Buying a print washer

I am in the UK and have been monitoring used print washers on ebay. They seem to go for an awfully high amount (usually well over £100). I have therefore decided to buy a new one rather than pay almost new prices with no guarantees or warranty. I need a 12x16.

I have narrowed it down to a few models:

Nova eco 5 slot £249
Nova academy £389 (probably too expensive)
Nova washmaster (5 slots) £259
Prowash £229
Paterson major (12 slots) £149
Silverprint £215

My question is that I am tempted by the Paterson as it is not only the cheapest by a significant margin, but also holds 12 prints at a time which is a lot more than many of the others. Is it worth getting the Paterson at this price or would it be better and spend a bit more for a Nova or Silverprint model? What are you paying for with the more expensive models?

Thanks in advance for any advice/comments.

Do you really need one? There's an interesting thread that isn't that old about making your own print washer. I'll see if I can find it...

I myself use one of the RC print washers for a fraction of the price. I also soak the prints in a large dev tray and the prints are fine.

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

The more expensive models usually have individual print slots so that prints already in the washer are not contaminated by those coming in from the fixing bath. I think the Paterson doesn't have this facility.
Also some have a 'rapid dump' facility where by raising a gate empties the total wash water in a few seconds. This rids the washer of fixer laden water which occurs in the first few minutes of a wash when the print is heavily saturated with fixer.

Don't forget a hypo clear bath as this greatly helps with fixer removal and shortens wash times.

I have a Nova Washmaster, which I think in very good, works well and is as good as the day I brought it about 10 years ago. I remember reading that the Paterson major would not always work properly with 16x12 FB paper as it was a fraction small for the swollen paper. May be someone else could confirm their experience with this unit.

mrtoml said:

I am in the UK and have been monitoring used print washers on ebay. They seem to go for an awfully high amount (usually well over £100). I have therefore decided to buy a new one rather than pay almost new prices with no guarantees or warranty. I need a 12x16.

I have narrowed it down to a few models:

Nova eco 5 slot £249
Nova academy £389 (probably too expensive)
Nova washmaster (5 slots) £259
Prowash £229
Paterson major (12 slots) £149
Silverprint £215

My question is that I am tempted by the Paterson as it is not only the cheapest by a significant margin, but also holds 12 prints at a time which is a lot more than many of the others. Is it worth getting the Paterson at this price or would it be better and spend a bit more for a Nova or Silverprint model? What are you paying for with the more expensive models?

Thanks in advance for any advice/comments.

Click to expand...

If its any help,

I have a silverprint 6 slot 20x16 washer. It was pricey but it is extremely well built, keeps each slot entirely separate so there is no chemical crossover and has a dump facility. In the past I've had some nova equipment and the build quality was not as good or solid but I have no experience of the particular models you have listed.

I use Paterson major in a way that I fill it with water, put each print in it after processing and when I finish printing session from that moment I start water to flow into washer and wash about 1 hour. So, last processed print is in washer and activly washed atleast for 1 hour and prints before last are already in washer soaked in water. So, even if last processed print do contaminate earlier processed prints I wash all prints atleast 1 hour, so all prints are properly washed at the end...

About Dave's remark, I measured (still didn't wash 30x40cm paper in washer) inside dimensions of Paterson major washer (that is paper basket dimensions and inside wall dimensions) when I got it, and as I can remember there is about 1 or two centimeters more space than paper size (at both lenght and width/height). I remember after measuring I thought it will be OK for 30x40cm paper. But, as I didn't actually wash 30x40cm paper yet, take these words with reserve...

I thought first to buy Nova, but Paterson was what I could afford, Nova was expencive for me...

Oh, and I still can't belive how small water flow is needed when washer is in function

FWIW I have the Silverprint 12x16 6 slot and it is certainly well built. Individual slots have dimpled sides so prevents prints sticking to the sides of the washer.

My only regret.......I wish I had bought the 12 slot.

The Versalab is a good value also.

Thanks everyone. I thought of making my own washer, but it is not that easy to make a big one. And I haven't figured out a good way to keep the slots independent like many of the commercial washers. I have read good and bad things about the Paterson and I think it is probably better to get one that keeps the prints completely separate. So I think I will check out the Silverprint and Nova models. I haven't come across Versalab in the UK, but I will do a search for that.

Cheers.

Mark, give Bruce at NOVA a call - NOVA often have nearly new stuff for a good price.
They are very freindly and of course just down the road from you in Warkwick (off the A46 at the IBM turn).
I have had some good deals from them when I gave them a call.
They may even have some secondhand stuff
Or you could try secondhanddarkrooms - they too often have good used NOVA washers around - and they are only about 1hr away by car from Kenilworth so you can actualy see what you are buying
Good Luck
Martin