Can a Jobo 8x10 Film Drum be Used for Paper?

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robertarthur

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I recently bought a 8x10 film drum on EBay thinking I would be able to use it for 8x10 prints. When I looked at it the holes seemed awfully tight for paper.

Does anyone know if you can use the film drum for processing prints? Thanks in advance for any input.
 

Nick Zentena

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You bought an expert? Considering how much cheaper the paper drums are I'm not sure it makes sense even if it works. Wouldn't surprise me if you could sell the film drum and buy a collection of print drums.
 

Ole

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My thoughts exactly - and I use a print drum for 8x10" film :smile:
 

markbb

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Robert,
joking aside, I see no reason why you couldn't process paper in an expert tank. The only issue would be the amount of 'curl' on the paper - as you point out the tube that would hold the paper is quite narrow - far narrower than the usual print tube. With something Fibre based, I can see it being quite difficult to get it to dry flat.
 

Mick Fagan

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I don't know much about the Jobo Expert drum system, if that is in fact what you bought. But I do have many years of developing film and paper in the 1500 series drums.

The 1520 drum and the 1530 extender hold 2 x 35mm reels and 3 x 35mm rells respectively. The combination together makes it possible to develop 5 rolls of 35mm film using 600 ml of solution for rotary processing.

Now film drums are really quite small and the 8x10" paper has to be curled up quite tightly, but it fits and this combination will develop paper very well. I think 65ml of developer is all that is required, however I found for rotary processing of paper it was always best to at least double the minimum required solution and use a replenishment system whereby I drained 65ml off and replaced it with 65ml of fresh solution.

That way you really ensure even coverage and you will not at any time suffer from under developing due to not enough active solution for the square area of paper you are covering. This is really important if you go to 12x16" paper and above as the coverage Jobo state is really on the limit of possibility.

In short, if you can get the paper in, colour or B&W, then it can be developed perfectly.

I ran this system for about 6 years before getting a colour roller transport machine, whence I stopped doing colour in the Jobo.

Mick.
 
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