Newbie Question - Drum developing

[SMBooth]

If using a rolling drum for developing B&W film is the back of the film in contact with the drum or is it held out some how. I'm assuming that if the emulsion is only on one side thens its OK for the back of the negative to be it contact.

Cheers
Shane

[Gary L. Quay]

Only if you can keep the film back from sticking to the drum. I've never had to do this, so other minds wiser than mine will have to unravel that mystery.

--Gary

[Francesco Gallarotti]

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/unicolor/

You might want to start from this good reference (part of this website). It will show you how to use a 8x10 print drum to develop 4x5 film sheets.
Essentially the film sheets lay with the back side (without emulsion) onto a series of ridges and you need some "device" to avoid the sheets to slide onto each others while the drum spins (see the cited reference for an example of such a device)

[seabird]

I use a light tight drum that came as part of an ilfochrome - cibachrome - starter kit (more years ago than I care to remember) to develop my 5x4 B&W negs.

Yes, the back of the neg presses against the drum and the chemicals do not reach that part of the back of the film. When I pull the neg out of the drum after the end of the fix step there is a dark "stain" across the middle of the neg where the chemicals have not reached the back of the neg. I understand this to be the anti-halaton dye on the reverse of the film (APX100). In any event, the "stain" comes out in the wash and all seems to be well from that point on ...

Regards

Carey Bird

[Bruce Watson]

If using a rolling drum for developing B&W film is the back of the film in contact with the drum or is it held out some how.
Some drums yes, some no. The Jobo expert drums like the 3010 are designed so that the chemistry reaches the back side of the film too. I've been using one for years and never had a problem; the film comes out looking just great.

[SMBooth]

Thanks Everybody.

[John Kasaian]

The Unicolor print drum has little ribs that keep the film from sticking. That is one reason why the print (or paper) drum is the one recommended for souping sheet film with a Unicolor processor. The "film" drum is for developing roll film.