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Thread: Did I buy the right equipment?

  1. #1

    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Posts
    32

    Did I buy the right equipment?

    Hi all, I am piecing together the stuff I need to start my LF adventure.

    Camera, check.
    Film, on the way.
    Chemical, need to order.
    ...

    Tank, oh yes, need that too. So I got this one:



    These don't have reels in them, do they?
    Does it look like I get at least the minimum that I can use to develop 4x5 sheets?

  2. #2

    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Washington, D.C.
    Posts
    1,498

    Re: Did I buy the right equipment?

    Looks like you got 8x10 and 11x14 print drums. The 8x10 drum will develop four 4x5 sheets *if* you have the drum dividers or improvise some dividers of your own. You could also improvise/add some dividers to the larger drum as well. The film gets curled along the inside of the drum and the dividers hold it in place. They wouldn't have any sort of reels, but cross your fingers on the dividers.

  3. #3

    Re: Did I buy the right equipment?

    The one on the left looks like an 8x10 drum. As long as it's a print drum, it'll work fine. I'm going to assume that you've studied the article on developing film on the home page (http://www.largeformatphotography.info/unicolor/). There's a great photo that shows the clip that GreyWolf made, installed near the opening of the drum. You can see that there are ribs inside of the drum...if your drum has those, it's a print drum and should work just fine.

    Check to see if your motor base reverses direction every so often. I seem to remember reports of problems if the drum always rotates in one direction. If yours does, just pick up the drum every so often and put it back down pointed in the other direction.

    Best of luck.

  4. #4

    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Posts
    32

    Re: Did I buy the right equipment?

    Thanks gents.

    Dave, I read the article a couple of times but it's still not clear to me whether in the end am I processing four or two sheets at one time?

    The divider only prevents the sheets to overlap each other, but how about vertically? isn't 8x10 tanks are deeper? so what's preventing the film sheets to move up and down during agitation?

    Sorry for the noob questions.

  5. #5

    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Near Seattle
    Posts
    30

    Re: Did I buy the right equipment?

    "so what's preventing the film sheets to move up and down during agitation?"

    Clips from Wal Mart, filed down to make a dull "point". Load 2 sheets, either side, then put a clip on the ridge, then load 2 more sheets. See the link already provided. Works great. I have 2 8x10 paper drums usually keep my shooting to multiples of 4. Paper drums have lengthwise "V" ridge, I assume the film drums are smooth for reels.

    I used a brand called "Mainstays Home" Universal Clips, white, 12 in the pack, all plastic no metal. Anything small like a mini clothes pin will work, You need to file it down to allow for the curvature of the drum, to seat the pin close enough to not allow the very thin film from sliding under.

  6. #6

    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Posts
    586

    Re: Did I buy the right equipment?

    I haven't found clips to be necessary: the film sticks to the ridges around the circumference of the drum once the film is wet. Just don't subject the drum to any hard knocks during processing, though! The caveat is that I've only tried this with large 8x10 sheets of film, and, I suppose, clips add to your peace of mind.

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