Pyrocat / HP5 reticulation problems

[er1483]

Hello -- I've decided to give Pyrocat HD a try after hearing many good things about it. So far my negatives have turned out quite well -- they print quite easily on a 2 or 3 grade paper. The only problem is that on each negative (8x10) there are small areas (maybe 1cm long) where either the emulsion has completely detached from the base leaving a clear area, or the emulsion is still there but has reticulated. I have kept my water/ developer always at no more than 75 degrees so I don't think heat would have caused this. I also use a plain water stop bath. I develop my film in rotary print drums and have tried film from different batches so I don't think that would be the root of the problem.

Any advice would be gladly appreciated.

[Andrew O'Neill]

this is strange, indeed. Were you using this same batch of film with your previous developer without any problems? If not, perhaps the film is defective. You are using an acid stop bath, but that really shouldn't be a problem. You could try just a plain water stop to see if the acid stop is the problem...I've never had this problem and I use HP5+ 8x10 and pyrocat-HD.

[j.e.simmons]

There was a recent thread on APUG in which someone complained of this problem with a suspicion that it was the film. Simon Galley from Ilford joined in, but I don't remember the resolution. You might search over there.
juan