Before I screw something up - 8x10 film in a drum?

Calamity Jane · Jul 20, 2005

Just getting into 8x10 - not even going to have the chance to try developing at home, before I hit the road - and looking for advice on drum developing of film.

I picked up an Omega "Chromega" drum to do 8x10 film but it didn't come with instructions and I have never done film (Delta 100) in a drum before.

Does anybody know what the recommended volume of chemical is for the Chromega drum?

I presume the 8x10 is loaded long-edge first and is held against the ouside of the drum by the moulded-in ridges along the bottom of the drum?

Any other advice or suggestions weclome! (I hate experimenting with $4.00 a sheet film!)

David A. Goldfarb · Jul 20, 2005

Most 8x10" drums use about 3 oz of solution. You could test to see if it will take more than that without spilling, if you want to use more than 3 oz per sheet.

Generally for drum processing, you don't want a developer that oxidizes too quickly or that is too dilute and likely to become exhausted before the development is complete, but if you just have to use PMK or Rodinal 1+100 and you find that your negs are thin, one option is to pour out the developer halfway through and replace it with fresh developer.

A presoak isn't a bad idea with drums for more even development.

noseoil · Jul 20, 2005

Don't use this setup Jane, but $4 a sheet seems a bit steep for practice (heck, they're all practice). Check with J&C and look into their 400 and Efke 100, its closer to $2 a sheet and very good stuff. I would recommend Pyrocat HD as a developer for rotary processing. It works well, is easy to use, cheap from Photographer's Formulary and should do the trick. Can't say enough about this stuff.

I make my mistakes on the cheap stuff, 4x5 and then drag out the 8x10 AFTER I've made most of my mistakes, but I know you will have to bite the bullet sooner or later. tim

photomc · Jul 20, 2005

Calamity Jane said:
Just getting into 8x10

If like myself, a new 8x10 owner, you are going to love that big negative...

Calamity Jane said:
Does anybody know what the recommended volume of chemical is for the Chromega drum?

I use a Beseler 8x10 paper drum and use around 200-250ml. Using Rodinal one-shot, very weak acid stop then fix all in tank. Pop the top and wash....very handy way to process.

Calamity Jane said:
I presume the 8x10 is loaded long-edge first and is held against the ouside of the drum by the moulded-in ridges along the bottom of the drum?

Have to laugh at myself on this one Jane...first time I tried to load a negative, could not figure out why the darn thing was sticking out of the tank...then took it out and place it in long edge first and it fit like a glove...when in doubt use a sheet of 8x10 paper with the lights on..always have some in or near the editing file (trash can).

Calamity Jane said:
Any other advice or suggestions weclome! (I hate experimenting with $4.00 a sheet film!)

Agree with Tim on this one, the Ekfe 100 is nice film and much less than most, but not sure what the price per sheet is in Canadian $.

bobfowler · Jul 20, 2005

Calamity Jane said:
Just getting into 8x10 - not even going to have the chance to try developing at home, before I hit the road - and looking for advice on drum developing of film.

I picked up an Omega "Chromega" drum to do 8x10 film but it didn't come with instructions and I have never done film (Delta 100) in a drum before.

Does anybody know what the recommended volume of chemical is for the Chromega drum?

I presume the 8x10 is loaded long-edge first and is held against the ouside of the drum by the moulded-in ridges along the bottom of the drum?

Any other advice or suggestions weclome! (I hate experimenting with $4.00 a sheet film!)

No experience with the Omega drum, but...

Unicolor calls for 60ml with an 8X10 sheet of paper, twice that if doing multiple smaller prints. I use 250ml when running 8X10 film, 300ml if running multiple smaller sheets. Mixing developers as a one-shot makes it easy and economical.

Calamity Jane · Jul 20, 2005

Thanks for the replies!

The Delta 100 was expensive because I had to have it flown in to be here in time for my "field trip" tomorrow - I paid $25 for courier shipping. It's nice film - I have used it in 4x5. I am sure there are cheaper films available but I wanted to go with a film I am familiar with because I don't have time to experiment and can't afford to have something not work out to my expectations.

Since the Omega has "feet" and it looks like the film isn't supposed to touch the chemicals when sitting on it's feet, I guess I'll have to measure the volume.

Thanks again.

sanking · Jul 20, 2005

Calamity Jane said:
Just getting into 8x10 - not even going to have the chance to try developing at home, before I hit the road - and looking for advice on drum developing of film.

I picked up an Omega "Chromega" drum to do 8x10 film but it didn't come with instructions and I have never done film (Delta 100) in a drum before.

Does anybody know what the recommended volume of chemical is for the Chromega drum?

I presume the 8x10 is loaded long-edge first and is held against the ouside of the drum by the moulded-in ridges along the bottom of the drum?

Any other advice or suggestions weclome! (I hate experimenting with $4.00 a sheet film!)

Hi Calamity,

Have a look at this thread. (there was a url link here which no longer exists) Though not specific to an 8X10 drum and film many of the same principles apply.

Briefly, you don't want to use the "minimum" amount of developer for film that might have been recommended for paper. For a sheet of 8X10 film I would recommend a minimum about 250ml of solution with most developers. Also, I strongly recommend a pre-soak when processing in a drum, especially if you re using a staining developer.

Sandy

John Bartley · Jul 20, 2005

Calamity Jane said:
The Delta 100 was expensive because I had to have it flown in to be here in time for my "field trip" tomorrow - I paid $25 for courier shipping. It's nice film - I have used it in 4x5. I am sure there are cheaper films available but I wanted to go with a film I am familiar with because I don't have time to experiment and can't afford to have something not work out to my expectations.

Hi Jane,

When you're ready to experiment a bit, try some of the PlusX Aero that is sold on eBay. I'm currently shooting 9-1/2" x 8" for about $0.50 per sheet not counting "learning waste". I develop in D23 in an ABS tube and while I've had some waste from "experimenting", I can truthfully say that had I done things "by the book", I wouldn't have wasted a single sheet.

cheers eh?

Konical · Jul 20, 2005

Good Evening, Calamity,

Your Chromega drum should have three removable ribs and a slip-on spacer. With 8 x 10, only the "bottom" two ribs would be used. With 4 x 5 the other rib and the spacer are needed.

I have processed my sheet film in a Chromega for decades now and highly recommend the procedure. I am generous with my chemical quantities, using 10-12 oz. even though I'm fairly sure that much less would probably be adequate.

Konical

Calamity Jane · Jul 20, 2005

I just finished doing my FIRST 8x10 and it came out fine! It's a little thin, but that's between me and the shutter to work out.

The film fits niceley between the moulded-in ribs on the bottom of the drum and stayed put - I still haven't figured out how to use those rods Kon!

I used 250 mL of ID-11 and intermittent agitation by rolling the drum on the counter and leaving it sit on it's feet between agitations.

250 mL seemed to be as much as I could use without leaving part of the film sitting in developer between agitations.

Thanks for the advice group!

bobfowler · Jul 21, 2005

Calamity Jane said:
I just finished doing my FIRST 8x10 and it came out fine! It's a little thin, but that's between me and the shutter to work out.

The film fits niceley between the moulded-in ribs on the bottom of the drum and stayed put - I still haven't figured out how to use those rods Kon!

I used 250 mL of ID-11 and intermittent agitation by rolling the drum on the counter and leaving it sit on it's feet between agitations.

250 mL seemed to be as much as I could use without leaving part of the film sitting in developer between agitations.

Thanks for the advice group!

Youy'll probably get much better results if you: A) roll constantly, or B) use a motor base. Regardless, you'll need to decrease development time by 10 to 15% because of the constant agitation. The plus side - more even development.

David A. Goldfarb · Jul 21, 2005

Motor bases are pretty cheap on eBay, and you don't have to attend to them while you're processing. It's handy to own at least two drums, so you can wash, dry, and load one while the other is spinning on the motor base.

Nick Zentena · Jul 21, 2005

Calamity Jane said:
I used 250 mL of ID-11 and intermittent agitation by rolling the drum on the counter and leaving it sit on it's feet between agitations.

Drums really aren't designed for intermittent agitation. Not unless you stand it on it's end and fill it up with chemical. Spinning the drum keeps the chemicals around the walls of the drum. Intermittent lets the chemicals stand at the low point. So some film will get no chemicals. Some will be standing in it.

Konical · Jul 21, 2005

Good Morning, Calamity,

I completely agree with the three comments immediately above. If you do decide to get a motor base, don't reject a non-reversible model. Picking up the drum and switching rotational direction every thirty seconds is not very onerous; in most cases, it may not even be necessary, even though I routinely do it. If you go for a model which automatically reverses intermittently, be sure that it turns the drum at least a full rotation before reversing. I have one Beseler which won't do that, so I end up lifting and reversing the drum anyway.

While I am a strong advocate of drum processing for sheet film, use the method almost exclusively, and have posted before on the topic, I do admit that the method has at least two drawbacks: it's impractical for water-bath developing and, of course, stand developing, should either of those approaches be your choice.

Konical

Calamity Jane · Jul 21, 2005

When I get back from this trip, I'll make a motor base for it but I'll have to roll by hand this time out.

Most of my on-site setup is powered and controlled from a little box that contains gel-cells and a charger as well as dimmer for the portable darkroom safelight, control for a tray rocker (that sits in the PD), and powers the vent fan on the PD. Pretty easy to add a little DC motor control with timed reverse.

Did I mention, in my day job, I'm an electronics designer? How can you tell? ;-)

Before I screw something up - 8x10 film in a drum?

Calamity Jane

David A. Goldfarb

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noseoil

photomc

bobfowler

Calamity Jane

sanking

John Bartley

Konical

Calamity Jane

bobfowler

David A. Goldfarb

Moderator

Nick Zentena

Konical

Calamity Jane

Before I screw something up - 8x10 film in a drum?

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