I mix from scratch each time.when I do solarizations I am working over a three day period, one day to balance my solarizing effect with my lighting, the next two days are processing the
film as I shoot, I use 4x5 and 8x10 FP4 or I do colour solarization. you can see the work at
www.patersoncarnie.com
I never considered my formula double strength , did I make a mistake, if so thats a lucky one on me.
By using 35mm your situation is unique and if I may give you some suggestions on how to try your effect. I have used big refrema dip and dunk for 120 colour solarization in my past life.
I assume you have three deep tanks.... Dev then FLASH... Dev.... Stop... Fix..
if your tanks are put on the floor, and if you hold the film at each end and basically dip into the dev by bringing one end in completely then to the other end you are effectively processing your film like a dip and dunk machine would. SEESAW AS YOU STATE.
Also try using shorter rolls in the camera to save pain on your back.
FYI - I can do maximum 8 4x5 at a time or 2 8x10
so if you are using 24exposure film then you are good to go.
I would also do a normal.. -1/2 -1 exposure on every frame, bracket.. solarization likes less exposure, and you will get different maki line effects on each image which is an added bonus.
On your sink I would lay out a sheet of metal which is slightly longer than the film and below the flash... half way between the dev lay the film base down on the sheet and give a flash.
then continue on with your process as normal..
after fix you could roll the film back on the reel and wash as normal.
remember emulsion up for consistancy when flash , and for evenness make sure you get back into the developer fast with agitation. using a stop bath is manditory IMO and also wear gloves.
this will solve your inconsistency as I would think flashing on the reel would be very tough.
Thanks for the reply Bob. I had thought it might be "one-shot".
It really is very early days for me with this technique, so do please recognise I'm right at ground-level at the moment!
I also realise I'm on a well-trodden path, but I'm happy to discover shortcomings in techniques from my own attempts to learn, and don't mind repeating others' errors.
Given that I have constraints on facilities (I only have a very makeshift darkroom), I've started off using Paterson tanks and reels, the aim being to see if a workable & consistent process can be managed under those constraints. I see it as something I'll work on over a period of months to try and refine, so there's no rush.
My first attempts have been flashing on the reel, but there's the rub for consistency. One can do this perfectly adequately when doing full reversal, as of course that process is vastly less time-critical, but (as expected really) I've discovered how hard it is to get a uniform effect with the short flash times required for Sabattier doing things that way. Serendipity does produce the occasional lovely effect this way though ...
It is possible to unspool and respool the reel during development, of course, but this brings it's own difficulties of course of potential damage to the film, and perhaps problems with uniformity of development, let along the short development times for the Jolly formula which don't give much time for all this manoeuvering! I realise that the Jolly formula isn't essential to the process, and that I might be able to use other developers with longer times to alleviate this latter problem.
I can see that I may have to use short rolls of film, and try a see-saw development in a makeshift tank.
A point of clarification on your formula please: This looks like a "double strength" (and adjusted for anhydrous carbonate from Jolly's formula), which is presumably why you are diluting it 1:1 for film? Would you make up the stock just before processing, or are you keeping a stock solution and then only diluting just before processing?