Pyrocat HD in slosher

[Kirk Gittings]

I have been using PC HD (in glycol) in BTZS tubes with success. I switched to the slosher because I get fine scratches inserting and withdrawing the film from BTZS tubes. I thought the Pyrocat HD/slosher combo would be the best of all worlds.

However, I am having trouble getting even development with the slosher-very evident in clear skies. This is a 6 up slosher in a an 11x14 tray. One minute pre-soak, 2000ml of developer, 1:1:100, Acros, emulsion up.

Agitation method is lifting each side and dropping it-rotating sides as I go, 30 seconds to start and 5 seconds each 30 seconds in a PF slosher.

Too aggressive? Your thoughts?

I think you can see the faint surge marks in the marked corner. I don't remember the orientation of that corner in the slosher.

PS. no comments about the image-an outtake from the worlds most boring HABS project in Phoenix. Saved this film for testing.

[Brian C. Miller]

Are you lifting up the tray, or the slosher itself? When I use my slosher, I lift up the tray.
How far is the film surface underneath the surface of the developer? My slosher holds the film close to the tray bottom, with plenty of clearance between the film and the surface.
What happens if you use a more aggressive agitation?

[Larry H-L]

Hi Kirk,

I use this method for 4x5, no problems so far.

I would suggest a longer pre-soak, and occasionally lifting the entire slasher tray all the way out of the liquid and draining it off one corner. Then agitate using your method, gently tipping up various corners. Then after a couple of minutes, lift completely again and drain to a different corner.

Most uneven development in my experience comes from agitation that is too gentle. (Not longer agitation, use more vigorous agitation).

And if you didn't have those glorious NM skies, you wouldn't have this problem! ; )

Good luck, let us know how it goes.

[Kirk Gittings]

Brian, I was lifting the slosher-not the tray. I don't know how far the film is under the developer-its in the dark! No really I will check.

What is your agitation times?

OK I checked the depth. The film sinks to the bottom and is covered by about 1/4 inch of developer.

[jeroldharter]

Have you tried continuous agitation like with the BTZS tubes?

[Kirk Gittings]

No I haven't.

[Brian C. Miller]

When I slosh with my DIY slosher, I start with a brisk slosh with the slosher itself, back and forth underneath the liquid surface to dislodge air bubbles underneath the film. After that, it's 5 seconds per 30 seconds, picking up the tray sides. I use 500ml in a 5x7 tray, and that's been fine for me.

Could you please crop your picture and bring up the contrast? I can barely see the problem.
Also, you might try loading up the slosher with some test scrap film and see what's happening in room light.

[Richard Wasserman]

Kirk,

I have found that the initial agitation in a Slosher is vital. I agitate by swirling the Slosher in small, random circular movements for the first minute and do it quite vigorously. Also as soon as you put the Slosher in the tray check that all the film is underwater. A third hand helps, so you can agitate at the same time. For all subsequent agitation cycles I lift the corners of the Slosher and gently push them back down, and will occasionally do the random circular motion thing. I use about a 3 minute presoak, but I'm not sure that makes much difference. I have developed hundreds and hundreds of sheets using this method and only very rarely have a problem.

[Kirk Gittings]

Here it is cropped with a contrast bump.

[Gem Singer]

This is what I have found when developing 4x5 and 5x7 Ilford HP-5+ in Pyrocat 1:1:100 by the dip-and- dunk method:

(Can also be applied when using a Slosher).

Pre-soak for at least two minutes.

The most critical time is during the first minute of development.

The film needs to be continuously agitated during the first minute. Not overly aggressively, but gentle continuous agitation.

After the first minute, fifteen seconds of gentle agitation at one minute intervals will result in even development with maximum acutance.

(For a thinner negative, ideal for scanning, agitate for fifteen seconds at two minute intervals).