If could find these in about 2 1/2 inches in length, Stainless Steel, it would be a snap to make a free flowing slosher out of almost any 11x14 tray. I was unable to find such a length say 3/16x2 1/2 on the web. Anyone better at this kind of source search? All you engineers/machinists out there?
Thanks,
Kirk
at age 73:
"The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep"
Originally Posted by Kirk Gittings
McMaster-Carr has 2" plastic— http://www.mcmaster.com/#sex-screws/=hemfv6 I'm curious though, why do they need to be so long?
That'll work I think-the 2" plastic ones. My thinking about the length....with the Photographers Formulary slosher (watching is while doing a test with the lights on) some suggested lifting one end completely out of the dev. and dropping it. With that kind of action the film floats up to the top of the dev. briefly and this height 2 to 2 1/2 inches (about the height of the PF slosher sides) would insure that film didn't escape its "jail". This height may not be necessary when the keepers are bolted to the bottom of a tray and the tray is simply rocked?
I ordered some of the black 2" plastic and will try them out (50 for $9-what have I got to lose?)-probably not before I get back from Chicago in early July though.
Thanks,
Kirk
at age 73:
"The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep"
I've not found floating film to be an issue after the initial period of agitation. I do make sure all the film is underwater as soon as I slide the slosher into the tray—I use all 4 of my hands....
I thought maybe you were making a slosher type insert using the sex-screws to hold the film.
I may make an insert with a mesh base or just do a tray. I'd like to do an insert I think.
Thanks,
Kirk
at age 73:
"The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep"
Using only enough developer to cover the film by 1/4th inch might be a contributing problem. Bumping that up to at least 1/2" might help. When I tray develop film, I use a big tray and a lot of developer. I've never used a slosher, though. Imo, especially for film destined for digital printing, evenness of development is more important than promoting edge effects, at least it is up until any unevenness becomes unnoticeable.
“You often feel tired, not because you've done too much, but because you've done too little of what sparks a light in you.”
― Alexander Den Heijer, Nothing You Don't Already Know
When I have had the opportunity to view the negatives with problems resulting from use of a slosher, and the slosher which was used, I find that usually it is a problem with slosher construction. Most are built of plastic and the dividers are fare too large thus resulting in surge marks when agitating. The best are made of very fine stainless steel wire. Mine are made of 0.008 inch stainless wire. We had some made of stainless welding wire at the college where I taught for 20 years and had no problems with surge marks.
Definitely lifting the corners of the tray is to be preferred to lifting either the sides of the tray or the slosher.
Additionally the slosher should not be able to move around in the tray which adds to surges and an abundance of chemical helps to lessen the unwanted surges.
A lab I use occasionally, uses sloshers that sounds like what you are describing and they get good results. Basically it is a flat sheet of Plexiglass with fine stainless steel wire that forms a hoop over the each corner of the sheet of film. The wire goes through small holes drilled in the Plexiglass. The one I saw fit in a 16x20 tray, and would do 16 sheets of 4x5. I asked and they said they have been using them for years.
Roger
I don't care about edge effects. Only even development. I can get even development in BTZS tubes. I get fine scratches from inserting and removing the film. The trouble with the slosher is that's 64 oz of developer for 6 sheets of film. 64 oz in BTZS tubes would do 32 sheets of film just fine, but in an open slosher tray, even covered between runs 6 sheets at a time, PCHD oxidizes long before you can get to 32 sheets-so it is far less economical. If I have to go to more developer forget it.
Thanks,
Kirk
at age 73:
"The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep"
I only mentioned edge effects because some people avoid continuous agitation on that basis, and I've heard that as an argument for slosher trays. (I use Jobo expert drums for sheet film, a continuous agitation method.) Have you tried traditional tray development, ala Fred Picker? I had good luck with that method with 4x5 before getting my Jobo. Otherwise, I agree that coming up with a better slosher looks like a good way forward.
“You often feel tired, not because you've done too much, but because you've done too little of what sparks a light in you.”
― Alexander Den Heijer, Nothing You Don't Already Know
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