Color darkroom. Print drums, questions.

[Vonder]

Boy, it'd sure be nice if somebody still made print developing drums. I'm nearly ready to start my first ever color printing session but trays seems the only way to go nowadays. What are the procedures for tray development? In B&W developing you use a safelight, not so with color. In B&W development, your chemicals sit in a tray and you move the print from tray to tray, over and over again. Do you do the same in color? I know with a drum you dispose of the chemicals each time.

 

[John Koehrer]

They may not be made, but there are hundreds of them out there in garage sales & the like.
Your description is right on the money for tray processing though. Years ago someone also made a rocking tray called a "color canoe". Used in the dark, the print remained in the tray & chemistry was added & dumped like a drum processor.
Did you check KEH,Freestyle & the other likely suspects?

 

[Photo Engineer]

In a tray, you use the same workflow as B&W.

3 trays, Developer (2'), Stop (30"), and Blix (2.5') all at 68F.

For developer use RA-RT developer replenisher.

Use constant agitation in all trays and lights can go on after you enter the Blix.

Wash for up to 10 minutes at up to 85 degrees F.

You can use a WR-13 safelight the entire time with a 15 w or less bulb that does not fall directly on the paper, but test for fog first.

PE

 

[fotch]

Buy used drums, a lot less hassle.