Dip and dunk processing of 8x10 color negatives.

[sper]

I posted a similar question on the photo.net forums, so if you've already answered that one, thank you.

I've been getting conflicting instructions for time and temp. and I was wondering if anyone can clear this up for me.

The Tetenal 1L press kit suggests a dev time of 3:30 @ 38?C. Kodak's instructions are 3:15 @ 37.8?C. I'm using the Tetenal 5L kit, but can only go by the 1L kit instructions because the 5L kit only has times for rotary.

Now, Tetenal's instructions are for Tetenal's chemistry and Kodak's are for their own, of course. However, Tetenal's dev time in the Jobo are the same as Kodak's, so my assumption is that Tetenal elongated the time to account for lost heat in the open tank.

I really want to be able to process my 8x10 sheets myself, but I can't seem to get consistent results. I must admit, temp. control has been a problem. I am getting much better at it though. Trying to be precise with "hot" and "cold" knobs is frustraiting. I fill my jacket up with hot and let it heat to .4?C over my starting time and pull out the tank. Then I load my racks and start, I just have to hope my temp fell to where I want it.

I know, I know...

I just can't figure out how else to do it. I can't get precise with my jacket, so that'll either heat it or cool it too much while I load my racks. It has been very frustraiting.

Anyway, post times and temps for Tetenal dip and dunk if you've got 'em.

Thanks.
-Mark

 

[PHOTOTONE]

Why can't you have water trickling into your water jacket continuously? it is easier to keep a steady temperature if you are constantly replenishing the tempering water. While I have a sink-line dip-n-dunk for 8x10, i have processed 4x5 in a light-tight tank in a smaller environment using a deep hypo tray as a water jacket for the bottles of chemistry and the tank, and I adjusted my water and kept it running into the tray, allowing it to spill over into the sink. It takes quite a while to get the chemistry up to temperature, I start by filling the tray with bottle in it, at a very hot temperature, then when the chemistry is up to temperature, I dump the water and fill with correct temperature water and keep it trickling in, and you should probably start with the developer slightly over temperature to compensate for the drop with the film on hangers is inserted. The only chemical that is critical is the color developer, the others can have a 5 degree spread (or more) and still work just fine.

Phototone