Jobo 3010 without Jobo Machine ?

[Ken Lee]

If you want to use a Jobo Expert Drum but don't want to spend thousands for something to rotate the drum, are there other workable options ?

I tried a 2500 series drum a few years back, and sold it, because it was a pain to load, and rotation by hand resulted in uneven development near the edges, and fatigue.

[wfwhitaker]

Jobo makes an inexpensive manual roller base. Mine was about $25 a couple of years ago. I find that it works fine with my 3005 Expert drum. Others will argue, YMMV, etc., etc., but it works for me.

[Eric Woodbury]

I use a 3000 series drum with a motor base that I built. It has a strong motor in it and a couple of gears and a little notched belt so that it can turn much liquid at a slow speed. It works great. Others use Beseler or Unicolor bases, but I have never tried those.

I didn't want the Jobo thing because they were expensive and big and I heard the motors were weak.

[Michael Kadillak]

You can get a like new JOBO with a lift for between $500 and $700 in the used market which is less than half the cost of the equipment new. I see a number of them regularly auctioned.

Yes, clearly you can rotate the drum by hand but I would like to have someone tell me in manual mode how you rotate the drum while you are pouring in the chemistry?

When you consider that the JOBO units are precision machines with a full compliment of world class support (yes they do answer the phone in person and take the time to talk to you about your objectives) and will last a lifetime, why settle for anything less than optimal?

Cheers!

[Michael E. Gordon]

I'm using a Jobo 3010 on a Chromega base ($12 on ebay!) with Rollo Pyro. Since the Chromega is unidirectional, I flip the drum every 30 seconds. I dont worry about pour time (in or out; only takes a few seconds). I have been getting remarkable results since day one. Not one bad neg.

I wouldn't worry about the Jobo processor until you have free money and want the luxury.

[Eric Woodbury]

Michael, You can make a 90 degree funnel with a plastic funnel, pvc pipe, and glue. Form the pipe by warming it in the oven on low. Freeze it with wet rag. With this you can add liquid while the drum is rotating.

[CXC]

Or, like me, you can pick up a used Unicolor drum and roller motor for under $50 total, from ePay. I got a 16x20 drum for $20, can't beat that.

[Michael Kadillak]

Fabulous guys. Ingenuity has never been lacking by this group and as long as it works to accomplish the stated objective, go for it with all of the gusto you have.

Onward and upward!

[Jim Galli]

FWIW I'll add; started with a Uniroller motor base with my 3005 and 3010 tanks. Really more work than that motor wants to do. After a few days one of the rubber "tires" gave up. The tank is continually walking one way or the other off of the roller so it gets off center and tips over. Non-multi-directional. Still, the results were what I'd hoped for after the large investment just for the tanks. So I bought one of the near minty etc etc CPA machines on Ebay. $650 more bucks. NOW i'm in over a grand! Michael, you must be on the payroll. The thing is cheeseball. I'm completely underwhelmed by my $650 investment. I don't see $200 bucks. But they're the only show in town and again the results are OK. *&%^*(&^* that cheesey reversing switch!! It breaks down every time. And then you're all panicky trying to keep things going for consistency sake etc. etc. I wouldn't put any other money into it. When it dies I'll have to build something myself I guess. Obviously others mileage has varied and I hope I'm not making anybody too mad but that's how I see it.

[Ken Lee]

XCX - I presume the 16x20 drum is good for 16x20's only, right ? I forgot to mention that the Jobo 3010 will do from 1 to 10 4x5's... only. Will the motor run a 3010 drum ?