Re-purpose a Kodak Rapid Color Processor Model 11

[gary892]

I have a Kodak Rapid Color Processor Model 11 and I am looking to re-purpose it.

I have had this processor for over 20 years and it is just taking up room.

I thought about some how attaching Jobo drums to it, but the rotation is too fast.
Some will say attach a rheostat, but while I am very mechanical inclined, electricity and wiring is one area that has eluded me.

Anyone have any ideas what to use it for?

I know some will say a door stop.


Thanks

Gary

129246

[Tony Lakin]

I have had one in my attic for about 30 years, I used it for its intended purpose for a while, each time I tidy the attic and come across it I think I will find a use for it one day :rolleyes:

[EdSawyer]

You could use a variac sized for the motor draw to run it on lower voltage = lower RPM, most likely. Or, change the gearing.

[Duolab123]

That is still the best machine out there. I have the Jobo stuff, I get real tried of washing and drying tubes. I can print a 11 x 14 every 4 minute with this baby. This day in age with RA-4 just make sure the water is good and hot 100 to 104 F and develop and bleach for a minute or so. Timing is not critical as the prints develop to completion in about 45 secs. You can't "overdevelop" . Mine has a Simmons Omega heater. Left over from the fiber base CP-5 days. I use a stop bath, regular Kodak indicator stop. In spite of what Kodak says you can get by on as little as 60ml of solution, I usually use 75-90ml. If you can't feel your way in the dark get a thomas safelight with the colorfilters or a SPYNET toy IR nightvision Goggle and strap it to your head. I use one of these for my tired old fingers when loading 4x5 sheet film onto Jobo reels. You can read the finest print and it doesn't fog film or paper. (NO IR FILM).

YOU HAVE A NATIONAL TREASURE! If you want to sell it I'm buying!!!, even though there probably won't be color paper in 5 years :-). Seriously these are great little machines, I managed to score a Ilford IR drier and it will dry a 11x14 in 18 seconds, passes thru. like a old ringer washer. Don't use a Variac this is an AC motor and you will burn it up at low voltages. If you want to use jobo tubes just preheat (rinse with the paper in the tube) with water that is hot and develop , stop and bleach for a minute at 100 F again timing and is not critical as long as it is hot enough and you give it at least 1 minute. You can see a B&W print develop up at 75F in a minute, usually doesn't change much after that same is true for color!

You need precise temp control for color films especially E-6, but all this fuss over temp and time with modern materials just scares people off.
Don't ruin this great old machine

[Duolab123]

People are throwing away all their old tubes and drum rollers all this stuff still works today more than ever due to the new chemistry. no one is printing color but it is easier than B&W in many ways, you may struggle at first getting your filter pack adjusted but stick to it again don't fear the temp time when printing color, at high temps, using a prewash to heat the equipment hot water to warm up your chemistry. Go for it, You can buy the developer and Blix in 10 L sizes for cheap. Don't waste your money on stabilizer as that is only for machines (mini-labs) that can't wash the print in running water. Use stop and you will never get stains, if you get "brown stains" on your borders you are probably fogging your paper with a bad paper safe.

Fear not the Temperature and the Time as we have progressed from the olden times. Inkjets are fast and pretty stable just don't get a drop of water on it! Chromogenic (C-prints) prints you could spill a coke on , just wash it off in warm running water and hang them up to dry!

Mike:

[dsphotog]

I have one too!
The local community college darkroom used them when I was there in the 70's, still totally usable, I suppose the combination of 120 volt electricity and water in a sink might not meet current OSHA specs.

[Duolab123]

I have one too!
The local community college darkroom used them when I was there in the 70's, still totally usable, I suppose the combination of 120 volt electricity and water in a sink might not meet current OSHA specs.

[Duolab123]

All you need is a GFCI outlet and you could run it while in the Bathtub :-) probably not a good idea if you are still planning a family :-) !! I am not kidding about the Jakk's Pacific spynet goggles. http://www.amazon.com/Night-Vision-Infrared-Stealth-Binoculars/dp/B003AUF1XI
You need to be careful as there are two sets of LEDs for illuminating one full IR and some near IR, that glow red and can be seen. I covered the NIR LEDs with black tape so I don't accidentally activate, Then I relax with these things bungeed to my head and sit and watch my fingers load film onto reels on a small LED TV screen inside the goggles. In total darkness I can read "British Made" on my Hewes reels. I have lost some feeling in my fingers and what was once a snap can now be quite frustrating (probably the formalin fixer from E-4). I love the darkroom, it is my main reason for still shooting some film.

[Aerial]

Those things do not bring back fond memories! This should be pretty easy to pull off......

[Duolab123]

YIKES! I just had some bad thoughts of what to do with my 20 or 30 Kodak Hard Rubber Tanks. Remember that drum is made out of 316 SS so it will be hanging around for a long time!!:)

[Drew Wiley]

Jobo drums fill and drain awfully slow for precise RA4 work, esp in somewhat larger print sizes. My personal preference for the RA4 development step is 2 min at
84F. But in terms of chromogenic papers and color neg film, products are better than ever. Most simple drum systems can be easily accommodated; but the correct way to deal with speed issues is to have the correct range gearmotor. You only need around 30 RPM for RA4, though it is tolerant of somewhat higher speeds.

[StoneNYC]

Jobo drums fill and drain awfully slow for precise RA4 work, esp in somewhat larger print sizes. My personal preference for the RA4 development step is 2 min at
84F. But in terms of chromogenic papers and color neg film, products are better than ever. Most simple drum systems can be easily accommodated; but the correct way to deal with speed issues is to have the correct range gearmotor. You only need around 30 RPM for RA4, though it is tolerant of somewhat higher speeds.

What JOBO drum versions are you using that they don't fill fast? This is the opposite of my experience. Thanks.

[Drew Wiley]

Their print drums have a tiny little opening in the cap. Slowest of all drum brands to exchange chem in. That's why I don't use Jobo for actual prints, and only use their hand inversion drums for roll film development. All my own drums are about twenty times faster. Not kidding.

[StoneNYC]

Their print drums have a tiny little opening in the cap. Slowest of all drum brands to exchange chem in. That's why I don't use Jobo for actual prints, and only use their hand inversion drums for roll film development. All my own drums are about twenty times faster. Not kidding.

Odd, my 2500 series and 2800 series have the same filler hole and I can pour 1L of chemistry in under 2 seconds into them, the same exact lid for the 3000 series. (Not that I would ever pour 1L into a print drum, but the 2500 and 3000 series I'll pour 700ml into usually. The 2800 I only need 100ml or 200ml respectively, I think the 3063 drum takes 350ml? I forget now, but 1-2 seconds seems reasonable, and if you're using the JOBO CPP2 with lift its probably slightly faster.

Perhaps you have experience with an older style drum design? I'm not sure how the earlier styles differ.

Thanks for your perspective.

[Drew Wiley]

Jobo drums were designed for that little cog wheel arrangement around the rim, which inherently restricts the opening. Most other drums either have a much bigger central funnel, or else do so via the entire rim perimeter, which obviously involves much greater surface area. For small prints the Jobo system might work fine, but once you get into 20x24 they're known to cause issues in color processing, and they don't even make bigger drums. When the fill/drain variable becomes excessive, then one can adjust to a lower RA4 temp and longer process times; but then the risk of internal temp drifting becomes more a factor. Draining Jobo drums by hand is also faster than using the pump system of an automated ATL machine. I not slamming Jobo. They make a high quality product. But there were better options that sold directly to labs, not through stores. I wouldn't worry too much about this unless you plan to make big prints, where it will make a difference.

[bob carnie]

I learned how to process colour prints on that machine.. do not change it there are many who could use it for colour prints... fantastic little machine.

great machine don't destroy..

[Drew Wiley]

They used them in high school, in the journalism classes, along with classic little Rollei TLRs. But the art dept kept a true darkroom work with trays, though what the naughty kids developed in there generally had little to do with photography. I've been offered a fully automated Metz R3 drum vertical drum unit, but don't
think I need yet another drum system. My unused RA4 roller transport machine is a 20 inch Thermaphot. Wonder if I'll ever even plug it in.

[StoneNYC]

Jobo drums were designed for that little cog wheel arrangement around the rim, which inherently restricts the opening. Most other drums either have a much bigger central funnel, or else do so via the entire rim perimeter, which obviously involves much greater surface area. For small prints the Jobo system might work fine, but once you get into 20x24 they're known to cause issues in color processing, and they don't even make bigger drums. When the fill/drain variable becomes excessive, then one can adjust to a lower RA4 temp and longer process times; but then the risk of internal temp drifting becomes more a factor. Draining Jobo drums by hand is also faster than using the pump system of an automated ATL machine. I not slamming Jobo. They make a high quality product. But there were better options that sold directly to labs, not through stores. I wouldn't worry too much about this unless you plan to make big prints, where it will make a difference.

I plan to print 20x24 but B&W only.

The 3063 (for up to 20x24) that I have seems fine for those prints, it has a cup at the top, so up to something like 400ml (I have to check the exact ml as I don't recall exactly right now but about that) who has far as I'm aware is more than enough for developing that drum?

So you can fill it as slowly as you want and then when ready you "tip it over".

Just a thought, it sounds like you might not have used this drum based on your description.

Hope that was helpful.

[Duolab123]

Gary, I tried to reply to your private message but your inbox is full.

[Drew Wiley]

Stone - you've got to move fairly quickly between dev drain and stop bath or you risk uneven dev. Also, you might have a problem with fiber-based papers collapsing in a drum this size, after they get soggy. But give it a try and good luck!

[StoneNYC]

Stone - you've got to move fairly quickly between dev drain and stop bath or you risk uneven dev. Also, you might have a problem with fiber-based papers collapsing in a drum this size, after they get soggy. But give it a try and good luck!

Thanks, I can see the collapsing part, hopefully by the time I get everything up and running I'll have 20x24 trays and won't have to worry about it.

[dsphotog]

These were designed in 1964 when FB color paper was in use, the exposed paper is held stationary against and facing the OUTSIDE of the rotating drum by the mesh net,
the drum has a textured surface that circulates the liquid chemistry from the tray onto the surface of the print.
In other words, the paper doesn't rotate with the drum, the turning drum spreads the chems against the stationary paper surface.

Oh, mine (not for sale) is the larger 16x20 version.

[Drew Wiley]

Hmm. I remember some rather big rigs. There was a 30x40 Colex version, quite expensive, which rolled the print drum inside a long bath of RA4, itself heated,
obviously different from the old Kodak mesh design, but still unusual. I'm thinking about trying to attach a 30X40" fiber-based print inside a drum via removable double-faced masking tape or something like that. RC prints are no issue, since that's what conventional chromogenic papers generally are.

[metalsmith]

WOW! I just did an Ebay search and none are for sale. that has to be a first!!

[Duolab123]

Just got a backup for the one I bought in 1975. I might just try to develop 11 x 14 sheet film on it. I know it would work. Fastest, cheapest best way to print color. I have a CPP2 with a lift doesn't hold a candle to these. At 100 F you can have the print developed ,washed and through a Ilford RC print dryer in 4 minutes. Mine has a heater so need for thermostatic mixing valve, though I use one for the wash water. No need to heat bottles of developer in a water bath because,heat transfer is instant. Pour 75 to 90 ml of solution into the tray start it spinning, pre-soak the paper for 15 sec in a tray and away you go. You cant over develop, or over Blix with RA-4. I use a quick short stop just to protect the blix. Wash the print on the machine, skip the mini lab washless stabilizer juice. Thomas safelights with the color filter you can see quite well. I know that people don't print color much anymore, really missing a lot of fun.

[bob carnie]

If I was to print colour cprint again and wanted to just kick back and go retro I would certainly use this unit. my first prints were made with this colour rig and its great.



Just got a backup for the one I bought in 1975. I might just try to develop 11 x 14 sheet film on it. I know it would work. Fastest, cheapest best way to print color. I have a CPP2 with a lift doesn't hold a candle to these. At 100 F you can have the print developed ,washed and through a Ilford RC print dryer in 4 minutes. Mine has a heater so need for thermostatic mixing valve, though I use one for the wash water. No need to heat bottles of developer in a water bath because,heat transfer is instant. Pour 75 to 90 ml of solution into the tray start it spinning, pre-soak the paper for 15 sec in a tray and away you go. You cant over develop, or over Blix with RA-4. I use a quick short stop just to protect the blix. Wash the print on the machine, skip the mini lab washless stabilizer juice. Thomas safelights with the color filter you can see quite well. I know that people don't print color much anymore, really missing a lot of fun.

[Duolab123]

If I was to print colour cprint again and wanted to just kick back and go retro I would certainly use this unit. my first prints were made with this colour rig and its great.

Tried to print a photo with my inkjet today, woe is me the nozzles are clogged and the cartridges need to be replaced. Go to Costco $65 for color cartridges Yikes!! Fortunately Iowa City is blessed with A REAL Camera Store still processes a lot of film and prints RA-4 . They make prints for me a lot cheaper than inkjet. I know that for Professionals there is very compelling reasons to use all the modern technology (First they actually need to make money), but I still love the Darkroom. I also like my Nikon D800, I use it to take candid shots of my Cats. But I love the Black and White Fiber based work. And when I'm feeling crazy I make some Color 11x14s from 6 x 9 Portra and have a blast. I sure would like to try the new Kodak color paper but alas I don't want to buy a 600 foot roll :-)
REMEMBER WHEN COLOR PAPER COST MORE THAN BLACK AND WHITE! :)