8x10 Film Washer

[Michael Kadillak]

Should be easy to do and I am surprised that Alistair has not done so.

Put a single piece of 8x10 sheet film in a vertical orientation with the 10" proportion is up. Then on the emulsion and on the base side of the film put a set of small "jets" on both sides of the film squirting water toward the center of the film from the bottom of the film and the top of the film. The "jets" are oriented to have three jets (top, bottom and middle) on one side of the washer shooting to the center and on the other side there are two set of jets shooting at the mid point of the other side to the center. This is the "Cross Jet" concept - a total of 35 individual water jets in a six sheet 8x10 washer and they shoot the water very effectively. .

The film is held in place on three sides by a cut slot on the bottom and the sides and there is a replaceable slot that is put on the top of the sheets to make sure that they do not touch each other from the unsupported top. Uses the least amount of water possible and in 15 minutes you are good to go.

[Graybeard]

I used my Versalab one time years ago to try to wash sheet film and that was a complete %#$*^ disaster. It is a print only tool IMHO. Any time a soft a delicate sheet emulsion has the ability to contact another surface and move, you are at risk.

Common sense would tell you that isolating the sheet film in a slot by the edges and directing jets of water across each surface in this static condition that precludes it from touching anything that would damage it is the absolutely best scenario for washing.

Until I acquired my Inglis dedicated sheet film washer I was either trying to use hangers or washing one sheet of film at a time. Now I do not even think about it as the washers are so effective at what they accomplish.

I process 8x10 in hangers. My Verslab washer works just fine - the hanger prevents the negative from contacting the partitions.

[Michael Kadillak]

I process 8x10 in hangers. My Verslab washer works just fine - the hanger prevents the negative from contacting the partitions.

When I used the same set up it took me a long time to get an archival wash in the hangers because of the fact that the water flow is laminar and not turbulent. You want to see this effect first hand put some food dye into your water lines with some empty hangers in your Versalab and watch it for yourself. The Inglis washer fires the water across surface of the film directly adjacent to it in turbulent flow and that is the best situation possible for washing sheet film.

In this day and age of environmental consciousness water usage is something that I take into consideration. Next time I use my washer I will measure the amount of water I use in a unit measure over a 15 minute period. I will do the same with my Versalab as the last time I did this it was a considerably larger flow. I just cannot find the numbers. I pay a water bill by the month and the less water I use the better. it was not that many years ago when I paid $50 a month for unlimited use of water. As we all know, those days are long gone.

[axs810]

can anyone who owns an Inglis film washer post some sort of video, showing it in action? Reading is one thing, seeing is a completely different thing. I'm just trying to understand the difference that "cross jets" makes.

I work in 8x10 mostly these days, so that'd be the model I'm most interested in, of course other formats are good too .

thanks

-Dan

Reviving an old thread...I have the same question as Daniel can anyone post a video of the film washer in action? Also what is the attachment hose like? In this BHPhoto review (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...10_6_slot.html) they mention the attachment hose is reverse threaded but I figured with so many people recommending this I thought that would have been brought up.

[jeroldharter]

I used to have one, 4x5 and 8x10. I used a vinyl tube (? 3/8 inch) which slides by friction over the washer's intake valve. Water feeds into the bottom of the unit which is U-shaped. Water pressure pushes the water column up the arms of the U which are perforated. The jets are from water escaping through the perforations in the arms of the U so jets are shooting both ways inside the chamber.

You don't add any film until the washer is full of water. It is important to have the washer level because the outflow is over the top edge opposite the intake valve.

You must exercise some care loading film, especially 8x10 which is more flimsy due to its size. You turn the water pressure off and then slide the film into slots. Not shown on many of the pictures is a top plate. The top plate is a piece of plexiglass that has grooves for the top edge of the film. It sits on top of the film by gravity. It ensures spacing of the sheets and prevents one from bowing into the other. Because the top plate rests on the film, you can't easily wash just one sheet. If you wash just two sheets, then you should put them in opposite ends of the washer so that the top plate is solidly supported. When you are finished washing, you should turn the water pressure off to remove the film.

One very important point: never crank up the water pressure. Once I accidentally turned the water on full blast and I blew out the sides of the plexiglass. Not good. I sent it back to Inglis - great customer service - and he fixed it free of charge except shipping. Looked like new - maybe it was a replacement, I don't know. In any case, an ounce of prevention is in order.

Sorry, no video.

For 8x10 film, it is the best option I found. For 4x5, I thought the Cascade washer, the one with the basket, was easier to work with but it was physically much larger and used more water.

[John Kasaian]

Wash water overflow here goes out to water the landscaping, so I can only wash film/negs on my scheduled watering days.

[Luis-F-S]

I wash in 8x10 hangers on a Kostiner 8x10 film washer. It uses an air scour for non laminar agitation. Can wash 5x7 on two ups or 4x5 on 4 ups. Works like a charm. L

[Michael Kadillak]

Reviving an old thread...I have the same question as Daniel can anyone post a video of the film washer in action? Also what is the attachment hose like? In this BHPhoto review (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...10_6_slot.html) they mention the attachment hose is reverse threaded but I figured with so many people recommending this I thought that would have been brought up.

I have a load of these washers in 4x5, 5x7, 8x10, 11x14 and 8x20 and they all work the same. Hard to see the action when they get filled up but this is essentially how they work. Water fills up the space in the bottom and sides of the washer and when they are filled, the small holes on the longs sides you see in the B&H photo shoot water jets into the center of the washed between each sheet of film being washed. Each sheet of film sits in a side and bottom groove and you have a top alignment attachment to prevent the sheets from touching each other during a wash process. Two things I like about the washers. First is that they are extremely efficient at washing in a bit over 10 minutes and secondly, they do it with absolutely minimal wash water. Many of the techniques I have seen folks rig up are egregiously water wasteful.

[axs810]

Have you ever had a problem with the top alignment attachment? Like has a negative given a slight bend and made the top alignment piece fall to the bottom or damage other negatives?

[Sal Santamaura]

Have you ever had a problem with the top alignment attachment? Like has a negative given a slight bend and made the top alignment piece fall to the bottom or damage other negatives?

Until Michael answers, I'll provide one with respect to my Inglis 4x5, 5x7, 6.5x8.5 and 8x10 film washers. No.