Developing 8x10

[ThePenguin]

I've read a bunch of threads on this subject, but once and for all, is there an easy way to develope 8x10 BW/Color in a Jobo CPE-2?

Or, whats the easiest way to develope 8x10 B&W film?


Thanks!

[frotog]

Most people will respond, "JOBO". But you'll definitely want to look into nitrogen burst development and dip and dunk with water jackets. Once you get agitation down with a burst system, nothing can compare in terms of flexibility of process and ease of use.

[Pawlowski6132]

What could easier and more siple than tray development? Really now.

[Fred L]

I'm now in the Jobo camp but prior to that it was Simma tubes and their Sinewave roller base. Can't remember if it was one or two sheets per drum but it was daylight and consistent and cheap. If I ever get around to it and can sort things out, I have a nitrogen regulator and hose I'm itching to set up and try. ymmv

[dentkimterry]

I develop one sheet at a time in an 8x10 Unicolor print drum. Use the Unicolor motor with it. Works great. Do a search, there is much info about this. I only do B&W. I also do two 5x7's in it.

[John Kasaian]

For panchro B&W I used a Unicolor with a print drum. For ortho, trays.

[jcoldslabs]

I recently started using Cibachrome Mark II 8x10 drums for my 8x10 B&W with no problems. I have both the reversing Unicolor motor base as well as an Ilford base that does not reverse. (I just pick up and reverse the drum manually once per minute.) Much cheaper than the JOBO options, which is why I went with it. Plus I only have a dry "dark closet" for loading unloading with no proper darkroom (yet) for tray processing.

[Andrew O'Neill]

Or, whats the easiest way to develope 8x10 B&W film?

Trays, one sheet at a time.

[jeroldharter]

I've never used tanks, nitrogen, etc., but it seems like that would be pretty expensive for 8x10 color, especially if the output is relatively low.

You cannot use a Jobo 3005 drum, the one for 8x10 film with capacity of 5 sheets, with a CPE processor. You could use it easily with a motor base for black and white. Color would be more difficult due to temperature control but you could do it with some care.

A good alternative for low volume 8x10 black and white work is BTZS tubes. You could process up to 2 sheets at a time.

[ic-racer]

I believe with your processor you can use the 2830 drum to do two sheets of 8x10 at a time. It is pretty easy. I suspect that the expense of the film, paper and chemicals will be limiting factors.

[Brian C. Miller]

The CPE-2 isn't made for expert drums, and you'd have to develop using a paper drum. A paper drum may give you uneven results. While a CPE-2 could hold the expert drum in the bath while you rotate it by hand (I've done it with spare rollers), it does make a mess with water splashing over the side.

I recommend that you use either trays, or else BTZS tubes. You can make your own tubes.

[atlcruiser]

I have a CPE-2 and I have used the paper drum 2 sheets at a time with great results for b+W. You can modify the CPE-2 to hold the expert drum. I have done it and have used it that way. The issue I found was that the drum turns too fast but it does work fine.

I used the paper drum for color but there were some issues and i would not recommend that method.

Right now I am using an expert drum on a motor base until I stumble into a larger JOBO kit cheap.

[Cor]

[QUOTE=atlcruiser;804563You can modify the CPE-2 to hold the expert drum. I have done it and have used it that way. The issue I found was that the drum turns too fast but it does work fine.

Right now I am using an expert drum on a motor base until I stumble into a larger JOBO kit cheap.[/QUOTE]


Interesting, David, but I always read that the CPE-2 motor is not strong enough to spin a Expert Drum. How did you modify your CPE-2+ (on mine I can choose 2 rotation speeds, 35 rpm and 70 rpm I thought).

And why did yo abandon that combination, only because of the high speed?

Best,

Cor

[Tracy Storer]

"One size over" trays, up to 12 sheets at a time for 8x10.

[Brian Ellis]

For b&w I used trays for a year or so and after that I used the 8x10 BTZS Tubes. I liked the tubes much better, no standing over trays inhaling chemical fumes and shuffling film in the dark while keeping track of different times for different sheets. I did three at a time in three tubes. I just rolled the tubes back and forth along part of the sink for the required time.

[atlcruiser]

Interesting, David, but I always read that the CPE-2 motor is not strong enough to spin a Expert Drum. How did you modify your CPE-2+ (on mine I can choose 2 rotation speeds, 35 rpm and 70 rpm I thought).

And why did yo abandon that combination, only because of the high speed?

Best,

Cor

Hi,
It worked fine but it was a bit of a PITA to wiggle the big tank in there. The motor was plenty strong enough and I doubt there would be long term issues. Greg Blank mentioned a weight/speed relationship that I do not fully recall but the short course is the heavier the drum the stronger the rotation speed. With the size of the big drum it spins too fast. Mine only has one speed. I bet I could fool with it enough to make it work very well but the roller base is easier and less mess :)



My modification was to take a heat gun and reform the plastic so that the big tank had enough room to fit :)

[Ari]

I made my own 1-gallon tanks from PVC, as all I could find were the standard 3.5-gallon tanks.
They were made to fit six film hangers each, and they worked very well with x-ray film, as I could process under a safelight.

[ThePenguin]

Thanks for your advice! Trays isn't an option, I only have a dry darkroom. The BTZS, chromega, simmard and unicolor tubes sounds like a nice option. With a rollbase.

But how does these work for colorfilm? Seems hard to keep the right temp. Or I'm I missing something?

[Brian C. Miller]

You will need to keep all the chemicals and your tube in a water bath to maintain consistent temperature. You can use a fish tank heater and an accurate thermometer. Circulate the water with a small fish pump. BTSZ tubes should work for this, but you won't be able to use anything with a motor base.

[atlcruiser]

Not sure I agree 100% with the above post..... I use a table top turkey roaster to keep all the chemicals in and heated. I fill that guy with water and played with the temps unitl I got it to where I wanted it for color and e6.

I temper the drum in either the turkey roaster on in a big tank in the sink. The chems are already at temp. I usually go 1' above the suggested temp.

Load the film and wash in the correct temp water. Roller base then drain. Add 1st developer then back on roller base. The only real critical temp is for the 1st developer and it is not in there very long. I did a bunch of tests to see how fast the temps dropped over the time in tank not in a water bath. I saw maybe a .5' drop over the 3.5 or so minutes needed for the first developer. That is within the range of OK. Honestly 1'-3' is probably OK as well....I have done that by accident :)

The remaining chems have a very wide temp range so there is not much to worry about.

The temps are pretty easy to keep stable

My system is not perfect but it works very well and is cheap....eventually I will get a big JOBO for 810 so I can use the water bath and heater but the CPE2+ only repalced the above method for 45 and smaller as it is less messy.

[aclark]

Thanks for your advice! Trays isn't an option, I only have a dry darkroom.

I don't have running water in my darkroom either, but I develop sheet film in trays in there. You need to take a couple of buckets in. An empty one for the slops, and another full of clean water at 20 degrees C.

Alan

[ThePenguin]

Is it possible to use the BTZS tubes for color aswell?