Okay.Originally Posted by Alan9940
Okay.
I have the space. I was looking at the expert drum, pricey, but I like the way the film goes into it. Looks pretty big, but manageable for inversion processing.
Based on some of your other threads, you are interested in special developing techniques and lots of control over the process. Doesn't this really point towards tray development rather than large drums made for rotary processing? You can do some things to increase the volume: shuffling sheets, dividers in one larger tray, several trays in parallel... IR goggles would probably help a lot.
I spent a lot of time reading old forum posts when I was looking for a daylight tank for 4x5"/9x12cm. I came to the conclusion that every one of the common daylight solutions will impose its own comfort zone on you. It might be agitation regime, volume, fill/drain time, temp. control or something else but no tank will give optimum results across the full range of processing styles and developers.
What I'd do for high volume shooting: Expert tank + a motorized rotary processor (Jobo, DIY, whatever). Then match the developer and other processing details to whatever works consistently well with rotary and your preferred film stock.
What I currently do: trying to fine tune a good regime for Paterson Orbital. Low developer volume, fairly slow but constant agitation, four 9x12 sheets at a time. The Orbital is a tray with a curved bottom and light-trapped lid, fill and drain holes. There are basically two proven strategies to use it. One is what I do - constant agitation with the included base – by hand or motorized. This works with up to 200ml liquid, or perhaps a bit more, depending on if and how you modified the tank. The other is to overfill the tray and limit yourself to gently rocking it – giving semi-stand at best. If you want true intermittent agitation like you get with inversion tanks... well, you can't, not easily, at least. But the great thing about the Orbital is that it is format-agnostic like a normal tray. I can theoretically process 9x12cm to 8x10" or any size in between, metric or imperial, film, paper or glass plate, without buying any more stuff.
I think it's a good example of the tradeoff between convenience and process flexibility with daylight dev systems. You can't beat open trays for flexibility. And you are most likely to avoid problems if you stick to manufacturers' recommendations. Dedicated rotary tank + motorized roller + developer that works with constant agitation = boring but practically guaranteed to work. Inversion with a big rotary tank, or stand with a tightly packed inversion tank = asking for trouble. YMMV, as usual.
This is my 4x5 tank
I place it inside a paper safe so it's daylight type.
After development done I close lights to move the sheets to water stop bath, I open lights after 15 seconds and I do the rest lights open. By fixing lights open I see fixer stregth and then I fix 2x the time it takes to clear.
After moving the sheets to the stop bath and before opening lights I can load next batch of sheets, so while fixing/washing I can develop additional sheets because the daylight tank was to be idle, so it process faster than with common procedures. With proper tray it also makes 5x7 and 8x10 and...
It is possible to develop each sheet with different times if different N or different film, just I close lights to open the paper safe to insert sheets at the right time.
It's also great to get control from agitation, as sheets are horizontal almost there is no risk of bromide streaks from reduced agitation, alowing better control of highlights if also using diluted developer.
If using it place emulsion up, to avoid any scratch from agitation. With Xtol 1:1 or 1:2 there is no waste (or little) with one shot, if I've to process a single sheet I just use a 4x5 tray for one shot.
I find it quite convenient, shamefully cheap and amazingly flexible. But I use the drum for Velvia... of course...
Steven,
FWIW, I wouldn’t really recommend an Expert Drum for inversion style processing; I’m not even sure it would work because a LOT of chemistry would be needed to fill the tank. If you go with an Expert Drum, I’d just roll it around on a tabletop or use one of the motor bases.
I use Expert drums for rotary processing. I would not use them for inversion processing, for the same reasons as Alan.
“You often feel tired, not because you've done too much, but because you've done too little of what sparks a light in you.”
― Alexander Den Heijer, Nothing You Don't Already Know
I third on NOT inverting Experts. Either roll it on the counter/sink or get a roller base (I have Simma bases) to alleviate the tedium of hand rolling. Again, if funds and space allow, get the spendy Jobo processor and make life simpler
notch codes ? I only use one film...
This is genius. Consider hard rubber 1/2 gallon tanks as well. I have Expert tanks, Jobo 2509n reels, Nikor Sheet film tank, and deep tanks and hangers. Everyone works. I couldn't load the reels confidently without my IR goggles.This is my 4x5 tank
I place it inside a paper safe so it's daylight type.
After development done I close lights to move the sheets to water stop bath, I open lights after 15 seconds and I do the rest lights open. By fixing lights open I see fixer stregth and then I fix 2x the time it takes to clear.
After moving the sheets to the stop bath and before opening lights I can load next batch of sheets, so while fixing/washing I can develop additional sheets because the daylight tank was to be idle, so it process faster than with common procedures. With proper tray it also makes 5x7 and 8x10 and...
It is possible to develop each sheet with different times if different N or different film, just I close lights to open the paper safe to insert sheets at the right time.
It's also great to get control from agitation, as sheets are horizontal almost there is no risk of bromide streaks from reduced agitation, alowing better control of highlights if also using diluted developer.
If using it place emulsion up, to avoid any scratch from agitation. With Xtol 1:1 or 1:2 there is no waste (or little) with one shot, if I've to process a single sheet I just use a 4x5 tray for one shot.
I find it quite convenient, shamefully cheap and amazingly flexible. But I use the drum for Velvia... of course...
This tray adaption is simple genius. How do you glue the straws? This might be easier with polystyrene tray as you can solvent weld (glue) easier.
As far as workflow I like the 2509n reels. It makes for easy washing in a gravity works washer. I can only load with IR goggles.
I love this tray. I'm going to put one together!
Hot glue... rather than straws it would be better using plastic sticks, like those to stir coffe coffee
Photographers formulary have also this kind of separators
The tray and straws is a variation on a slosher tray.
http://www.summitek.com/cradle.html
“You often feel tired, not because you've done too much, but because you've done too little of what sparks a light in you.”
― Alexander Den Heijer, Nothing You Don't Already Know
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