Cheap, easy slosher: Why didn"t I do this before?

[sly]

I've been tray developing my sheet film for years. Most survived, but heartbreak happened every now and then when I scratched a negative. I looked at instructions for making a slosher tray once, but it sounded beyond my non-existent building skills. Last week, scratched a negative I'd worked hard at setting up, and looked at slosher trays again. Hmmm.... really just need something that will restrain the negatives and allow the flow of chemicals.

A trip to the dollar store - cheap plastic basket, cheap plastic clothes pins. Hey, Presto!! No measuring, no cutting, no glue..... worked great


Hmm, attatchment missing......

 

[sly]

another attempt at the illustration


nope, won't attach....maybe server problems.....

 

[mike c]

The illustration did not appear!!, like to see you invention as I was interested also in a home made slosher.

Mike

 

[MattKing]

Lillian:

Are these the sort of things you are talking about?: http://www.dollartree.com/Multipurpose-Plastic-Storage-Baskets-Assorted-Sizes/p296578/index.pro

The ones with the holes in the bottom as well?

 

[sly]

Mike - I tried to send you a PM with attached image, but that didn't work either.

Matt - similar, but cheaper looking. 9 1/2 by 12 by 2, plastic grid sides and bottom. Clothes pegs inserted in grid to divide tray for 4 4x5's.

I'll try attachment again.

Third time lucky!!

 

[jordanstarr]

...nice....good thinkin....now just find a way to make cheap night-vision goggles and you're set.

 

[bdial]

Very cool, adaptable for other formats too...

 

[artonpaper]

Brilliant. I assume you move the entire basket from tray to tray?

 

[sly]

Yes, Art. The whole point is to minimize any chance of scratching the film. I wash in the basket too.

I've only used it once so far, no problems. I'll update here if I run into snags. It DID take a lot more developer than a smaller tray with 4 sheets shuffled, but if I can stop scratching negs, it's totally worth it.

And yes, if I ever have a 5x7, I'm set. I bought 2 baskets, so I can do 2 8x10's side by side.

 

[zsas]

Outstanding work!

 

[mike c]

That is nice sly, realy simple to make, thanks for posting. checked my inbox and could not fine anything.

Mike

 

[Bob Carnie]

Sly

off topic but I see some nature images ,, have you been to the McMillan Blodel Petrified Forest just up the road from you towards Port Alberni.?

Bob

 

[Tori Nelson]

Brilliant Sly! No doubt this will save many people time, money and scratched negs. I think this might make you something of a hero.

 

[kram]

The best things, I find, are always KISS. Thanks for posting sly.

 

[sly]

And a big KISS back to you!

 

[MattKing]

Mike - I tried to send you a PM with attached image, but that didn't work either.

Matt - similar, but cheaper looking. 9 1/2 by 12 by 2, plastic grid sides and bottom. Clothes pegs inserted in grid to divide tray for 4 4x5's.

I'll try attachment again.

Third time lucky!!

Lillian:

Looks great!

It's funny, I was thinking you were using four of the small containers, joined together, rather than one large container with dividers.

 

[Konical]

Good Morning, Sly,

I ordinarily use drum processing for sheet film, but your idea looks great for washing in a tray using a Kodak Tray Siphon.

Konical

 

[ROL]

Glad it works for you. The general advice when making your own is to make (have) the basket's structure as thin as possible, so as to promote as free a flow as possible and avoid surge marks from turbulence of the developer from the thicker basket construction. It is also prudent to use a tray at least one size larger than would fit the slosher itself, as you have indeed done. My "slosher" is fine stainless steel wire.

P.S. Let's hope those clothespins don't pop off and fall on your negatives. :eek: