Use of X-ray film: technical discussion with example images

Yeah, I use a non-stick oven tray that is very smooth as well. I suppose as glass tray would work too. I don't have much hope for getting even development with semi-stand due to the underside of the film being unevenly affected by fresh developer seeping underneath the film along the edges. It should work fine if you just use one side and strip the backside. I tried stripping one side and it works fine (with chlorox), but it's a little messy and there's the risk of chlorox getting to the image side if you don't tape the negative down properly. Due to the loss of density, I haven't pursued this route yet, but it seems feasible - although it's a bit of extra work.

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Originally Posted by seezee

I was going to ask how folk handled developing the back-side of the double-emulsion film when tray developing. Both to avoid scratches and to get even development on front and back.
...I wonder how often I should be flipping if I go back to trays with the double-sided stuff.

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Feel free to have a look at post 4534 where I described the effects of nonflipping longer than 30 seconds in my trays.
A little hint for protecting the emulsion is hidden in this post, too :-)

If the developer doesn't reach the emulsion in a good way, you will get two densities in one negative, in the best case.

Ritchie

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Originally Posted by seezee

Many of those on this thread, including myself, had had good luck with this lamp. This base allows you to double your output when used with a standard spring-clip shop light. As long as you point the fixture toward the ceiling or walls, away from your trays, you shouldn't fog film. It's okay to shine directly for a short time for inspection. I have left film sitting in trays for an hour under those conditions with no noticeable harm.

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I had no idea! I bought a 40$ CAD darkroom light when I could have bought that instead. Dang. Thanks for bringing it up again.

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Originally Posted by Jim Noel

I use Cesco trays which are extremely smooth and do not scratch the film. They are one standard size larger than the film size. I agitate almost constantly and flip the film every minute. No scratches and nice even development,

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This is really good information. I've been experimenting with pushing night shots a little bit, and every time I push, I do it in trays so I can observe the development. All my negatives from tray development come out scratched in patterns like the flurried flight path of moths beneath a street lamp. The communal dark room I use has some worn, old trays. I'll try these Cesco trays and see if it makes a difference.

When you agitate, do you gently move the tray laterally, in a swaying motion, or do you rock it up and down?

Those bulbs are so freaking bright I can't imagine why you'd need two of them in one location. One bulb illuminates my 24 foot wet darkroom

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Originally Posted by Jim Noel

I use Cesco trays which are extremely smooth and do not scratch the film. They are one standard size larger than the film size. I agitate almost constantly and flip the film every minute. No scratches and nice even development,

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I've managed to scratch film even in the Cesco trays (I don't own any plastic trays).

If you are scratching this film you have to pay attention. Be aware of loading and unloading your film. Be gentile and not in a hurry. It should be easy as you are working in the red light. Go over how you load and unload. Something you are doing is wrong. I've never scratched any of this film all the way up to 14x17.

I recently started using x-ray film, double sided Kodak green sensitive. The only trays big enough that I had are cat litter trays which I use satisfactorily for paper. They have a dimple in the bottom which I knew would be a problem, and it was - scratches all over the place, both sides, since I tried to give each side the same development. I'm wondering why people are talking about a piece of glass on the bottom of the tray? To me, this is an immediate source of frustration, as the sheet sticking to the glass would make flipping the film difficult, and itself a source of possible scratching from frustrated fingers. Why not conventional fluted trays, which allow some movement of developer underneath and allow easier flipping?

Because the 'flutes' will also leave scratches.

Yeah, I'm almost completely sure that the scratching is not coming from my loading and unloading. While I could be more delicate in doing both, my drum-developed 4x5's never have scratches. It has to be the tray and possibly the way I agitate. I was getting scratches on my tray developed fomapan,too.

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Originally Posted by senderoaburrido

Yeah, I'm almost completely sure that the scratching is not coming from my loading and unloading. While I could be more delicate in doing both, my drum-developed 4x5's never have scratches. It has to be the tray and possibly the way I agitate. I was getting scratches on my tray developed fomapan,too.

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Make sure you have plenty of chemical in the tray. This may help. I tray develop 14x17 and have never had a problem. Cesco tray