New development technique ?

[chris_4622]

I need to change my method of developing film so I can make my way through 400 sheets of film faster than 3 tubes (rotary) at a time. Fp4+ in Pyrocat Hd.

I'm thinking of using tubes with no end caps, band them together and process vertically. Is there an agitation schedule guideline using this method? What are the drawbacks to this method?

Thanks

[Ken Lee]

You might find this article helpful: Plastic Storage Containers for Sheet Film Development. I routinely develop 20 or more negatives at a time.

Using an Infra Red viewing device also helps enormously.

[Jac@stafford.net]

If it stops raining in time, I can supply a photo of a commercial drum processing tube that does 24 sheets (or less - it is extensible) of 4x5 at a time. It uses spirals something like the Nikor tank but in plastic and less complex.

(no way to photograph indoors right now.)

[Doremus Scudder]

The traditional high-volume film-developing set-up was large nitrogen-burst tanks and film on hangers. There are still some of these out there on the market and many still in use. One could, theoretically do hundreds of sheets in a session.

Large dip-and-dunk tanks with hangers would be next in line for volume processing, followed by tray processing.

Best,

Doremus

[jnantz]

processing a huge amount all at once is the easy part
finding space to hang them to dry might be a problem.

i have a large ( 6x4x3 ? ) storage closet purchased at
a big box hardware store i modified to take lots of film.
you might look into something like that before you are
negative-rich, space poor.

have fun !
john

[Randy]

In my days as a USAF photographer we used, I believe, 3.5 gallon stainless steel tanks with hangers (four sheets of 4X5 per hanger) probably 12-14 hangers per run, maybe more...I can't remember exactly. I have run 18-20 sheets of 4X5 in 8X10 trays for my personal work. Not fun, but can be done.

[Jac@stafford.net]

In my days as a USAF photographer.

RAF Upper Heyford air recon here. Huge rolls of 11 inch film.

[Doremus Scudder]

FWIW, I manage to crank out about 50 sheets in a four hour session with tray processing. As jnanian points out, the bottleneck is drying space.

I often return from "photo safari" with 100+ negatives and manage to get through these in a couple of days, three at the most, in roughly four-hour sessions. That's how long it takes me to get 48 sheets or so through the washer and things hung up to dry, and about the limit of my drying area. Besides that, my concentration starts to wane about then and it's better that I take a break from processing rather than make a mistake.

Larger throughput than that would prompt me to get a tank and hanger system.

Best,

Doremus

[welly]

You might find this article helpful: Plastic Storage Containers for Sheet Film Development. I routinely develop 20 or more negatives at a time.

Using an Infra Red viewing device also helps enormously.

Ah! Just the link I was looking for. I couldn't remember where I found the excellent resource that is your website previously.

[chris_4622]

I tried Ken's recommendation and it was easy with good results. I tried six for my first batch. The bottle neck for me is in the wash cycle, I have plenty of hangers and space for drying 25 sheets.

One more question- does the development time change using this method?