DevAppa print dryer?

hoffy · Jan 29, 2022

Hi Folks,

Just stumbled across an add on a local buy and sell for a bunch of darkroom gear. One of the items for sale is a DevAppa print dryer. I've never heard of these.

Does anyone know anything about them? I am assuming that they might only be suitable for RC paper.

Does anyone know?

Cheers

mshchem · Jan 29, 2022

Jobo USA imported them. I have an Ilford RC print dryer, love it.

AgX · Jan 29, 2022

I do not know the one in question, might be west-german. I acquired such used. Heating is by infared tube. One can set speed and temperature. It got one pair of rubber rollers and one pair of light-foamrubber rollers. The latter roller covers are completely deteriorated. New rollers are no options to me, so I have to improvise the thick foamrubber cover. Expect issues of this kind with the model in question,

btaylor · Jan 29, 2022

I got an Ilford RC print dryer in a darkroom lot some years ago, as Agx points out the hard rubber rollers were fine but the foam exit rollers had disintegrated. I found foam door seal rolls to be the answer for me, I simply cleaned off the old foam and wrapped the now bare rollers with the self adhesive foam. Works perfectly.

hoffy · Jan 30, 2022

OK, is an Ilford RC dryer the same as a DevAppa?

AgX · Jan 30, 2022

I never even heard of the brand and it seems others here seem rather clueless too.

I got the Kindermann model "30" in its Rowi branding. But it is still due for repair. And the solid-rubber entry-roller partially are cracked due to storing in the sun, but I guess at dark storage they would be in better state, as the similar typewriter rollers.
It is basically a IR tube-lamp/radiator mounted just over the passing paper, with a tangential blower mounted above the lamp.
But I guess those IR dryers are all basically built the same way.
The Kindermann IR dryer is still offered new, but it now got a slitted gate in front of the solid-rubber entry roller, which at the original version were completely accessible at the entry. So there is this safety issue to consider.

Due to the PE-foil these papers are are critical at heat drying thus the dryer settings must be carefully set, but btaylor could tell more on this.

But there were also RC-paper dryers using only a heated air-stream.

konakoa · Jan 30, 2022

I've got one of these DevAppa driers. It's a very nice, incredibly well made and compact drier just for RC papers. Been using it for twenty years, mine is still in perfect shape with no deteriorating rubber and the foam rollers are intact. The size is what sold me on it as it is very easy to store away and it does not need a lot of counter space in use. It was made in Germany and mine was imported and sold in the US by Jobo. It's not infrared. There are two heat settings and the rollers can be steplessly set to any speed you wish. Its one and only drawback is the small size of the drier means there's no long drier tunnel so sometimes a tiny drop of water is left by the rubber rollers on a corner of a bit of paper. If you stack sheets immediately out of it, they can stick. It does dry paper in a few seconds, but I still put the sheets on fiberglass screens just to finish the process. Been using mine continuously since the early 2000's and it's still going strong.

AgX · Jan 30, 2022

Can you link to a photo?

This model? Here in its Durst incarnation.
https://www.photrio.com/forum/attachments/img_1779-jpg.216693/

konakoa · Jan 30, 2022

They really don't ever appear in a web search.

Edit: they also run very quietly, which is really nice in a small room.

AgX · Jan 30, 2022

It is indeed from a west-german manufacturer I was not aware of....

If this model is only working with hot air, it would be interesrting to kow how both systems compare. I mean, hot air alone would dry more evenly, whilst IR in addition would depend on the image too. In theory at least...maybe without practical effect though.

hoffy · Jan 30, 2022

konakoa said:
I've got one of these DevAppa driers. It's a very nice, incredibly well made and compact drier just for RC papers. Been using it for twenty years, mine is still in perfect shape with no deteriorating rubber and the foam rollers are intact. The size is what sold me on it as it is very easy to store away and it does not need a lot of counter space in use. It was made in Germany and mine was imported and sold in the US by Jobo. It's not infrared. There are two heat settings and the rollers can be steplessly set to any speed you wish. Its one and only drawback is the small size of the drier means there's no long drier tunnel so sometimes a tiny drop of water is left by the rubber rollers on a corner of a bit of paper. If you stack sheets immediately out of it, they can stick. It does dry paper in a few seconds, but I still put the sheets on fiberglass screens just to finish the process. Been using mine continuously since the early 2000's and it's still going strong.

Thanks.
So, RC paper only?

mshchem · Jan 30, 2022

hoffy said:
Thanks.
So, RC paper only?

Yes, these are RC only. I have an Ilford, drys an 8x10, color, black and white, takes 10-12 seconds. Mine runs at a constant speed with adjustable heat. Mine will heat up in about 20 to 30 seconds. Quartz heaters, 3 of them. Nothing beats the gloss, these slightly, almost melt the gelatin. Works fine with luster finish as well. The one I have will take paper up to 20 inches wide biggest I've done is 16x20. Effortless. It heats up a cool darkroom that's for sure.

AgX · Jan 30, 2022

Yes, the energy/time and structural pressure would not be sufficient. But maybe someone modified them and got something useful.
But as there are proven, though bulky, continuous-run devices for FB papers, I doubt this approach would make sense.

In designations of dryers as RC (Kindermann) or RCD (Durst) the use is indicated.

hoffy · Jan 30, 2022

mshchem said:
Yes, these are RC only. I have an Ilford, drys an 8x10, color, black and white, takes 10-12 seconds. Mine runs at a constant speed with adjustable heat. Mine will heat up in about 20 to 30 seconds. Quartz heaters, 3 of them. Nothing beats the gloss, these slightly, almost melt the gelatin. Works fine with luster finish as well. The one I have will take paper up to 20 inches wide biggest I've done is 16x20. Effortless. It heats up a cool darkroom that's for sure.

OK, that is what I thought. When I spoke to the guy yesterday he said that they would do both (but in the back of mine I doubted it).

mshchem · Jan 30, 2022

I have a Pako belt and drum dryer for fiber base, takes about 7 minutes to go around the drum, which produces a nice dry print. Have to be careful with heat to not overdry the print.

George Collier · Feb 1, 2022

I have always just hung prints by clothes pins, since trying various methods of drying that involve contact with some other material, like a screen, apron (the Pako drier), or blotters. Eventually they will deposit back onto the prints the gifts they have been given over previous years from many prints. Takes longer, but always clean. Flatten under weight.
RC prints dry so quickly I would hang those for sure.

DevAppa print dryer?

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