Looking for alternative daylight developing methods (in very small bathroom)

[Pete Watkins]

Hi Welly,
I ain't being funny but it's a major achievement to get bad results from a Patterson Orbital. If you don't have a darkroom use a changing bag (which you do).
Load the sheets of film face up into the Orbital.
Use a pre wash, I do 2x2 minute washes in water at the developing temprature.
I use D-76H 1-1 as my main developer.
I lift the tank off the motor unit every minute and rock it backwards and forewards before replacing it on the motor. I've been told that this is not necessary but it's not hard to do, is it?
I use a water stop (water at the same temprature as the developer). About four washes.
I do 2 x 5 minute fixes with an alkali or neutral fixer.
I've never had a problem or crap result with this method. I do feel that the pre-wash is important.
Good luck,
Pete.

[welly]

How much developer/stop/fixer do you use? What quantity I mean? Perhaps I'm using too little and the sheets aren't getting full coverage. I'll give you suggestions a go and see how I get on, but going to grab that Jobo device as I think it'll be useful!

Cheers,

Welly

Hi Welly,
I ain't being funny but it's a major achievement to get bad results from a Patterson Orbital. If you don't have a darkroom use a changing bag (which you do).
Load the sheets of film face up into the Orbital.
Use a pre wash, I do 2x2 minute washes in water at the developing temprature.
I use D-76H 1-1 as my main developer.
I lift the tank off the motor unit every minute and rock it backwards and forewards before replacing it on the motor. I've been told that this is not necessary but it's not hard to do, is it?
I use a water stop (water at the same temprature as the developer). About four washes.
I do 2 x 5 minute fixes with an alkali or neutral fixer.
I've never had a problem or crap result with this method. I do feel that the pre-wash is important.
Good luck,
Pete.

[John Kasaian]

I've had good results with the Unicolor processor. You only need a dark room to load the (print) drum, but you can probably do that in a large changing bag.

[welly]

I ran a couple of sheets through my Paterson last night and excepting the mark on one of the negatives, I was pleased with the results. Not sure how that mark occurred. I think I need to run a few more sheets through it to test it. It could be that the film is touching the fins and have read in a previous thread that it's recommended they're removed. But before I do that, a few more sheets and then we'll see. I'm only actually using 200ml of liquid in them so can't see how they're floating so high, if that's what is occurring.

I'm undecided whether to bother with the CPA2 as I'm not 100% sure I'm that interested in developing colour at home. I shall decide this evening!

[jvuokko]

Hi Welly,
I ain't being funny but it's a major achievement to get bad results from a Patterson Orbital. If you don't have a darkroom use a changing bag (which you do).
Load the sheets of film face up into the Orbital.
Use a pre wash, I do 2x2 minute washes in water at the developing temprature.
I use D-76H 1-1 as my main developer.
I lift the tank off the motor unit every minute and rock it backwards and forewards before replacing it on the motor. I've been told that this is not necessary but it's not hard to do, is it?
I use a water stop (water at the same temprature as the developer). About four washes.
I do 2 x 5 minute fixes with an alkali or neutral fixer.
I've never had a problem or crap result with this method. I do feel that the pre-wash is important.
Good luck,
Pete.

I wonder where the differences came. I haven't got similar success
My first daylight system for LF was paterson orbital.
It gave somewhat good results, but occasionally uneven skies and especially too much density to film edges.

That's with motorized base. The motorized base has one annoying problem; sometimes the orbital tank's refuses to rotate - it stucks and will do only tilting movement. Video on youtube: http://youtu.be/A5L6Cc-byp8


Without base - by rocking the Orbital tank, I get also 'good' results, but not so evenly development skies that I can trust it.


I would like to know how many seconds it took to complete one revolution of tank in your motorized base?
My orbital does about two revolutions in minute - as long as it won't get stuck (this shows the speed: http://youtu.be/YKpCEeJdz9Y )


Developers that I have used: Pyrocat-HD 1:1:100, XTOL 1+1, D-76 1+1 (my main developer) and D-23 divided.



But I have to say that I haven't really got critically even development with any daylight and/or motorized systems I have tried. Different tanks in roller bases... Even hangers and dip'n'dunk in the dark. There's always more or less visible uneveness.


Tray development gives best results, but there's danger of scratches... I think that there's only BTZS stylish tubes, real slosher (I have used orbital as slosher, but I am not confident with results) and the brush development.


ps. It could be also that I am expecting too much... Perhaps perfectly evenly developed sheets just aren't realistic.

[fralexis]

I purchased a Combi-Plan and it works well. I have used it twice now and find it economical in chemical usage and not too many leaks. It leaks a little when pouring in chemicals through the air release valve but it really isn't much...no more than a 35mm tank. Previously I was tray developing and this sure beats that. A little expensive however for a plastic tank. The best available in my opinion if you don't want to spend a gazillion dollars.

Combi-Plan T 45 daylight processing tank. All steps, other then film loading, are done in full light. Up to 6 color 45 at a time. 12 B & W can be done back to back at one time. Add a hose and it becomes a force film washer. It's foot print is smaller then any other method. Inversion agitation so no more rolling or sloshing of chemistry.

[mattermantra]

The HP Combi Plan "T" is a great tank if you don't have a lot of space.

To get the most from it, make sure the rubber lid is on tightly *all* the way around. If you find that your pouring time is taking too long in to or out of the tank, make sure that you have turned the air-vent at the top far enough. I use about a 1L of developer, (instructions say 36oz) but for 6 4x5 sheets thats not so bad. (It's also an improvement over doing two negs at a time stuck to the sides of a Patterson tank!)

The only minor inconvenience that I've found is that for a standard size change-bag it can get a little cramped, but with a bit of practice it's not a problem at all.

[Paul H]

I get evenly developed 9x12cm and 4x5" film using the Orbital. I've never had any problems. Using the manual base, I do a (wobble) rotation about every two seconds, rotating about 20 seconds in each direction with a short pause before rotating in the other direction. I use 150ml of developer - I found that with 200ml, some solution would escape.

I assume that you have the little pegs in? Is the base scored or have you added any ridges? This is recommended by many as a way of ensuring the film doesn't stick to the base.

I have used Rodinal (1+50), but usually use PC-TEA 1+50. (Water stop, and Tetenal SuperFix plus fixer).

[Tim Meisburger]

Hmm... I also use an orbital and I have never had any problem. It is recommended to use just 60ml chemical, but I normally use 70ml. I still have the fins on mine and have never had a problem with film, although with 8x10 prints if the paper is curled you can get a line from the fin. To fix that just curl the paper in the opposite direction until it is fairly flat. Some people thing 60ml of solution is too little, but they are clearly wrong. Just use it one time.

I also have a combi-plan, but its with my enlarger in the US. they work great as well., and I wish I had it here for those times when I want to develop a lot of film at one time.

[jvuokko]

Hi, as it seems that I am (perhaps only) who has problems with Orbital, it must be caused by my agitation.

Perhaps the speed I use to rock the tank is too fast or I raise the edges too much.
I prefer to put Orbital tank on the large paper developing tray which works as water bath and helps keeping temperature at 20 degree celsius.
The amount of water is small, the Orbital tank is not floating so this is equal to agitating tank without base.

I use 300 - 400 ml developer. It does not spill, but it might also be one cause for uneven development (too dense edges).

My tank's bottom is roughted with dremel like tool, negatives won't stick to the base. The fins are also cut off.


So... Need to do well documented set of tests. One serie with different agitations and one serie with varying developer volume. Perhaps 300ml, 200ml, 150ml and 100ml would give some results.