mdm
4-Nov-2010, 20:06
I dont have enough darkness to develop film in trays during the summer. I was using the taco method for 4x5 but that does not work for 5x7 film. I tried tubes but was frequently fogging film so I tried black Ilford bags. All I had to do was make a light trap, so this is my solution.
Get a 1" black alkathene pipe a little longer than the width of a bag. Cut a holes about 1" long on opposite ends and opposite sides. Cut the pipe in half from one end almost to the end of the pipe, through the middle of the holes. As in the picture. This is placed over the bag near the open end and the split end is secured with an elastic band. Developer poured into the top of the bag funnels through the top hole, along the inside of the pipe but within the bag and onto the film through the bottom hole. This was not consistently light tight, so I cut a 1/2" alkathene pipe that would fit inside the bag, which is covered by the outside tube. This inner baffle seems to make the trap consistently light tight.
I use a 1/2" pipe, split down one wall only to seal the bag. Just fold the end and slide it over.
I put 2 sheets in a bag, emulsion outwards, seperated by a sheet of acid free blotting paper, but the cards that are used to protect film in the box work fine instead. Float 2 bags in a 11x14 tray.
5 minute presoak. About 300ml of Pyrocat M at 1:1:100 per bag for 5x7. I agitate briefly and flip bags every 9 minutes, 4 times, for 36 minutes in total. This gives dense negs and 1:1:150 may work better for most. I remove the outer light trap during development as I feel its weight causes the bag to float unevenly, causing uneven development at the top side of the negative. At the end of development replace the light trap and pour developer out. I use a weak citric acid stop bath without resealing the bags, then pour in the fixer. Seal bags and remove the trap during fix time. I wash negatives in the sink using a dish rack, a method stolen from Ken Lee.
Seems to produce wonderful clean negatives, now that I have worked through the glitches.
I would love to know others experiences developing in bags, light tight or not.
David
Get a 1" black alkathene pipe a little longer than the width of a bag. Cut a holes about 1" long on opposite ends and opposite sides. Cut the pipe in half from one end almost to the end of the pipe, through the middle of the holes. As in the picture. This is placed over the bag near the open end and the split end is secured with an elastic band. Developer poured into the top of the bag funnels through the top hole, along the inside of the pipe but within the bag and onto the film through the bottom hole. This was not consistently light tight, so I cut a 1/2" alkathene pipe that would fit inside the bag, which is covered by the outside tube. This inner baffle seems to make the trap consistently light tight.
I use a 1/2" pipe, split down one wall only to seal the bag. Just fold the end and slide it over.
I put 2 sheets in a bag, emulsion outwards, seperated by a sheet of acid free blotting paper, but the cards that are used to protect film in the box work fine instead. Float 2 bags in a 11x14 tray.
5 minute presoak. About 300ml of Pyrocat M at 1:1:100 per bag for 5x7. I agitate briefly and flip bags every 9 minutes, 4 times, for 36 minutes in total. This gives dense negs and 1:1:150 may work better for most. I remove the outer light trap during development as I feel its weight causes the bag to float unevenly, causing uneven development at the top side of the negative. At the end of development replace the light trap and pour developer out. I use a weak citric acid stop bath without resealing the bags, then pour in the fixer. Seal bags and remove the trap during fix time. I wash negatives in the sink using a dish rack, a method stolen from Ken Lee.
Seems to produce wonderful clean negatives, now that I have worked through the glitches.
I would love to know others experiences developing in bags, light tight or not.
David