Jobo Duolab w/2509n, The Littlest Jobo!

[Duolab123]

Tonight, rather than get out my CPP2, I figured I would live on the wild side and develop some 4x5 Fujichrome with my Duolab. Only had 5 sheets so, mixed up 625 mL of the 3 bath Tetenal (5L split 8 ways) used 1 2509n reel in a 2550 tank with the special Duolab cog that allows you to thread on a Jobo Bottle. You need the longer tank with a Duolab to reach the outboard rollers that support the 25/2800 series drum. Filled my 600 mL Jobo bottles with the chemicals, adjusted the temp as I have for years with a small microwave. The processor holds 100F perfectly. Prewash with tempered water, holding the tank upside down thread onto the Jobo bottle, till tight invert put it on the processor and off you go. I do the washes off the machine, just pour in a liter of water and roll the tank around on my sink.

The motor in this machine is wimpy, I've done 12 sheets at a time but I wouldn't recommend it. One way rotation but the chromes came out perfect. One of these machines just sold on Ebay for $250 plus shipping, like new in box. Very limited but when you just have a couple rolls of 120 it's a neat little machine, I'm gonna try it with Catlabs 8x10 reel next, just to say I did it!

The film looked perfect, I think with the single reel in the two reel tank, there is enough random sloshing that it works fine. Again experience has taught me not to try this with 12 sheets, motor goes real slow when heater comes on, like the little engine that could:D

I got mine used with a bunch of big print drums and a 1520 tank and reels for 100 bucks, used. It's a fun little machine. Perfect for a Hobbyist in 1999 or a nut like me today.

Mike

[AnalogueJit]

Hi Mike just a question regarding the set up. Does the cog that comes with the Duolab 35mm tank fit the 2550 perfectly?

[Duolab123]

Hi Mike just a question regarding the set up. Does the cog that comes with the Duolab 35mm tank fit the 2550 perfectly?

The Duolab cog is a special cog. It is a bit larger diameter than the standard cog for the other Machines. The 2500/2800 and the 1500 lids will all except the Duolab cog. The Duolab used a drum to develop 11 X14 prints. They called this the 2834. This was simply a 2510 tank mated to 2870 extension tube, with a 2800 series lid, with Duolab cog and print cup. This commonly comes with a used Duolab. The 2800 series lid can be converted to a 2500 series lid by exchanging the cup for the film funnel. I just went down and double checked my 2550 tank runs around and around perfectly. These cogs are very difficult to find. There was some nut on ebay a couple years ago that wanted 70 bucks for one. I have picked up a couple extras. I think Catlabs may have a couple left.
The little 250cc bottles work perfectly with a 1520 tank. Again you will want to find a cog that you can leave attached to a 2500 series lid and another if you want to use the 1500 series tanks. These processors work great for film, don't overload them. Don't try to process 12 sheets of 4x5 at a time the motor isn't big enough, but I can process a couple of rolls of film or 6 sheets of 4x5 . It's the smallest cheapest way to have a semi automatic temp controlled processor and it is the size of a typewriter. I have a CPP2 with a lift that I use a lot, but for the smaller jobs these things work great.
Also the rollers are a bit confusing, it only use two rollers at a time you position the rollers in close for the 1520 tank and outboard for the 2550 tank. The only thing special about the unit is the cog everything else is regular Jobo.
The temperature regulation is great you fill a boiler with distilled water, it literally uses a coffee pot boiler to heat the water that goes through a metal heat exchanger tube in the water bath. Warms up a lot faster than the CPE units. And then there's the deep tanks, I don't know what nut thought that up. I've never used but it has 4 1 liter temp controlled slot processing tanks, I checked it will take an 8x10 film hanger. If you wanted to develop 8x10 prints you could crank them out 2 at a time back to back in a film hanger.

So to answer your question yes the cog will fit into a standard 2500 series lid. And the lids on the tanks that come with the Duolab are standard Jobo in every respect except the cog.
Let me know if you have any other questions.
Best Regards Mike

[Duolab123]

Oh and just to make clear if you are careful you can pop out the Duolab cogs just like the regular cogs. Be careful or you can chip the plastic, Catlabs has a youtube video explaining how to exchange the cogs

[AnalogueJit]

Thanks so much for the info Mike. I have a Duolab which I purchased new from when I was studying at university some 16 years ago but didn't end up using it when life got busy and only started thinking about developing my own B&W films lately. So everything in there is original, the 1500 tank and cog. So judging by the information you provided, I can go ahead and purchase a 2520 tank with a 2502 reel for 120 films, and if I want to develop 4x5 I'll get a 2509n reel? And either I remove carefully the cog from the original 1501 tank and put it on the 2520 tank or buy a new one (1505 cog?) to fit the 2520 tank? Thanks.

[Duolab123]

A Brand New Duolab!! Yes you can use the 2500 series tanks. HOWEVER THIS IS IMPORTANT. This machine will not run a 2520 tank, balance is wrong. You need a 2550 tank. This is designed to hold 2 of the 2509n reels. You need the extra length to reach the outboard rollers. However as I said in my original post, you only want to run it with one 2509n reel and six sheets. If you have a 1520 tank, you can develop 2 rolls of 120 on one reel, using the little red clip, or 2 rolls of 35mm. This is how I would recommend developing your roll film.

This unit is not designed to do anything other than a 1520 or 1510 for film, and a 2830 or 2834 for paper. The longer 1500 series (5 35 mm reel) tanks won't work. I would start with what you have. If you have a 1510 tank, buy a 1520 tank and column. Your lid will work. Catlabsjp (Boston, MA USA) may have a cog (I bought a couple of cogs from Catlabs)

I may be making this more confusing. Bottomline if you want to process 120 and 35 mm, get a 1520 tank and an extra reel. If you want to develop 4x5 it's possible but it was NOT designed for sheet film.

Let me know if you have any other questions.
Best Regards, Mike