How to develop 20 x 24 film?

**Tracy Storer** · 11-Oct-2009, 13:33

Yes, I use individual trays...they are around 22"x26" inside dimensions....sounds like the same size Monty is using except mine are the normal depth. (extra-deep would be nice)
I use 4-5 gallons of developer which I save and replenish. I use the fairly common approach of a water pre-soak, then developer, stop, fix, holding bath. I develop emulsion-side-up, and agitate by pulling the bottom neg from the stack and placing it on top and pushing down to re-submerge it. I wear thin nitrile gloves while I do this, and have a long vent at the back of the sink to draw air past me, over the trays and out to the outdoors. A modified household furnace blower is the heart of the ventilation system. Once I have finished or have a batch to fill the washer, I second-fix, use hypo-eliminator and wash them in a 20x24 vertical print washer and hang to dry after using a small hole-punch in one corner for wire hooks on a clothesline over the sink.

**sanking** · 11-Oct-2009, 20:04

Originally Posted by Tracy Storer

Yes, I use individual trays...they are around 22"x26" inside dimensions....sounds like the same size Monty is using except mine are the normal depth. (extra-deep would be nice)
I use 4-5 gallons of developer which I save and replenish. I use the fairly common approach of a water pre-soak, then developer, stop, fix, holding bath. I develop emulsion-side-up, and agitate by pulling the bottom neg from the stack and placing it on top and pushing down to re-submerge it. I wear thin nitrile gloves while I do this, and have a long vent at the back of the sink to draw air past me, over the trays and out to the outdoors. A modified household furnace blower is the heart of the ventilation system. Once I have finished or have a batch to fill the washer, I second-fix, use hypo-eliminator and wash them in a 20x24 vertical print washer and hang to dry after using a small hole-punch in one corner for wire hooks on a clothesline over the sink.

The punch to attach a wire hook is a nice idea. A 20X24" negative is fairly heavy and may release from a simple clothespin.

However, I simply don't have the room to develop 20X24" negatives in trays, apart from the fact that I really dislike developing any size negative in trays. Basically, standing there in the dark shuffling film is just not something I like to do. In any event, unless you have a lot of negatives to process at one time the use of a print drum on a motor base is both efficient and practical.

Sandy King

**Jeremy Moore** · 11-Oct-2009, 21:41

So the Jobo 3063 is the right tank for 20x24? I was using one to develop 2x 11x14 negatives and was curious. Now I'm torn between resale and a 20x24 box camera as I already have a lens for it!