DIY slosher or Orbital tank?

[jvuokko]

I am quite interested about sloshers as it allows easy development of a single 4x5 sheet and also 2-4 sheets simultaneously with intermitted agitation instead of using rather continous agitation for single sheet in plain tray.

Before trying to build one with my really poor DIY skills, I would like to hear if there's good experiences using Paterson Orbital like a slosher tray?

I happen to have two Orbital tanks so it would be good to get some use for them
(I used them with motorized based until I suddenly begun to get really uneven results).

The final question is that because the film's edges are against the wall's of the tank in Orbital, is there danger of uneven development caused by developer "wave" bouncing back from the opposite wall of the side that I am lifting up.

The lifting pattern could be left, closest to me, right then again the edge closest to me.

[jeroldharter]

I suggest getting a Photographers Formulary slosher which holds up to 6 sheets of 4x5 and fits in an 11x14 tray. The rigid and relatively compact Yankee trays work well with them in my experience. This is it:

http://stores.photoformulary.com/-st...ING/Detail.bok

The slosher is rather expensive but well built and worth it. These are the trays I was referring to:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...ping_Tray.html

[jeroldharter]

Yes, you should go around the clock when sloshing the slosher so that agitation is effectively random.

[cjbroadbent]

....The final question is that because the film's edges are against the wall's of the tank in Orbital, is there danger of uneven development caused by developer "wave" bouncing back from the opposite wall of the side that I am lifting up.....

Shoot a gray card and you get your answer. I use the motorised orbital for 8x10. The fins have been sawn off because they cause eddies. There is a very slight difference round the edges of the negative- better than hangers in tanks. I keep in mind 'chemical exhaustion' and use two shots of everything.

[jvuokko]

I'll do the test.

[Pete Watkins]

Jukka,
I have 4 orbitals and swear by them. I've sawn the fins off, made sure that the negs can't settle on the tank base and I'm gonna get critisized for this by all the orbital experts BUT I use 300ml of chemical. 2 x 2 minute 300 ml pre washes, 300ml of D-76H (or D-76) 1-1, water stop on Foma film and 300 ml of an alkali or neutral fixer. I fix twice. Water wash and final rinse in de-ionised or distilled water.
Pete.

[Jim Noel]

Slosher trays are easily and cheaply built, usually less than $10. I prefer them to all tanks because there is less film handling, thus less danger of scratches.

[jvuokko]

I used to use 300ml of chemical with motorized base.

Now as I checked, with agitating by rocking the Orbital tank, even the 300ml might not be enough to cover negatives fully. The curvature of the base is quite big.

[Stephane]

I use 400ml in the orbital with motorized base. I also cut the fins off the lid because it scratched my 8x10 negatives. Now, I can say that the orbital changed my life!

[philipmorg]

Another easy DIY approach is to glue multiple 5x7 trays into a larger tray. You put the chemicals and the film to be developed into the 5x7 trays, and you agitate the larger tray (which of course moves all the smaller trays in concert). After development, you move the film into either identical setups for stop bath and fixing, or stack the developed sheets in a single 5x7 tray of stop and then fixer.