How to use roll drums for devoloping 8x10 and 4x5 negs

[DG 3313]

Like others....I have used Beseler drums for B/W film development for many years. I use the 8x10 drum for 4x5 (2 sheets at a time) and 11x14 drum for 5x7 and 8x10 film (2 sheets at a time).

I am a low volume hobby user and this usually works pretty good. I often use D-76 mixed 1:1 on tmx-100 @ iso 60 for 10.5 minutes and tmx-400 @ iso 250 for 12.5 minutes.

Use fresh chemistry and level the tube before use. I agree with others....you need to get the development down for your shooting style, lens shutters, room temperatures, etc. IMHO, uneven development is the biggest problem with the Beseler drums and roller. I use 3 oz. of chemistry (one shot) for two 8x10 negs...this is a very cost effective way to develop film. If you have a hypo stain on the neg after you fix it and remove it from the tank........put it in a tray with some hypo clear and the worst stain wont last long.

guys
I've just bought a Unirol roller and Beseler 8x10 tank. My thinking is this, but I really don't have a clue.

Load film in the dark (normal)
Pre wash 1 minute
Dev 6 minutes or whatever the film box says
Stop 1 minute
Fix 5 minutes
Pop the cap on the drum and rinse for 10 minutes by just letting tap water flood the tank

The Dev time depends on film type and developer ............ if for example the massive dev app says 6 minutes for devolop time. Is that the same amount of time if using a roller??
Thanks in advance

Neil

[ndwgolf]

The two drums I have, that I purchased many years ago, are "print" processing drums, but I have used them for 4X5 and 8X10 film processing and they worked fine.

Fantastic to hear that.........thanks

[xkaes]

I don't know if they can be modded to roll slowly and reverse, but I do know a simple speed control will not work (it just stops).

By this do you mean a simple rheostat switch?

[Daniel Unkefer]

I use a Unicolor Uniroller to roll my Jobo Multitank 5 and Multitank 6,and I process rolls and sheets in them. This works very well. The Unicolor Unidrum also works well for sheets.

[David Lobato]

The 11x14 Unicolor drums process two sheets of 8x10 film just fine. And obviously, one sheet of 11x14 film. It's much easier to remove the film sheets with the drums fully filled with water after the wash. It also lessens the chances of scratching the film.

[Jody_S]

By this do you mean a simple rheostat switch?

No, a motor speed control. Like commonly used on ceiling fans.

[xkaes]

No, a motor speed control. Like commonly used on ceiling fans.

I have a standard cooling room fan with three speeds. I wanted finer control. I added in a simple, 110 volt, dimmer switch to the line. Now I turn the fan on -- to the HIGH setting -- and can adjust it to exactly what I want. I can't get any higher than the HIGH setting, of course, but I can set it much lower than the LOW setting (even though the fan's switch is set to HIGH).

[Jody_S]

I have a standard cooling room fan with three speeds. I wanted finer control. I added in a simple, 110 volt, dimmer switch to the line. Now I turn the fan on -- to the HIGH setting -- and can adjust it to exactly what I want. I can't get any higher than the HIGH setting, of course, but I can set it much lower than the LOW setting (even though the fan's switch is set to HIGH).

As I said, this will not work with the Ilford drum roller. It just stops.