Could a dental x-ray processor be used?

[Vascilli]

So my mom's a dentist and naturally has a darkroom at her clinic. The film processor can take up to an 8" wide negative of any length. The main problem is there's only a few selectable speeds and no temperature control that can be changed by the user. I suppose it could develop x-ray shots I do, but what if I were to throw some B&W developer and fixer in it once she retires?

[IanG]

It's going to depend on the machine it would possibly be ok for prints but films highly unlikely.

Ian

[Sevo]

Meteor once offered the same processor with different transport gears both for X-ray and continuous LF black and white processing, so it was at least possible to convert one device...

In general, X-ray processors are too fast and too rude with the film - you will have to slow it down, and might want to switch it from full area to edge rollers to reduce the amount of muck pressed into the soft emulsion. And you may have to remove the scrapers or brushes sometimes installed to remove intensifier layers.

[ic-racer]

Seems like it would be great for x-ray film exposed in a camera. In fact x-ray film sensitometery is usually done with light anyway (rather than x-rays) so you should be able to get a reasonably good tonal range with the machines settings.

[cabbiinc]

There's a dentist photographer that frequents Yahoo Answers, you may ask there. If he's as good a dentist as he is a photographer he's a saint. He doesn't shoot LF, but he's been shooting film since before the first digital camera was invented. Photography section, not camera section. Photography section is a little more hidden and camera section is more for beginners. http://answers.yahoo.com/dir/index;_ylt=AuOr6OC8qPk7BN5KyV2SocGNxQt.;_ylv=3?sid=396546037&link=list