Rotary fixing -- how much, how long?

[Neal Wydra]

Dear Dirk,

It makes me feel better to split the fixing time between two bathe (1/3-2/3). The first bath almost always shows precipitate when adding Hypo-chek. Yes, I realize I'm overreacting, but as I said, it makes me feel better.

Neal Wydra

[Jim Galli]

I'll run through one of my 8X10 development cycles just for comparison sake. Efke R100 Cirkut film cut for the 8X10. 5 sheets. 12.5 min. with Pcat HD 2:2:100 @ 70 degrees. I pour in 800ml developer. This is in a JOBO CPA. Slowest rotation. At 6.5 min I change the developer with 800 ml fresh Pcat.

After the development I wash in regular water for 5 minutes. 3 washes over the 5 minute period, the first being the shortest to remove most of the remaining dev.

Fix with 800 ml TF-4 for 7 minutes. Then the washes begin. Eight 2 1/2 minute washes. Wash no. 2 is with Kodak Hypo Clear. All others except #8 are just water with the machine rotating as normal. On the final wash I introduce some Calgon. It doesn't take much. I "save" that final Calgon H2O wash water and add 1 drop of photo-flo to it in a tray to give the sheets a final swish just before they get hung to dry. This has been giving me spotless negs. Time consuming but I feel satisfied that all those washes have prepared the 3005 drum for the next batch of developer with residual fix being impossible.