Okay, so that was a disaster.

[Michael Graves]

Over the weekend I came across a good deal on a Jobo CPA-2. Got it home and tested everything I could think of before using it. Checked the temperature dial until I got her to sit right on 70 degrees. Rotation was nice and smooth, pump worked perfectly.

Lid on the drum leaked like a screen door in a submarine.

Which taught me a valuable lesson for the third or fourth time. (Planning on having it sink in after five or six). It isn't just the big things that'll bitecha on the butt. The little ones can hurt, too. But I suppose considering what I paid for the machine, I can spring for a new drum. I was planning on getting a 3005 later on anyway so I could do my 8x10.

[alec4444]

Bummer....sorry to hear that Michael. I'm unfamiliar with the Jobo tank, but...isn't that something you could repair pretty easily? I'm assuming it wasn't used as a tin can for target practice...rather the leak is a small split at best.

--A

[Ed K.]

Hey Michael -

Don't feel so bad. The drum is much less expensive than the processor. My first "deal" on a Jobo ended up having a motor that barely turned the drum, and a broken lift. If you got a good late model motor in it, and a good lift, you're in great shape.

You know, you might check to see that the red ring around filler of the drum is there, if it is leaking too much from the cog area during filling. You didn't mention where it was leaking.

With the money you saved by getting a working CPA for a good price, you can have the comfort of having your film ride in a nice, tight clean drum. Besides, the processor doesn't come with drums when new either as far as I know - mine didn't, and I ended up buying a new one.

I still have the old one if anyone wants to find the correct Mercedes windshield washer motor for it and fix the handle on the lift. The tub part and all that is fine.

[Michael Graves]

I ordered a new drum from B&H. The disaster wasn't buying the Jobo. I'm pretty sure I'm going to like that. The disaster was cleaning out all the developer out of the machine after I realized what was happening. I flushed the pump with fresh water for several minutes. I hope that was enough.

[Nick_3536]

Was the lid on right? Or was the leak from a crack?

[Robert Ley]

Michael,

This happened to me the first time I used my Jobo CPA-2. The 2500 drum tops have a series of teeth on the inside. One of these teeth was bent and on the inside of the drum lip instead of on the outside. Once I realized this and corrected the situation, I haven't had a leak since. BTW, you should be able to get just about any thing for the Jobo except some parts on Ebay for pennies on the dollar. I have way to many reels and drums, went crazy when I first got my jobo, and would be willing to sell some for the cause. Let me know what you need.

Robert

[Michael Graves]

Thanks for the tip on the teeth, Robert. There don't appear to be any cracks, so that may be what's happening. I used a Jobo ATL at a previous job, so I have a bit of experience with them. The orange ring seemed to snap down, but once it was on the lift, it rotated freely. Developer just streamed out into the water bath. It was kind of pretty, actually, the way it swirled around like that.

Another annoyance is that Jobo clearly didn't have my darkroom setup in mind when they designed this thing. In order to position the drain plug over the sink so I can empty it when I'm done I have to face the controls toward the wall. What were they thinking?

(that's a joke, by the way.)

[Patrik Roseen]

...Another annoyance is that Jobo clearly didn't have my darkroom setup in mind when they designed this thing. In order to position the drain plug over the sink so I can empty it when I'm done I have to face the controls toward the wall. What were they thinking?

(that's a joke, by the way.)

It's the Large-Format version... upside down, left to the right...

[Michael Graves]

It's the Large-Format version... upside down, left to the right...

Unfortutely, I've got an SLR darkroom. Small and compact. What you see is what you get.

[Jorge Gasteazoro]

Another annoyance is that Jobo clearly didn't have my darkroom setup in mind when they designed this thing. In order to position the drain plug over the sink so I can empty it when I'm done I have to face the controls toward the wall. What were they thinking?

I think the guy who designed it was left handed.....I bitch about the same thing every time I use my jobo as well...what was he thinking?!?!.....