What are your favorite trays or developong film?

[John Kasaian]

I've been thinking of treating myself to new Cesco Lites with dimpled bottoms for my printing.
Until I can find a cure for my processor ills (or a wealthy dead person wills me their Jobo) I'll be developing in trays as I've been having just too many problems with the ol' Unicolor lately, so I was wondering how the Cesco Lites would handle multi-tasking? I've never used dimpled bottom trays before but it seems like an improvement that might reduce the issue of air bells.
Your thoughts?

[cjbecker]

I really like the Paterson's trays,

http://www.freestylephoto.biz/3241-Paterson-Developing-Tray-Accommodates-8x10-inch-size-prints-Red?cat_id=1603

I just ordered more in 8x10 and also have 4 in the 16x20 size. I find then great for developing paper and film.

[Jac@stafford.net]

No experience with Cesco, but for 8x10 B&W, look at the big auction site for item # 271159551226. I doubt the seller will succeed with his BIN. Others have sold for $15. I paid $5 each, unused.

The are used emulsion-up. The film is retained by a ridge on the bottom of each end. The original virtue of these rocking trays was for color prints using little chemistry, and ease of maintaining temperature (it can float in a tray of water). I use more than enough developer than they were designed for.

It might be worth keeping an eye out for one or more.

[cjbecker]

Do you get any uneven development in the rocking trays?

When I started in the darkroom, I used the rocking method to agitate my prints and had very uneven development. Very very bad skies and such.

[Scott Walker]

+1 for the Paterson trays

[Jac@stafford.net]

Do you get any uneven development in the rocking trays?

When I started in the darkroom, I used the rocking method to agitate my prints and had very uneven development. Very very bad skies and such.

No uneven development, and no bromide-drag probably because I used long-enough development times and I swirled it a bit, too. What kind of agitation would one use with a print other than rocking a tray? Flipping the print risks abrading the emulsion unless you have a deep tray and lots of chemistry.

[John Kasaian]

I have Pattersons, as well as a set of vintage Kodak Duraflex and a set of cheap but seemingly indestructible Kindermanns (I think they are Kindermanns anyway---thin plastic, dysentary green color with a circle "k" embossed on the bottoms) which I bought new in the 1970s (as well as Aristas, Omegas and some mystery trays that arrived at various times) I'm a sucker for trays. :o

[cjbecker]

No uneven development, and no bromide-drag probably because I used long-enough development times and I swirled it a bit, too. What kind of agitation would one use with a print other than rocking a tray? Flipping the print risks abrading the emulsion unless you have a deep tray and lots of chemistry.

Thats actually what I do. I normally run 1L of developer in a 8x10 tray to develop a print. I do like to make sure the prints have enough water to play and dance in the water.

I pick the print up from the top and lift it up and flip it over towards myself and lay it back down then slightly tap it back into the water from the bottom to the top and do it again.

It's the only way that i could get consistent prints.

[Peter Lewin]

I can't speak for 8x10 but for 4x5 or 5x7 I would skip trays and use deep multipurpose containers as shown on Ken Lee's site. Less surface area, so less oxidation.

[Leigh]

I've been thinking of treating myself to new Cesco Lites with dimpled bottoms for my printing.
I've used the Cescolite (one word) dimple-bottom trays for sheet film developing (4x5 and 8x10) for probably 30 years and they're great.
I develop sheet film face down, and have never had an issue with air bells.

I use regular (Yankee?) trays for paper, since I never use the same tray for multiple purposes.
My film developer is Diafine, and I'm scrupulously careful about not contaminating the 2 trays with anything.

- Leigh

[ROL]

I've been using the dimpled Cescolites (sold for 8x10 & 11x14) for sheet developing for 10 years with great success. Those sizes are of quite stiff plastic. I use Cesco's regular trays for all print processing, up to 34x42. I can't imagine why one wouldn't want a smooth bottom for prints, unless one only processes face up and has inordinate trouble picking them up out of the trays. If that is the case, you might look further into your print processing technique. If the sole goal, as suggested, is to use one set of trays for both film and print processing, I'd sooner use a set of smooth bottom trays for both.

[ac12]

I have and use the Honeywell Rocking Print Tray, and I LIKE it.
I have both the 8x10 and 11x14 rocking trays. I do not know if they made a 16x20 rocking tray, but I would like one if they did.
It is a great space saver, especially if like me, you do not have the space for regular trays. It worked well when I had a small apartment bathroom, where I used both the 8x10 and 11x14 rocking trays. Even when I had a darkroom at my parents home, I used the 11x14 rocking tray. It saved me the hassle of setting up large trays, when my normal prints were 8x10 or smaller.

The eBay item linked above does not list the size of the tray, 8x10 or 11x14.

Jac, if you find an 11x14 or 16x20 (if they made a 16x20) rocking tray, please send me the lead. I can use another one for a friend of mine who is also space challenged in her bathroom darkroom.

[John Kasaian]

I've been using the dimpled Cescolites (sold for 8x10 & 11x14) for sheet developing for 10 years with great success. Those sizes are of quite stiff plastic. I use Cesco's regular trays for all print processing, up to 34x42. I can't imagine why one wouldn't want a smooth bottom for prints, unless one only processes face up and has inordinate trouble picking them up out of the trays. If that is the case, you might look further into your print processing technique. If the sole goal, as suggested, is to use one set of trays for both film and print processing, I'd sooner use a set of smooth bottom trays for both.
OK what about a set of trays dedicated just for developing film?

[Doremus Scudder]

Prints and film seem to stick to the bottom of smooth trays for me.

I use Paterson trays for sheet film developing. I develop emulsion-side-up. I tried emulsion-side-down, but the grooves in the bottom of the trays gave uneven development "stripes." The Paterson trays are deep, and I like that when shuffling film in the dark

I've never tried the dimple-bottomed Cescolite trays for film developing, but they should be excellent as well (I do have some for print processing).

Avoid cheap trays with hard ridges and rough areas. These will scratch your negs. The Paterson and Cescolite trays are made of a more pliable material and are not as hard/brittle as other trays I've had.

Best,

Doremus

[welly]

Paterson trays for me. I do have some of those New Yankee trays which I use only for my slosher (was unable to find a Paterson tray to fit it without going massively over the top). I don't think I'd be confident using those trays with negatives on their own. The ridges are sharp enough to take your eye out!

[John Kasaian]

Whats keeping me from buying Cescolites is the $80 price tag for four 11x14 trays (B and H/ Calumet)---which is still cheaper than a Jobo--- Since 8x10 tray development is something I haven't done in like the past 10 years I'm going to start out using my Pattersons, maybe shoot some ortho and try it under a safelight at first (is tray developing like riding a bicycle? Something tells me maybe not) What I know for sure is that 5 sheets lost to uneven development out of 24 is just too wasteful! I can always pick up a set of Cescolites at Calumet in SF or LA the next time I'm there, if need be.

[Jac@stafford.net]

Jac, if you find an 11x14 or 16x20 (if they made a 16x20) rocking tray, please send me the lead.

I certainly will, however never in my 40 years of darkroom work have I seen one!

[ac12]

Got a message back from the eBay lister, that is an 8x10 Honeywell rocking tray.

[ROL]

OK what about a set of trays dedicated just for developing film?

Better late than never. My dimples, 2 sets each of 8x10 and 11x14 are, for all practical purposes, only for developing film. But only because I don't make fine art prints that small, the larger smooth bottom trays already so indicated. Theoretically, other than convenience or cost, a tray is a tray, unless you encounter specific problems with the "media".

[Regular Rod]

I've been thinking of treating myself to new Cesco Lites with dimpled bottoms for my printing.
Until I can find a cure for my processor ills (or a wealthy dead person wills me their Jobo) I'll be developing in trays as I've been having just too many problems with the ol' Unicolor lately, so I was wondering how the Cesco Lites would handle multi-tasking? I've never used dimpled bottom trays before but it seems like an improvement that might reduce the issue of air bells.
Your thoughts?

Dimples are good. You can have the best of both worlds by using the Paterson Orbital Processor as a tray that is a tank. Work in daylight and keep your fingers out of the chemicals too...

http://freepdfhosting.com/f640343f29.pdf

RR

[jnantz]

hi john

i have cescolite smooth bottom trays for processing film bigger than 5x4
and i use 5x7 tupperwaresque containers ( clear ) for 4x5 they work great.

never problems with air bells &c, but i shuffle, i don't rock ...

[tgtaylor]

I use Cescolite smooth bottom trays for toning with gold and platinum (I use the gold one shot in small volumes and need a smooth bottom tray for that). Initially I tried toning with Nelson's Gold with a Cescolite but the heat from the warming plate (100 - 105F) caused small blisters to appear on the trays bottom that was in contact with the plate so I now use a Patterson tray which is a thicker or harder plastic and doesn't blister.

I generally develop film in Jobo tanks except when I'm developing for alternative process using a pyro developer. Then I use the same 8x10 Patterson set that I purchased years back to process paper in with each being dedicated to developer, stop, fix, wash and tone. I have complete sets of Patterson and Cescolite trays from 5x7 to 20x24.

Thomas