Originally Posted by
Greg
Just passing on my experiences with JOBO drums. I use the following JOBO drums:
#3005 for processing up to 5 sheets of 8x10 and/or whole plate film. Have never had any problems with film scratching. I do rinse the drum out with hot water several times after each use. Processing has always been totally even. When starting off, easy to load 2 sheets of film into one of the film "slots"... happened once the first time I used the drum to process 5 sheets of film, but never again.
#3062 for processing up to 2 sheets of 11x14 film. In my JOBO literature, JOBO spec'd the 3062 as a "print drum" but in its literature also lists the 3000 series drums for processing "sheet film and prints". JOBO did make a #3027 for processing 11x14 film but I have never seen one up for sale. For years have used this drum to process 2 sheets of 11x14 film without any problems. Trusted the internal ribs to hold the sheets of film in place, but then last fall had one sheet come loose and "laminate" itself on to the other sheet of film resulting is both sheets being ruined. I do have some JOBO "paper holder clips" that would insure the sheets of film not coming loose but have resisted in using them, fearing that they might cause localized uneven development. Will continue on not using the "paper holder clips" and assume that I mis-loaded one sheet of film that one time... time will tell.
#2830 for processing 2 sheets of 8x10 film. JOBO spec'd out this drum for processing prints (and not film) but I use it for processing film. Have always had repeatable and even processing with this drum. I have never seen the need to use the "paper holder clips" on the internal ribs.
Instead of using a JOBO CPA or CPP, I use a STARK SST4 to rotate my drums. It does have a temp controlled heater bath, but I rarely have the need to use it since the ambient temperature in my darkroom is usually in the high 60s, and I do not process color. Hand filling and emptying the drums I actually prefer to using the JOBO lift. I also have a JOBO TBE-2/12 Tempering Box which I thought I'd be using a lot, but actually rarely use it. I've used staining developers on occasions with the above drums and experienced even development. I have read of people having uneven development problems with additional agitation caused by the internal ribs, but with staining developers. I increased the recommended developer volumes to hopefully negate this problem... no sure if this worked or not, but my development with staining developers has been even so continue on doing this. Occasionally tray process sheet film in the dark, but lately much prefer to let the STARK SST4 processor agitate my film while spend the time reading in the light. Started out with using Cibachrome drums on Unicolor Unirollers. Continuously had problems with the drums coming off the Unirollers. Though still use them for "quick" processing (Rodinal 1:25) of single sheets of film when testing the coverage of a lens.
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