Single sheet development in trays

[jeroldharter]

You might look at BTZS tubes (even a single tube) as an option. They are sold new at The View Camera Store. Fred has good YouTube videos showing their use. Once you put the film inthe tubes, you can process with the lights on which is convenient for a makeshift darkroom.

[MMELVIS]

4x5 setup

4 5x7 trays

Rack for trays


Work Bottom to top or top to bottom what ever your choice is
1)Developer
2)Water
3)Fixer
4)Water

Move one negative at time between trays
Rock tray a few times every few seconds
Can leave a few negatives in the final tray until you have finished a batch if needed
I only do one negative at a time
I use thin latex gloves from CVS, the local drug store

[Leigh]

2)Water

Water IS NOT a proper substitute for stop bath. It should only be used for that purpose with developers that specify it.

- Leigh

[Bill Koechling]

You're getting good information here. I've used just my hands - no gloves or tongs - for 40 years but your skin may be different than mine. I always have a tray of water to dip my hands into so as to not contaminate from one tray to another. Just remember your hands will warm the chemistry especially during long sessions. That may affect your developing time.

After doing this stuff for a while it becomes an enjoyable dance in an amber glow and the aroma is your friend that you'll never forget.

[Dakotah Jackson]

Having done this in locations with no as well as limited electricity and in my own darkroom you are on the right track. But, NO ribbed bottom trays or you'll scratch the film.

Try a brush, like a Hake, for brush development. This way you leave the film emulsion side up and brush gently one direction across the film and then the other direction. Side to side over the full sheet and then back and forth. Do this the whole time. Easy to do and very even development.

Nitrile gloves as mentioned will protect your hands.

Look at Sandy King's Pyrocat HD developer. Works very well and is one of the most economical to use around. Don't scrimp on the developer when you process your film. Have the bit of safety margin of mixing more than the minimum called for.

On trays, flea markets, second hand stores and the like. Pyrex glass baking dishes work very well and won't break if you aren't clumsy. Yard sales are a good place to pick them up.

Clothes pins and a line for hanging negs to dry after Photo-flo treatment in distilled water. Inexpensive and they work well.

Add another couple trays, one for pre-soak and one for the rise tray after processing. Maybe another for Photo-flo tho you can use the rinse tray for this if you rinse well and change the water to distilled for the final step.

This is not difficult. A timer or CD or cassette tape with music or something you like with time hacks recorded on it so you know how long you have the film in the chemistry is handy to have playing.

Good luck, you can do well with a minimum of cost, supplies and equipment. Also, standing or sitting the the dark brushing sheets of film while listening to your favorite music is relaxing. One help, if you have a sink put a padded section on the front of it where your arms or foreaarms will rest and it will make it a bit easier.

[welly]

I know you said "single sheet" development but you might want to look at one of these at some point in the future - a slosher:

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

I started with just developing one sheet at a time, now I'm doing several. For timing, you might want to grab something like this:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/General-TI89...item2ec105cbf0

It's a triple timer - you can set three independent alarms for your dev, stop and fix. The only thing it doesn't do, which would be great if it did, is beep at you every 30 seconds or minute so you've an idea of how far into the process you are. But aside from that, I've found it ideal.

[schmidtjas]

Thanks for the tips and clever tricks everyone

[Kevin J. Kolosky]

I would recommend Ilford's fixer, and that you try using plain water for the stop bath as well as a regular packaged stop bath. I use the water and don't see any difference whatsoever between that and using stop bath. Others may see a difference. Which is why you should check it out for yourself.

Get a couple of old negatives from somebody who doesn't want them anymore and practice your run a couple of times using plain water for everything. Put the negs in the film holders and do the whole thing from start to finish a couple of times with the lights on, and then a few times with the lights off. Do it the same way each time. You'll eventually get it and soon you will find out that its kind of fun!

[Ben Calwell]

I use Pyrex glass bread pans for 4x5. There's a certain size that keeps the sheets from touching the bottom, yet keeps them submerged. I do emulsion side down with these and have had no problems shuffling through five or six sheets. I put them in a water bath first, though, so that they are nice and slippery and unlikely to stick together when I put them in the developer.

[Leigh]

I put them in a water bath first, though...

As I've said before... DO NOT use a pre-soak with a two-part developer. You'll kill the developer activity.

Instructions for these normally specify no pre-soak.

- Leigh