn't the BTZS-type tubes that you made work for you?

[cjbroadbent]

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-6-9gbIpsJHM/S2a2KUofCHI/AAAAAAAAIDY/3-0Ph_ZrvDw/s288/kitchenSinkW.jpg

[Duane Polcou]

I am currently using a Jobo 2551 drum with 2509 reels, as a manual inversion tank for 4x5 black and white.

The plus side, for me, is that you can process from 1-12 sheets per run, the drums do not leak, you can do "stand development" for compensating effects, if you feel you really need constant agitation you can use a motor base or Jobo processor, you don't need much chemistry (~ 600 ml working solution for 2 loaded reels is plenty), you can process in daylight, you don't have to touch or smell chemistry, you don't need much space, and if you do not agitate too vigorously the sheets stay seated properly in the reels, there is very little chance of scratching the emulsion, and to wash the film you just fill up the tank as much as is necessary and exchange the water several times.

The downside? Loading the reels takes a bit of practice, and Jobo drums and reels are not cheap.

[sully75]

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-6-9gbIpsJHM/S2a2KUofCHI/AAAAAAAAIDY/3-0Ph_ZrvDw/s288/kitchenSinkW.jpg


^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
If you are a genius and can get by with 1 negative.

[Doremus Scudder]

---------Quote-----------

If you are old school and cheap, use trays.
Old school and a little lazy, slosher.
Want daylight processing and cheap, Combiplan or the new Patterson insert.
A gear head who is cheap, BTZS tubes.
A gear head who resents the exorbitant prices of Jobo drums, Jobo reels
A gear head willing to pay through the teeth for any advantage, Jobo expert drums.

--------------------------------

I guess I'm still in category number one... Of course I'd add to that a bit of OCD regarding handling of the negatives...

Seriously, I believe tray processing can deliver the best results and has the most flexibility. Plus it has the advantages of being "cheap" and requires a minimum of equipment. The downside, you do need a darkroom.

That said, tray processing requires more skill than other methods. The simpler the technology, the more skill required to use it, generally speaking. Most other developing methods exist because tray processing presents the risk of damage by scratching. It takes some practice to get good at it and, like anything that requires skill, you need to practice to keep your skills honed.

My technique is to develop up to six 4x5 sheets in a deep 5x7 tray, face up (I like the Paterson trays that have grooves instead of ridges on the bottom). I shuffle through the stack (once every 30 sec. for the first half of development, once every minute for the second). I shuffle from the bottom along the horizontal (short) axis. Six sheets once through in 30 seconds is five seconds per shuffle. Not difficult at all with practice.

I've tried other methods, but returned to trays because I believe I can get more even development that way. That said, I really had to perfect my agitation technique to keep from getting overly-dense edges. No pushing down rapidly, etc. that might cause turbulence.

Trays have the advantage of being fast to set up, portable and require very little space. I've taken chemicals and trays with me on trips and developed in dark hotel bathrooms. My apartment in Vienna has only a small "darkroom" (the bathroom), but I can still get five 5x7 trays on the counters, enough for pre-soak, dev, stop, and two fixes.

Bottom line: if you're cheap, have OCD and willing to put in the time practicing and have the space, I'd recommend trays. If not, choose whichever of the other methods that suit your personality and needs. Such things are highly individual.

Best,

Doremus

[aclark]

So far nobody has mentioned the Paterson Orbital Processor. Very convenient and easy to use. Load in the dark, then do everything in daylight. does 4 sheets at a time.

Alan

[sepstein17]

...and if you either are or are not a gear head but have lots of bux -- there's always the lab to process for you when you're out shooting dux....

[bob carnie]

I have tried most methods, the best by far IMO is Jobo Expert drums, we are building a semi auto system to keep on using the jobo tanks we invested in.

For solarization negs I will be using a deep tank with 8x10 holders and flashing during development.

[jeroldharter]

---------

...

That said, tray processing requires more skill than other methods. The simpler the technology, the more skill required to use it, generally speaking. Most other developing methods exist because tray processing presents the risk of damage by scratching. It takes some practice to get good at it and, like anything that requires skill, you need to practice to keep your skills honed.

My technique is to develop up to six 4x5 sheets in a deep 5x7 tray, face up (I like the Paterson trays that have grooves instead of ridges on the bottom). I shuffle through the stack (once every 30 sec. for the first half of development, once every minute for the second). I shuffle from the bottom along the horizontal (short) axis. Six sheets once through in 30 seconds is five seconds per shuffle. Not difficult at all with practice.

I've tried other methods, but returned to trays because I believe I can get more even development that way. That said, I really had to perfect my agitation technique to keep from getting overly-dense edges. No pushing down rapidly, etc. that might cause turbulence.

Trays have the advantage of being fast to set up, portable and require very little space. I've taken chemicals and trays with me on trips and developed in dark hotel bathrooms. My apartment in Vienna has only a small "darkroom" (the bathroom), but I can still get five 5x7 trays on the counters, enough for pre-soak, dev, stop, and two fixes.

Bottom line: if you're cheap, have OCD and willing to put in the time practicing and have the space, I'd recommend trays. If not, choose whichever of the other methods that suit your personality and needs. Such things are highly individual.

Best,

Doremus

When I tried tray development, I always had problems with my hands being too warm which cause "hot spots" of over development on the negatives. I wore nitrile gloves and would dip my fingers in cold water periodically, but I could not fix the problem. Perhaps I could have increased my developer temp from 68 to decrease the differential but I gave up. I was drawn to the simplicity of tray processing but could not get even development. The unevenness was sometimes hard to discern because of the naturally variegated tones on the negative. But even areas of Zone V density like sky were too often messed up. Plus, I tend to shoot large amounts of film sporadically so the Jobo's are more pleasant o use for that. I think trays would be more comfortable for someone who shoots smaller amounts of film often, rather than 50+ sheets. Just some thoughts.

[stradibarrius]

What are some experiences with HP/Combi???

[Mark Stahlke]

I don't have a real darkroom so I use Combiplan in the kitchen for 4x5. It works well for me. For 8x10 I line up trays in the bathtub in a bathroom with no windows. Kneeling over the bathtub for 20 minutes isn't very much fun until I see the negatives. Then it's worth it.

[psychoanalyst]

I use Unicolor print drums (8x10) on a Uniroller....you can process 4 sheets at a time, and I love it. Never had a problem with development related issues. Then again, I am fairly new to LF, so may not have noticed issues that others would have.

I am happy with my system.

Avi

[Merg Ross]

I prefer trays for even development and large batches. As pointed out by Doremus, the process takes practice to perfect. I always use a pre-soak, and develop up to twelve sheets at a time in an 8x10 tray. The method of agitation is critical.

[tgtaylor]

I learned to process B&W film by hand inversion using daylight tanks for 35mm, 120, and 4x5. Gradually I migrated to the following methods:

35mm and 120 B&W film: Hand inversion using jobo tanks and reels
4x5 and 8x10 B&W: Rotary processing with Jobo 3010 and 2500 series tanks.
4x5 B&W (stand/zone development): Kodak hard rubber tanks and holders.
8x10 X-ray: Tray (I'm currently in the market for a tank or 2).
All color is rotary processed with a CPA.

Thomas

[jnantz]

trays, or hangers, as long as the hangers aren't messed-up

[jayabbas]

Hangers work very well for me.

Me too. Leedal tank line has never let me down. A form of therapy occurs in the dark as I do the dance with the neg.

[Tony Evans]

Four 4x5 Tacos in a Paterson 2-reeler. Simple & cheap, regular agitation, stand, semi-stand, etc.

[Bill Burk]

... I really had to perfect my agitation technique to keep from getting overly-dense edges....

I have to work on this today, I remain committed to tray processing film.

Denser edges + light falloff at the enlarger + visual effect of edge weakness = three issues going the wrong direction. (Many photographic issues cancel each other out - not this set).

Also when it comes to the risk of scratches, I continue to improve but cannot entirely eliminate the very fine ones.

I have resigned to living with these two issues, minimized to the best extent possible, but consider these flaws I risk are part of the aesthetic of tray processing.

Fred Picker would not have agreed, he classified film processing as routine work that should be performed efficiently. He would prefer perfect negatives. I cannot fault anyone for wanting that.

[stradibarrius]

I tried the "taco" in a hand tank. It seemed like it would be a great method but for some reason it didn't work out. The development was uneven???
I also have hangers. I need two more tanks so I can go from tank to tank with the hangers. I may try the taco method again today...it seems so simple???

[dtheld]

I use a MOD Photographic 4x5 Processor in a Paterson 3 reel tank. It takes six 4x5 negatives and with gentle agitation it gives excellent results. Do a search for MOD Photographic for details.

[Jack the boatman]

Hi,

I read all the comments on the Combi Plan tank, some positive and quite a lot negative. I bought one second hand on Ebay for £31 (about $45) and have found it to be excellent. If it leaks check that the valves are properly closed. I found it best to practice in daylight with some old negatives, it takes a while to be able to positively position the film in the correct slots. Be careful not to push the film retaining clip too far down after film has been loaded. I found this could cause the adjacent sheets to touch. All the best, I am only a few months ahead of you.

Jack

[Bob Salomon]

Hi,

I read all the comments on the Combi Plan tank, some positive and quite a lot negative. I bought one second hand on Ebay for £31 (about $45) and have found it to be excellent. If it leaks check that the valves are properly closed. I found it best to practice in daylight with some old negatives, it takes a while to be able to positively position the film in the correct slots. Be careful not to push the film retaining clip too far down after film has been loaded. I found this could cause the adjacent sheets to touch. All the best, I am only a few months ahead of you.

Jack

Do you have the Film Loading Guide that comes with a CombiPlan?

[Jack the boatman]

Bob,

Thanks for your reply, yes I do, but I have found it easier to just do it by touch.

Jack

[Tony Evans]

Stradibarrius,

In the Paterson 2-reeler, I increase chemicals to 800 ml. Never had uneven development, but have screwed up a few times. (usually hair-bands coming off until found a smaller (tighter) hair-band).

[blevblev]

I use a little of each - BTZS tubes, trays, and hangars. I use the BTZS tubes to develop/stop. BTW, I'm not sure why they would end up in the "gear head" category - mine don't have any gears. To me it's the most trouble free method, and I've tried them all. My particular situation is that I don't have a completely dark darkroom. I can only process at night, so the BTZS tubes fits my needs. I can load them in my completely dark closet, and bring them out into the not-so-darkroom. I have a deep sink that I keep the tray in, with the developer caps loaded. It's dark down in the sink so that I can transfer the caps. After putting the developer caps on the tubes, I can turn my safelight on and finish the process because, as Fred Newman has demonstrated, you don't need complete darkness after the developer. I put the opened tubes in a stop bath tray, and then transfer the films to hangars in Yankee tanks for fix, hypo clear, wash and photoflow.

[Pawlowski6132]

When it comes to rotary processing, I'd love to know why anyone would choose to take out a loan to buy a Jobo system instead of a Unicolor drum and base system? What am I missing?

[Steve Smith]

So far nobody has mentioned the Paterson Orbital Processor. Very convenient and easy to use. Load in the dark, then do everything in daylight. does 4 sheets at a time.

That's what I use and I don't wish for anything else.


Steve.

[Jay DeFehr]

When it comes to rotary processing, I'd love to know why anyone would choose to take out a loan to buy a Jobo system instead of a Unicolor drum and base system? What am I missing?

Automation. A JOBO processor provides very accurate and consistent control of time, temperature and agitation, and it's programmable, so it remembers multiple processing routines. One need only load the film, press a button and walk away with confidence one's film will be processed as programmed.

[Wally]

What are some experiences with HP/Combi???

I've had good luck with these.

It takes about 1050mL to fill, and if you have the lid fully pushed down, and you keep pressure on it when you invert, it hardly leaks (a drop or two at worst, for me).

It fills a little slow, but not too bad. As a consequence of the slow fill, I make sure my developer dilutions let me set devel. time to > 3 minutes.

I use Besseler drums when I've only got a couple of sheets.

[Dave Langendonk]

Automation. A JOBO processor provides very accurate and consistent control of time, temperature and agitation, and it's programmable, so it remembers multiple processing routines. One need only load the film, press a button and walk away with confidence one's film will be processed as programmed.

+1

It's hard to use a Unicolor drum on a Jobo processor ;)

Seriously, especially for C-41 the automation of a Jobo ATL processor combined with Expert drums is hard to beat for consistency.

[Andrew O'Neill]

You will get varied answers. Depends on your budget and temperament.

If you are old school and cheap, use trays.
Old school and a little lazy, slosher.
Want daylight processing and cheap, Combiplan or the new Patterson insert.
A gear head who is cheap, BTZS tubes.
A gear head who resents the exorbitant prices of Jobo drums, Jobo reels
A gear head willing to pay through the teeth for any advantage, Jobo expert drums.

The main limitation is that each sheet must be processed for the same time in each batch.

I can easily afford a jobo system but prefer trays. BTZS tubes are great for individualized development AND stand development. Trays are even better. As far as temperament goes, I'm quite impatient but don't mind standing in the dark agitating trays or spinning tubes and I'm far from being a gearhead. A true gearhead doesn't do any of their own processing.

Work with what works for you.

Now I'm off to test my 14x17 camera that I built myself. Crap, I built it myself. I guess I am cheap afterall :)

[Paul H]

So far nobody has mentioned the Paterson Orbital Processor. Very convenient and easy to use. Load in the dark, then do everything in daylight. does 4 sheets at a time.

Alan

My favourite too, plus only requires 150ml or so of developer. I use mine for 9x12cm and 4x5", but it can do two 5x7" or one 8x10".

The only problem is getting hold of one - usually easier from eBay UK or other UK source.

[Brian Ellis]

I'll try again.

Why didn't the tubes work for you? If it was a problem related to your build quality obviously that could be solved by buying the real BTZS tubes rather than making your own. If not that then it's hard to figure out what the problem would be. The tubes have many advantages - everything done in daylight once the film is loaded, minimal chemistry (one ounce of developer per sheet with D76 1-1, two ounces if undiluted), easy to keep track of different development times in the same run. No need to stand in the dark jiggling trays and inhaling chemical fumes. No scratches. No uneven development. No need to pay the cost and take up the space of a Jobo system. Etc.

I've used BTZS tubes, trays, and Jobo. I haven't used the other systems mentioned here. Obviously there's a lot of personal preference involved in any processing system. But the BTZS tubes 4x5 and 8x10 - were best for me.

[Scott Walker]

I don't think this method was mentioned. Explained to me by a fellow photographer.
For 8x10 sheet film, use 4, 8x10 trays with adequate chemistry to cover the film.
Put 1 sheet of film in each tray emulsion side up and agitate by rocking the trays.
Use a 16x20 tray for stop & another for fix.

Seems so simple I am going to give it a try.

[Jay DeFehr]

I'd design an automated system that uses individually controlled chambers for intermittent agitation of single sheets with minimal solution volumes. I'd make as much of the apparatus printable as possible, and the rest over the counter, and I'd make the design and the software open source/ freely available.

[ic-racer]

I don't think this method was mentioned. Explained to me by a fellow photographer.
For 8x10 sheet film, use 4, 8x10 trays with adequate chemistry to cover the film.
Put 1 sheet of film in each tray emulsion side up and agitate by rocking the trays.
Use a 16x20 tray for stop & another for fix.

Seems so simple I am going to give it a try.

I'm going to be putting a patent on that:

"Large format film processing using moderate volume liquid with combination laminar and turbulent flow agitation using electrochemical Actin-Myosin ATPase motor system."

[Scott Walker]

Seems so simple I am going to give it a try.

Ok, so I tried it.....

Wow! What an excellent stress free way of developing film, I can't believe I have been going about this the hard way for so many years.

I have always shuffled a stack of up to 6 sheets of film and as it has been pointed out technique is critical. if you lose focus in the first two minutes when shuffling you might as well just turn the lights on. I have had excellent results shuffling but there is still the odd occasion when the results are not perfect. One other downfall of shuffling is that if you have 5 negs that require normal development and 1 that requires +1 development you have to do it in 2 batches because searching through the stack to find 1 or 2 sheets that need to stay in the developer longer is not easy.

Yesterday afternoon I developed 4 batches of 4 sheets using 4 trays of developer and I still can't get over how easy it was. Agitation was virtually identical for all the film and the results were perfect. I had 1 holder with FP4 on one side and HP5 on the other. I developed the single sheet of FP4 with 3 sheets of HP5 and after 11 minutes I pulled the FP4 out of the bottom right tray and put it into the stop, at minute 12 I moved the neg from stop to fix and then at minute 13 I took the remaining 3 sheets out of the developer and put them into the stop. Could it be any easier? I also had some +1 and some -1 sheets to develop, again dead simple to develop them together. I use an audible timer that tells me when each minute is up (at each minute you hear 1 minute, 2 minutes, and so on) along with a metronome so I can agitate at precise intervals. This worked very well for shuffling and seems to be even better for the multiple tray method.

Ok enough rambling, I'm just kinda geeked about finding out about this method of tray developing my film. :D

[Kevin Crisp]

Homemade slosher for 4x5 and 5x7, two at a time. Never any damage or development issues. I'll trade the lack of damage for the time savings of shuffling more sheets in a tray.

[Jody_S]

I guess I'm the only masochist still using Yankee tanks? I've developed (so to speak) my own technique, of course, I haven't had uneven development problems since my 2nd load.

[Bazz8]

I use a little of each - BTZS tubes, trays, and hangars. I use the BTZS tubes to develop/stop. BTW, I'm not sure why they would end up in the "gear head" category - mine don't have any gears. To me it's the most trouble free method, and I've tried them all. My particular situation is that I don't have a completely dark darkroom. I can only process at night, so the BTZS tubes fits my needs. I can load them in my completely dark closet, and bring them out into the not-so-darkroom. I have a deep sink that I keep the tray in, with the developer caps loaded. It's dark down in the sink so that I can transfer the caps. After putting the developer caps on the tubes, I can turn my safelight on and finish the process because, as Fred Newman has demonstrated, you don't need complete darkness after the developer. I put the opened tubes in a stop bath tray, and then transfer the films to hangars in Yankee tanks for fix, hypo clear, wash and photoflow.

I use the BTZS tubes the only mistake i have ever made with these is putting the film in the tubes back to front, since then I have processed different times and time spacing which is a bit hard to do with a Jobo I have a jobo and for general common times it,s fine but the BTZS tubes are giving me clean and repeatable results.
scan of recent neg arista 100 supposed to be super contrasty printed up beutifuly
on ilford mg resin gloss.

[Black Lightning]

For rolls I use the stainless spiral reels in stainless tanks. For 4X5 I use a Stainless Nikkor tank :) I have a few Bar-Ray x-ray development tanks with an assortment of hangers for when the time comes that I move up to real large format film. Yup, any day now. I tried the tray method shuffling top to bottom but i just ended up with a bunch of scratched negatives.

[joelio]

Hello all -

As a recent entrant into the world of large format processing, I have attempted to stay with what is the most comfortable and familiar to me - using a Paterson daylight tank. I've been processing medium format for years and am comfortable on that platform.

I considered the taco method, but it left me too hungry and I never got around to it. Something about the stains from the taco-belts / rubber bands also turned me off.

I ordered a Mod54 insert for a standard Paterson three reel tank and finally got around to using it last night. The experience was mixed. It was a bit fiddly in that it was a real pain to get the six sheets loaded onto the carrier inside of a changing bag. The sheets felt like they were constantly on the verge of flying off of the carrier, though after loading the carrier onto the spindle and into the Paterson tank nothing appears to have moved from its original place. Unfortunately, i misloaded one of the sheets and one corner appears to have never been exposed to developer - odd. The other sheets all appear fine and evenly developed.

I am curious if it would have been easier to load the carrier in a tent as opposed to a changing bag. Also, I can't help but wonder if my agitation process knocked one of the sheets out of its groove.

Regardless of all of the above, a fun entry into the world of large format processing.

[John Kasaian]

Depends on space, money, type of film, temperature requirements, agitation technique. That said, my thoughts are simply "use what ya got"

[Edwardv]

Here are two links for the MOD 54 if any one is interested.


http://www.mod54.com/buy.php

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mt_Lzd3LUnQ

[Pawlowski6132]

I don't think this method was mentioned. Explained to me by a fellow photographer.
For 8x10 sheet film, use 4, 8x10 trays with adequate chemistry to cover the film.
Put 1 sheet of film in each tray emulsion side up and agitate by rocking the trays.
Use a 16x20 tray for stop & another for fix.

Seems so simple I am going to give it a try.

Hmmm. Intriguing. What do you call this method?

[Louie Powell]

I'm tempted to say "in chemicals - and everything else is a detail". But to be more serious, my favorite method is a slosher insert for a tray.

You can buy one, but it's also very easy to make one. Get some plexiglass at the Orange Box Store, and some plexiglass cement at a glass shop. You can cut plexi on a table saw. I made a six-sheet insert that works perfectly in an 11x14' tray. I also have a two-sheet version that works in an 8x10" tray. I can process six sheets in 20oz of chemicals - that's enough to cover all six sheets in the slosher tray. HC110 dilution H, with continuous agitation for the first 30 seconds, followed by 5 seconds out of every 30 for the rest of the time. I use EFKE 100 rated at EI 50, and 11 minutes is just about right.

[Scott Walker]

Hmmm. Intriguing. What do you call this method?

No idea, but I am sure impressed with the results.
I have not had any uneven development issues with 8x10 film since I changed to this method.
Not that it was a big problem before when I was shuffeling through a stack, but now it is not an issue at all now.

[bob carnie]

This is a pretty decent method thanks for sharing
No idea, but I am sure impressed with the results.
I have not had any uneven development issues with 8x10 film since I changed to this method.
Not that it was a big problem before when I was shuffeling through a stack, but now it is not an issue at all now.