Anyone else use a Paterson Print washer?

Anyone use one of these? They are called Universal and Major I think for the 11x14 model. I use one and it is loud. Just wondering if mine is unusual or are they all like that?

Wondering if I can take out that tube that is inside so it doesn't make all that noise. That tube makes the paper holder go back and forth and I'm guessing that helps with the circulation.

I have the 8X10 version. It makes noise but I wouldn't consider it loud. That tube rotates where the water comes out. Try turning it also maybe you have too much flow going in. Try turning the water down. I'm sure there are better washers out there but for the price I find it works well.

I learned to run it low enough that it disengages the tube motion. I get the same (I found better) results, less water use and it also gets rid of the noise. Mine is the 11X14 model, purchased many, many years ago. After reading criticisms of the unit in regard to the excess agitation, I spent some time checking alternate methods of operating it and settled on this. At one point, I dropped something on the outlet spigot that broke it off. I now let it trickle down the side of the unit from the outlet hole and it seems to work fine that way, too.

I had the same problem with mine (I have the 11x14 model as well) but when talking to another photographer a few years ago he showed me a different method. I took the upper connection apart and took the tube out. Then I put the hose from my water tap into the bottom connection and let it drain out of the top where I have a small plastic hose attached to the drain. Basically, I just reversed the water flow direction and it's very quiet now. I can also slow the flow of water into the tank to what I want and I don't have to worry about that tube that is suppose to pop out and move the paper slat assembly. So far it seems to work just fine as far as washing goes.

Paterson Print Washer

brimc76 said:

I had the same problem with mine (I have the 11x14 model as well) but when talking to another photographer a few years ago he showed me a different method. I took the upper connection apart and took the tube out. Then I put the hose from my water tap into the bottom connection and let it drain out of the top where I have a small plastic hose attached to the drain. Basically, I just reversed the water flow direction and it's very quiet now. I can also slow the flow of water into the tank to what I want and I don't have to worry about that tube that is suppose to pop out and move the paper slat assembly. So far it seems to work just fine as far as washing goes.

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Hi, Brian,

I'm asking for a little help. I've just purchased a Paterson Major washer, as you have. Unfortunately, when it arrived (I bought it on ebay), there were no hoses AND the input tube at the outside top of the black flat pipe has been wrenched out, tearing a big hole there. I do model railroads and I'm pretty sure I can repair it with some on-hand plastics, but I'm unsure about the size of the input tube.

Also, I am not at all sure which is the input side. I think it is the black tube on the left broad side that outputs at the bottom of the tank -- the one that is broken. The Valve/tube on the other side is all there and appears to be in working order. But I'm not sure which is water input and which is water outflow. Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks, jim clark -- www.clarkjim.com, clarkjim@juno.com

If you happened to have an instruction sheet you could copy or scan, that would be more than great!

If anyone is interested, I scanned a pdf file of the english page from the Paterson Major Washer instruction sheets.

Paterson Washer

craigclu said:

If anyone is interested, I scanned a pdf file of the english page from the Paterson Major Washer instruction sheets.

Paterson Washer

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Thanks for the scan Craig.

clarkjim99 said:

Hi, Brian,
Also, I am not at all sure which is the input side. I think it is the black tube on the left broad side that outputs at the bottom of the tank -- the one that is broken. The Valve/tube on the other side is all there and appears to be in working order. But I'm not sure which is water input and which is water outflow. Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks, jim clark -- www.clarkjim.com, clarkjim@juno.com

If you happened to have an instruction sheet you could copy or scan, that would be more than great!

Click to expand...

Jim, the input tube is the top one with the valve. The pressure of the water going into the tank is what causes the valve to push out the rack with your prints and the weight of the rack then rocks back and pushes in the valve which is then pushed out by the water pressure again. This is how it rocks the prints back and forth in the water wash.
The piece you are looking for is roughly an inch and a half long and a half an inch in diameter. I'll try to post a photo of how my tank looks if you like.