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Black developer and Paterson orbital processor

Scott Raddon

Member
Allowing Ads
Joined
Jun 2, 2018
Messages
2
Location
Uk
Format
35mm
So last week I decided to try using my orbitabl processep from Paterson with the motor base so I could develop my Ilford multigrase RC paper with the lights on with Ilford pq developer.

But after a couple of prints the developer turned black, smelt aweful, didn't achive maximum black and developed with a great lack of cinstras.

The processor only uses 150ml of dev. Before this when I was using standard trays to develop the developer would last a week not a few prints, so I opened a brand new bottle of Ilford multigrase Dev bought about a month ago and had the same issue but with the trays it seems fine so far.

So is it express oxidation or something because of the reduced amount? Or could it be that there are more traces of fixer and stop mixing g with the developer because they're all using one tray?

Does anyone think it would help to develop prints in the orbital processor by using, developer then a water bath them fixer then another water bath?

Or does anyone have any other suggestions? I would love to keep using the orbital but I cant keep going through 150ml of developer a night!

Thanks for your help!
 
 
A liter of working solution paper developer might be good for 20-40 8x10 prints, 150mL and a couple of prints, with a more vigorous agitation, might be about right, that's only 15mL concentrate per print.
 
Isn't the key to this problem, the fact that after a couple of prints the developer went black and had a bad smell. I have no answer but what might have caused this? So far I don't think we have managed to give much help to the OP in terms of his problem

pentaxuser.
 
The developer is oxidized and exhausted once that much paper is developed in that little amount of developer.
 
I would go along the line that there was some sort of contamination inside the processor. what it may be I would not like to guess. but even if the developer was exhausted after only 2 prints, it would only have turned a deepish yellow. That is if it was actually fresh when you started. I am not claiming it wasn't but going black I have never come across before.

Out of curiosity what was the developer?
 
Scott, as you have stated that the Processor uses 150ml of developer, I take it that you mean this is the volume required in the Processor for each print @ a 1+9 dilution so you have used 15ml of developer concentrate. This should be enough for more than 2 prints and there clearly shouldn't be an exhaustion problem after 2 sheets. As BMbikerider has said even if premature exhaustion has set in there shouldn't be a bad smell nor can I think of any reason inherent in the developer that would cause it to go black. I take it you are certain that it was black and the bad smell came from the developer?

It sounds like some form of contamination. I'd let the whole processor sit in dilute bleach for 24 hrs and then give the whole inside a good scrub with washing -up liquid, using a toothbrush for nooks and crannies. Was this the first time you have done prints in the processor?Did you obtain it second-hand. Did you inspect it and clean it before use?

Check your "fresh" developer by processing a print in a tray for comparison.

pentaxuser
 
The only time that I have actually seen (and smelled) that was when a darkroom newbe tried to use a tray of Dektol dil: 1:2 that had been exposed to air for four days to develop a print. If he is still developing prints (B&W), he dumps his Dektol 1:2 after one day whether he develops anything in it or not. As I remember, he was a banker and just hated to throw the Dektol out.........Regards!
 
Hi, thanks for all of your help. I have decided just to sell it and use standard trays as well as modify my nova process master to become a print washer for fibre prints using a fish tank air pump because I cant afford to keep using developer like that, I tried cleaning the tray again but same issue so it must be due to the volume, excess agitation, oxidation and contamination from fixer and stop bath leaving residue in the same tray.
 
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