"Taco" Processing

[Michael Cienfuegos]

Yes, the Expert drums are much nicer than bending tacos. I never had any problem with tacos, but it is fiddlier than loading the Expert tanks. I don't do much rotary processing anymore, preferring intermittent agitation, but when I do, I use my Expert tanks.

I can bend a whole lot of tacos for the price of an expert drum I have been using my Unicolor print drum for 5x7, It hold two sheets very nicely.

[Jay DeFehr]

I can bend a whole lot of tacos for the price of an expert drum I have been using my Unicolor print drum for 5x7, It hold two sheets very nicely.

I absolutely agree, Michael, and that's what I did before I got my Expert drum. I like low cost solutions when they don't compromise quality, and I wouldn't say there's any difference in quality using an Expert drum or bending tacos, though I did get some rubber band marks before I switched to beads.

[urs0polar]

Like Jay, I ended up with rubber band marks too. The last time I tried it, I also tried to fit too many 4x5 sheets in a 120 tank (i think i tried 5 or 6 instead of 4 like I regularly did), and I got a grid pattern from the taco "tubes". At that point, I happened to see an expert drum come up for a good price on this forum, so I went for it.

So, I think it depends on how many sheets you try to stick in there. I've been shooting my technika handheld, so I'm going through more sheets than if I was doing the normal LF thing with a tripod, etc. If someone could figure out how to make something like the expert drums but cheaper, I think they could make quite a good bit of money among us enthusiasts. The mod54 guy seems to be doing well, which is great. If I didn't have the expert, I would be doing the mod54 thing at this point instead of tacos.

Sorry if I come off as elitist because I have an expert drum now; that's not my intent.

[dupont07]

Can I apply Taco Processing with 5x7 X-ray film? I got 2 reels tank that I can develop a normal 5x7 sheet film but I don't know if the rubber band will make scratches to X-ray film?

[Michael Cienfuegos]

I don't shoot enough 4x5 or 5x7 to warrant an expert drum. If I had that much to spend I would probably be buying another lens. The Unicolor drum has been great for processing 5x7, only 2 sheets at a time, but I have two drums, so it makes for quick work for me.

[Jay DeFehr]

Can I apply Taco Processing with 5x7 X-ray film? I got 2 reels tank that I can develop a normal 5x7 sheet film but I don't know if the rubber band will make scratches to X-ray film?

If it's 2-sided film, I think it will scratch. I've not had much success rotary processing 2-sided X-ray film.

[dupont07]

Thanks, Jay. The X-ray film's emulsion is easy to be scratch too.

[Jay DeFehr]

Thanks, Jay. The X-ray film's emulsion is easy to be scratch too.

It sure is. When I've rotary processed 2-sided X-Ray film, I've stripped the back side emulsion (along with all the scratches) afterward. I'm not very happy with my 2-sided X-Ray film, and plan to try the single-sided stuff when I get the time.