N2 is an inert gas and will not combine with photo chemistry to alter it. It is so inexpensive to use it really makes little sense to use air and take a chance on it reducing the efficiency or life of the chemistry.Originally Posted by Michael Wesik
I have 5 3005 Expert drums. They are fine. But they are a bit of a pain. Washing the film is up and down, or taking it out very carefully, putting it into a Kodak 4A hanger to wash. I have a ridiculous amount of stuff. For 4x5 there's nothing easier than open hard rubber 1/2 gallon tanks. However on this front I have stainless tanks Leedal and Arkay, enough to fill a truck.
Don't get me wrong, it all works! I gave myself a retirement gift of a new CPP3 it's a thing of beauty! I use it a lot for roll film. Believe it or not the 3005 tanks are great for color and black and white prints.
Like I said it all works and it's marvelous, but I really like tanks and hangers. I've got a order to Arkay for a 9 reel basket that's designed for hanging in the 3 1/2 gallon tank, should fit into the 2 gallon tanks.
I think I'm going to start collecting steam engines next, Ha!! I'm nuts but I'm having fun!! I retired 3 years back. I don't know how I managed to make it to almost 62. This is all consuming, and fun.
Best Regards Mike
I don't have a nitrogen burst system so I can only relate my observations, having seen and experimented with many sheet film developing techniques and systems over the years - including several gas burst systems. Most systems and manual techniques are lousy as far as uniformity goes, including techniques that seem at first glance/thought like they should work well. Jobo expert drums produce - by far - the best results. I'm working on trying to duplicate those results manually since I don't have a Jobo machine.
If you are satisfied with your burst system, that's cool. I'm only suggesting to someone who hasn't yet invested in building one, that there are better processing options if one is ok forgoing the engineering coolness.
Now that sounds interesting.
Yes I agree fun is a very important part of any hobby so no arguments there!
Hi Bob, is this a sales person? I definitely need to get with a customer service type.
Best Regards Mike
Maybe use a Steam tractor, set it in my back yard, run a belt to power my rocking print washerNow that sounds interesting
Yes I agree fun is a very important part of any hobby so no arguments there!
I would also like to see that assertion properly defended. Gas burst was the process standard for decades for professionals particularly with C41 and E6 processing. I hope you are not talking about personal experience with gaseous burst because I have seen countless iterations of deviations from highly descriptive Kodak guidelines that went into the ditch for a host of reasons. When gaseous burst is executed properly it is simply marvelous.
Surprisingly, quite a few professional standards of decades passed, weren't as good as they were supposed to be.
To be clear, I'm not talking about home-built systems. I completely agree that to get the best results possible out of gas burst, dip-dunk etc. these systems must be very carefully designed/executed or else they are potentially junk.
My findings in certain cases ran counter to the conventional wisdom. However disappointment aside, I can't really say I was all that surprised as this is a fairly common thing in photography. For other deep dives I can easily post the findings but in this case I'm not really sure how. I'd have to post a long series of images of all these B&W and colour negatives/chromes done over years (none of them are pictures, just uniformly flashed 4x5 sheets).
Anyhow, to quote Ron Mowrey, "if it works, it works". I'm not trying to convert anyone.
Apologies for sidetracking the thread.
As you point out, professionally maintained, control strips, control of pH etc etc. I'm a great dabbler.
Please post your evidence anywhere appropriate, we have plenty of armchair quarterbacks that never show an image
Tin Can
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