Use of X-ray film: technical discussion with example images

[Andrew O'Neill]

14x17 pinhole accidental double-exposure kallitype... Video: https://youtu.be/B9ALQs9dj0Q

14x17 Double Exposed Xray Pinhole by Andrew O'Neill, on Flickr

[Tin Can]

Very very good!

14x17 pinhole accidental double-exposure kallitype... Video: https://youtu.be/B9ALQs9dj0Q

14x17 Double Exposed Xray Pinhole by Andrew O'Neill, on Flickr

[Eugen Mezei]

Of course

Tell us how big is your freezer with picture

Which one of them?
At the moment only part of my X-ray is in the freezer, but I intend to buy another one. My color film is all frozen, most of my BW too.

[Roberto Nania]

Hello dears,

After many tests of a proper processing method of my Agfa X-ray sheets I came to a good point by using open tray development and spare processed clear sheets placed at the bottom of each tray. Now I have only one thing to overcome: handling marks. I use a glove to touch the sheets for agitation and to pass them from one tray to the other. This is to avoid clamps that could easily scratch the emulsion. I noted that even by paying attention, some sheets have signs of finger with the texture of the glove.

What method do you use to handle the sheets in open tray processing?

Thank you!

[koraks]

Roberto, you could try using a single tray for the entire process. After development, pour out the developer and pour in the stop bath. Then with stop to fix, the same procedure. That way you don't have to touch the film during processing, only when taking it out of the tray at the end.

[Tin Can]

Generally I am processing 11X14 in 3 smooth bottom trays under red safelight bounced

I don't use gloves, Rodinol 1/100 distilled water, distilled stop, TF5 distilled

As my holders have a generous rebate, I pinch with my tiny fingers only on rebate

Those chems do not bother my bare skin, but I move quickly and wash my fingers very often in wash tanks

ymmv

for tiny format I have special tiny waffle cans and touch nothing as I even dry in the can


I am sensitive to some chems, so I don't use them

Paper I use tongs

I also use various size KODAK film/plate hangers

Glass plates I use a teflon spatula

[Andrew O'Neill]

I use one, flat-bottomed tray for 8x10 and a larger one for 14x17, double-sided film. I wear nitrile gloves. No issues. Another great thing about using one tray is that it is a space-saver, especially for those who have small darkrooms (me). I think I have videos on my youtube channel where I'm working this way...

[LF_Alex]

I only bought from Iowa, ZZ Medical

They would search for single sided 14X17, I think all long gone

I have all the X-Ray I will ever use, including a case of 14X36" for a project

Many on this forum did not and do not LIKE X-Ray

However many do like it as it is most like 120 year old film!

https://www.zzmedical.com/x-ray-acce...-ray-film.html

Do they have any X-Ray film with emulsion on one side only?

[Dugan]

Do they have any X-Ray film with emulsion on one side only?

Search for mammography film, it is usually single-sided

[Roberto Nania]

Roberto, you could try using a single tray for the entire process. After development, pour out the developer and pour in the stop bath. Then with stop to fix, the same procedure. That way you don't have to touch the film during processing, only when taking it out of the tray at the end.

That's a good tip, Koraks. Thank you. What about flipping the film one side to the other to refresh the chemicals on the bottom side of the sheet? Do you flip it or just keep it one side up all the time?

Generally I am processing 11X14 in 3 smooth bottom trays under red safelight bounced
I don't use gloves, Rodinol 1/100 distilled water, distilled stop, TF5 distilled
As my holders have a generous rebate, I pinch with my tiny fingers only on rebate
Those chems do not bother my bare skin, but I move quickly and wash my fingers very often in wash tanks
ymmv
for tiny format I have special tiny waffle cans and touch nothing as I even dry in the can
I am sensitive to some chems, so I don't use them
Paper I use tongs
I also use various size KODAK film/plate hangers
Glass plates I use a teflon spatula

Hello Tin, yes, a rapid fixer is good; I cannot purchase P.F. chemicals in Italy, I use standard thiosulfate based fixer at 1+4 dilution. I noticed that my film (AGFA CP-GU) exhausts the fixer quite fast (faster than standard film), giving the solution a yellowish tint.
I will definitely touch the sheets at the very edge.

I use one, flat-bottomed tray for 8x10 and a larger one for 14x17, double-sided film. I wear nitrile gloves. No issues. Another great thing about using one tray is that it is a space-saver, especially for those who have small darkrooms (me). I think I have videos on my youtube channel where I'm working this way...

Thank you Andrew, I have a small darkroom too so this thing of one tray for the whole process appeals me a lot! I will search for the video.

Here below one of the pictures. Note finger tips with the glove texture at the top and right side of the image. I really think that the glove was still wet with the fixer from the previous sheet when I have use it for the next sheet in the developer. I use to wash the glove after processing each sheet; maybe I wash it too fast.