8x10 Arista.edu ultra and tray development

[fireallconsuming]

I just started with 8x10 after a couple years of 4x5--with the smaller format I always used kodak 400 tmax, I really enjoy the way it looks. With 8x10 however, I had to skimp and buy the 200 arista edu ultra.

I develop in trays and have never had a scratch in my life, and when I turned on the lights after developing my first batch of 8x10 they were scratched to hell.
the prints are beautiful though...

any suggestions for tray development?
also
I use d-76 straight at 68, can I develop one at a time without changing chemicals, or do I need to use fresh developer for each negative if I develop one at a time?

[Dennis]

I develop my 8x10 Arista Ultra in a tray. For the tray I use a pyrex glass casserole that is the right size and I use 2 liters of developer. I process emulsion down and I find the greatest potential for scratching is after pulling the bottom sheet off the stack and putting it on the top of the stack. If you are kind of lazy and slide the sheet onto the top of the stack, the corners nearest you will scratch the next sheet down. I pull the bottom sheet up and then lift it clear up above the stack and lay it down flat. I just processed 3 batches of film a couple days ago and didn't get one scratch. The processing was also very even with no streaks or mottles and I used Rodinal 1-100. I am getting good negatives with the Aultra 100 @ EI 50. I am going to give the 200 a try soon.
Dennis

[MIke Sherck]

any suggestions for tray development?
also
I use d-76 straight at 68, can I develop one at a time without changing chemicals, or do I need to use fresh developer for each negative if I develop one at a time?

For scratch avoidance, the more chemistry in the tray the better. This film is repackaged Foma and everyone agrees, the emulsion is soft and subject to scratches. How much developer, stop, and fix are in your trays, and what size trays are you using? With this film, I try to process it one sheet at a time. I use 8x10 trays with two quarts of developer (d-76 1:1), which has the conservative capacity to develop four 8x10 films. I process them one at a time and empty the tray and refill with fresh developer and fixer after every four sheets.

You might also consider Ilford's HP5+; it's not as expensive as Tmax, although still more than twice the price of the Arista film. I process these four at a time as above.

Mike

[fireallconsuming]

I used 32 oz of chemistry in 8x10 trays, and I'm pretty sure it was the bottom of the tray that scratched my negatives--I made the mistake of using some older printing trays. I'm going to try the pyrex idea, I think that will work really well, and I'm also going to use more chemistry. I'm heading out to make a few more images, so I'll post when I get the results.

Eventually I will likely end up heading toward the Ilford films...

thanks

[Jim Noel]

ANn8x10 tray is too small for 8x10 film. Use an 11x14" tray to give you more room to maneuver and more developer.

[fireallconsuming]

developed this time, no scratches, thanks.

[Maris Rusis]

I process Arista.Edu.Ultra 200 (aka Fomapan 200) 8x10 format one at a time face up in trays. The only things that touch the wet emulsion surface are liquids and air. Neither can scratch anything and, so far, I've never seen a scratch...fingers crossed.