XTOL agitation

[John Olsen]

I'm just starting to try out XTOL 1:1 in trays for my TriX 4x5. I followed the rocking tray agitation in the Kodak tech sheet, but got mild signs of uneven development up in the sky. Otherwise, the results were good. Do people rock the trays violently enough to slop chemicals out, or do they lift and drain as I'm used to with HC110? What your method? Thanks

[Filmnut]

I've done quite a bit of tray processing with Xtol at 1:1, but never used Tri-X. Delta 100, Acros 100, and a bit of Tmax are my usual films.
My method is more like the "lift and drain" technique, and gently slide them from bottom to top continously throughout the development.
The disadvantage of doing it this way, is the possibility of scratches.
That said, I've had good results using Xtol, and it has been my prefered film dev for serveral years, thou recently I've started trying Pyro for some stuff.
Keith

[hmf]

I, too, use the shuffle method and get good results with FP4+ and Xtol. I find that I can minimize scratches by using lots of developer solution - nearly filling the tray. This way, the negatives are gradually drifting toward the bottom of the tray, minimizing contact with each other. And I limit myself to 6 negatives at a time, so that I am only lifting one negative every 5 seconds to get through the stack in thirty seconds.

[Andrew O'Neill]

I've used xtol extensively in trays and in tubes with HP5 and FP4. I have found that a vigorous agitation cycle is best when doing one sheet at a time in trays. By vigorous I mean, when you lift up one edge of the tray, you should hear the film "clack" against the opposite edge. Yes, some developer spills over, but I usually have the tray in the sink.

[polyglot]

I do my Xtol in a Jobo. It's therefore pretty vigorous.

[Cletus]

There are two things you can do that will probably eliminate your problem altogether....

Use XTOL at 1:2 or even 1:3 instead of 1:1 and increase your development time by the appropriate amount.

Use 'shuffle' agitation instead of rocking agitation. There is more risk of scratches this way, at least the first couple times until you get the technique down, then you'll never see a scratch again. You will get MUCH more even development when you are actually lifting and replacing each sheet periodically, rather than just modestly moving the developer around near the film surface a little.

[Kevin Crisp]

I will scratch film if I shuffle so I don't. I use an 8x10 tray as a slosher. I glue two dividers in the tray (two prongs of one of those things that comes in a to-go pizza) to keep two sheets from hitting each other, then follow the Kodak bulletin constant tray (gentle) agitation method as described in the TMAX processing bulletin. I started that agitation method when developing TMAX and liked it so much I use it for all sheet films and calibrated times accordingly. Film is emulsion up. I've never ha scratched or uneven development. I do use it 1:2, which is a good suggestion from above.

Some find doing just two sheets at a time tedious and slow. For the volume I shoot it works fine.

[John Olsen]

Thanks for the replies. I'm going to try your ideas for more vigorous agitation.

[John Olsen]

Andrew, I tried your vigorous rocking suggestion yesterday and I think the development is even. I gave the sheet (one at a time) a lift and drain at the 3 minute and 6 minute times too. Negs look good, now for contacts!

[Peter De Smidt]

Rocking the tray is a bad idea. It leads to unevenness. The shuffle method, ala Fred Picker, works fine, and if done properly, then you won't have any scratches.

Use an 8x10 tray for 4x5. Make sure to use plenty of solution, i.e. at least 3/4" of developer in the tray. (That's another reason why diluting the developer is a good idea.)