If you're thinking about going the Paterson route, you may want to consider this:
https://www.bounetphoto.com/bounet-s...eveloping-reel
I've never used a Mod54, but I do use this reel and it does what it's supposed to.
If you're thinking about going the Paterson route, you may want to consider this:
https://www.bounetphoto.com/bounet-s...eveloping-reel
I've never used a Mod54, but I do use this reel and it does what it's supposed to.
I find the lid on the Stearman closes better if you press down in the middle of the top, instead of the ends. Still drips a bit from the caps, though. And yes, 450ml seems to work better than 475ml.
I picked up one of the 6 slot 20th century reels to use in a 3 reel paterson, but I haven't had a chance to test it yet, so I can't say how well it works. Seems OK to load, though.
neildw, I sympathize with your frustration, and certainly you need to find something you're happy with. I have found the folks at Stearman to be very helpful and concerned about their customers' experience. I use a 12-sheet Jobo tank for large runs, but for my money, the 445 is outstanding for one to four sheets, allowing me to experiment with procedures, chemistry, etc. efficiently and economically. The one issue I had with it, though somewhat mystifying for a few days, was resolved, and I have found it reliable otherwise.
Best wishes on resolving your problem, however you decide to do so.
Philip Ulanowsky
Sine scientia ars nihil est. (Without science/knowledge, art is nothing.)
www.imagesinsilver.art
https://www.flickr.com/photos/156933346@N07/
Mine started leaking a bit after two years but check out the site, they have great tips on using the system. I was going to order a new O ring but one of the tips is to take it off and rotate it a bit and that did the trick. Also they recommend a smear of vaseline or similar on the ring which in fact is something I already did learned from sub aqua. I think they produce great products and like everything some care and maintenance is required.
I haven’t used mine yet either, but I’ve used their 2x3 and 6x9 models quite a bit, and have found it easy to load, and simple to process. The drawback of the 4x5 model is you’ll use 1l of chemicals for 6 sheets, so it’s not quite as efficient as the SP-445, but it’s not too bad.
Pushing down the SP-445 lid in the middle after loading the sheets, and then doing the squeeze the sides thing after adding in the chemicals has worked pretty consistently. Leaks are minimal or not at all with these two steps.
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