Daylight processing tank for x-ray film

[dpaqu]

I've been looking at the Stearman or possibly the 20th Century reel for double sided 8x10 x-ray film. I'm aware a dip and dunk system would be best but I don't have a dark room. Thought you good folks might have some thoughts on a the best option.

[Alan9940]

When I was shooting x-ray film, I didn't use much double-sided, but I've read that it can be problematic in something like the Jobo Expert Drums. Therefore, I'm thinking it would be best to allow solution to both sides of the film.

[Jim Noel]

The tubes of the Expert drums are barrel shaped, not cylinders, allowing liquids to reach both sides of the film.

[koraks]

Anything that touches either side of the film is not a good idea with double-sided x-ray film unless you intend to strip one side of it anyway. So both the Stearman and the 20th Century systems will likely present big problems processing this kind of film.

Frankly, due to the hassle it involves, I stopped experimenting with double-sided x-ray. Just too compromised in several ways to make it worthwhile for me. If it needs to be cost-effective, Fomapan is a much more straightforward choice.

[Tin Can]

Pere, often suggests using trays inside a Paper Safe used or new, https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ntt=paper%20safe&N=0&InitialSearch=yes&sts=ma

I don't recommend that, but it is an option

X-Ray is very good for practice, learning development AND gentle handling of any film

Took me some time to get the hang of 2X without scratching it when loading holders

X-Ray is disappearing, practice with cheap film while you can

[Alan9940]

The tubes of the Expert drums are barrel shaped, not cylinders, allowing liquids to reach both sides of the film.

That's true, but my experience with double-sided x-ray film in these drums was not acceptable.

[Alan9940]

Frankly, due to the hassle it involves, I stopped experimenting with double-sided x-ray. Just too compromised in several ways to make it worthwhile for me. If it needs to be cost-effective, Fomapan is a much more straightforward choice.

Same here. I shoot quite a bit of 8x10 Fomapan 100 and like the results.

[akoltek]

I've been looking at the Stearman or possibly the 20th Century reel for double sided 8x10 x-ray film. I'm aware a dip and dunk system would be best but I don't have a dark room. Thought you good folks might have some thoughts on a the best option.


Hi! You are facing the same situation that I did a few months ago. Here's my thoughts.

Processing Xray Film is Difficult
It doesn't matter how you do it, the emulsion is extremely soft. The stearman press tank will mark the back emulsion slightly, but if you are extremely careful and diligent with your agitation, you can keep this marking down. Some folks have success stripping the second emulsion off. I have not tried this.

Glass in the bottom of the tray?
Some folks advocate putting a sheet of glass or another smooth surface into the bottom of the tray to prevent it from scratching the film. This works with an open tray as you are moving the film between trays that already contain fluid. This does not work with the stearman tray as you prewet the film before adding and taking chemistry out while leaving the film in the same tray. This means the film adheres to the glass as soon as it gets wet, preventing developer and fixer from reaching the back side of the emulsion. Ask me how I know.

But Xray is cheaper
For me, the time invested in shooting 810 is the biggest investment, and I found myself frequently frustrated with the response of the Xray film and the hurdles for processing it properly. After spending so much time setting up, composing, focusing, metering, etc, the frustration associated with saving a few dollars per sheet just didn't make sense. If you financial situation can't accommodate the cost of sheet film, then perhaps you will have an easier time accommodating the frustrating aspects of the medium. If you're looking specifically for an orthochromatic film, you might try one of the single sided emulsions offered by Arista which are also affordable. If ya really just want to shoot Xray, then enjoy the process and challenge!

I ended up moving over to photographic emulsions and have been enjoying the practice way more. As mentioned above, Fomapan is a great film, and I have enjoyed the results I've been getting with Foma 400. I recently ordered a box of Shanghai GP3 from ebay and look forward to trying this as well.

Send me a message and I can direct you to examples of xray and foma developed in the SP810 from my Instagram.

Good luck on your adventure!

[Peter De Smidt]

Same here. I shoot quite a bit of 8x10 Fomapan 100 and like the results.

I've started doing that, too, although I'm using 200. X-ray can give very good results, but it is a bit of a hassle. X-ray was particularly terrific for ULF.

[mdarnton]

I only shoot xray film and wouldn't try it without SS hangers.

[Tin Can]

I also use SS hangers, 4up 4X5, 2up 5X7 and 8X10

Bigger is tray developed

I have processed 14X36" 2 sided X-Ray by dipping and pulling it through a tray without a scratch

That was to make inter-negatives

OP did ask about X-Ray, not what else to use...

I also cut it to 2-1/4 X 3-1/4 and process in daylight with NiKOR cans

and more sizes, I will miss X-Ray when it's gone

[Jim Noel]

I just look at it's loss as another beloved product goneby the wayside. I have been through the loss of Super XX, Tri-x Ortho, Azo, all enlarging papers with cadmium bomide, and most of all being able to walk into the local drugstore, or the local camera shop and buy any chemical I needed w/o a prescription or form form for the drug agencies. Now I even have to drive to Arizona to get grain alcohol.

[dpaqu]

Thanks for the input. Looks like I need a man up and deal with the hassle of turning my bathroom into a darkroom or shoot regular film. I bought most of my 8x10 LF stuff in 2010-11 with the idea of shooting paper negs and x-ray film but life had other ideas and I have barely used it. Would really like to get going and take some pictures.

[aruns]

Hello,
just wanted to echo akoltek's message. hope this is useful for those thinking of using Stearman Press 8x10 daylight devt tank with Fuji film hr-u xray film (8x10).

I started off in 8x10 with fuji hr-u x-ray film and tray development. i use my garage (without running water) as darkroom, and i was looking to reduce the hassle of setting up and taking down the stuff whenever i processed film. (For the record, I use glass sheets with my trays, and it works well, and i am able to manage without too much scratches etc.).

When I visited Freestyle in LA, I picked up a Stearman Press 8x10 daylight development tank. My hope was, it would make the process of development easier than tray development.

I finally tried running 2 sheets through it.

1) dropped the first sheet in the tank, processed it with stand devt (rodinal 1:100, 20C, 6 min). the tank's floor has a few small round slots and rectangular spaces. (I guess these are useful when processing smaller sheets like 4x5). But with a 8x10 sheet, I guess the chemicals do not quite reach there / circulate properly. So these pockets and holes left weird artifacts / under-developed areas on the underside of the xray sheet. (the sheet has emulsion on both sides, as you may know by now - the chemicals need to reach there to remove all emulsion). there are about 9 round marks, about 1/4" in dia each, in a + arrangement, in the center of the sheet. the rectangular areas are about 2 inches by 1 inches long, and there are about 6 of those across the film. They too left really bad marks that looks like a cross section of a 2x4 wooden piece. the negative also had many small dots of underdeveloped areas, am guessing those are bubbles. there's no way the negative can be salvaged.

2) For the 2nd sheet, I tried using a glass plate inside the tank, and added some water on the top of the plate before dropping the film in (I was hoping to create a separation between the glass sheet and x-ray sheet, hoping the presence of water will facilitate better flow of chemicals there). Used the same development technique. Still, the xray sheet ended up sticking to the glass plate, and about 50-60% of the xray film area (on the bottom side) ended up undeveloped (not under developed. the pinkish emulsion was staring at me when i opened the tank). As i had opened the tank already, i couldn't quite use the fixer to wipe clear the unprocessed silver gelatin from the back side. this negative also was trashed.

Then I did my research and came across this thread. (Facepalm!)
As dpaqu mentioned above, I guess I'd also have to go back to tray development or pay up for photographic film.

Hope that helps. Cheers.