Developing question: Agitation

thisispants · Sep 8, 2009

I recently bought a patterson super system 4 tank....I'm doing my first develop today. Just a question regarding the agitation. I have an agitation rod with the tank..... is this used instead of putting the cap on the tank and inverting a couple of times a minute? Do I need to do both or is it either/or?

John Shriver · Sep 8, 2009

Inversion agitation is generally superior. Much more random flow of the developer through the tank, and that's what you really want, to spread the developing byproducts all through the developer. I can't see any reason to ever want to twirl.

Krzys · Sep 8, 2009

John Shriver said:
I can't see any reason to ever want to twirl.

A tank that leaks!

From what I've found if you violently turn the twiddle stick back and forth in succession its no different to an inversion.

Kevin Caulfield · Sep 8, 2009

Paterson tanks need to be burped. Burping entails pressing down on the lid whilst opening part of the lid, and then closing it. Once you have had a burp you will not spring a leak.

Anscojohn · Sep 9, 2009

Krzys said:
A tank that leaks!

From what I've found if you violently turn the twiddle stick back and forth in succession its no different to an inversion.

******
It is my understanding that too-vigorous agitation with a twirler gives greater agitation to the film on the outer parts of the reel compared to the inner parts. I was taught that slow gentle turning was the way to go. I still occasionally use my old Ansco tank and after the first thirty seconds of vigorous back and forth twirling, I just give it a light twist each thirty seconds, enough to give about a full revolution or so. I reverse the direction of the twisting each time.

Aron · Sep 9, 2009

I use different agitation methods for different developers.

For Rodinal I twirl very gently, in alternating directions.
For ID-11 I invert the tank. Twirling with ID-11 lead to uneven development for me and changing to inversion cured the problem.

Aron

philbed · Sep 9, 2009

Please read carefully the instruction given by film manufacturers (kodak, ilford,..). Inversion does not mean agitation. When you use a Paterson tank, you use inversion method. You do not need the inverse the tank and agitate vigourously.!! The most important thing is the consistancy of your developing procedure. If you decide to invert 3 time every 30 seconds DO NOT CHANGE. If your films are not as good as you're expect, test your film speed or your developing time.

Herzeleid · Sep 9, 2009

You can't go wrong with inversion agitation. It is fail safe.
If you use the stick and if you don't have great control over it, you are very likely to have uneven development.
Read the manual of your super system 4 as well it says "invert the tank for agitation".

LorenzoM · Sep 9, 2009

I stopped turning the stick of my Paterson tank when I found transparent stripes on my negatives... Never had problems with inversion.

Lorenzo

trexx · Sep 9, 2009

When using a twiddle stick do ensure the primary direction is such that the film is scooping the developer. If the film is wound like @ then you mostly turn counter clockwise. If you don't believe it put two identical rolls in a tank with the spirals in different directions, then stir in only one direction. The difference can be seen. If you don't know then do; 3-right 3-left, next agitation is 3-left 3-right. If you know the direction do 1-Back 4-direction.

But the best advice is consistency. Develop a pattern and always use it. Of course that can be different patterns fordifferent desired outcomes. But be consistent about it.

BTW see my blog, link on the left

imush · Sep 10, 2009

I used the stick sometimes when I wanted very slow and careful agitation, i.e. with Rodinal. But I stopped bothering and just invert slowly now.

Larry.Manuel · Sep 10, 2009

When I began developing [with same Paterson tank] I gave way too much agitation [inversion]. My negatives and store-made prints were extremely high contrast [blacks and whites, few silvery midtones]. So: there is such a thing as too much of good thing. I was using Rodinal at 1+50, on Delta 100. I backed off the time a bit, and the agitation a lot and the results have been fine for years.

Twirling works, too. I've always had even development with it.

Developing question: Agitation

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