Experience with ICP 42 or UCP 403 processor?

[jojonas]

Hello! I moved back to my home town a couple of months ago and
finally found someone else that's into film here -hooray!

He's in the plans to build his own darkroom too so that's great as I
won't be able to process in my own home (and definitely not print!)

Now, this guy has a new in box Ilfochrome ICP 42 processor and we're
wondering how it works. The guy that sold it to him said that it can
develop both paper and film (though I have yet to find proof of the film
developing bits).

So I was wondering if anyone here has any experience with using one?
They seem to be rebranded Thermaphot UCP 403 processors so anyone
with knowledge about those are welcome to help too.

Cheers!
/Jonas

 

[Wayne]

I have an ICP-42 that I've used a few times, though not recently. They are rebranded UCP 403s. They take 2 liters of solution. You wait for it to warm up, and you stick the paper in one end and it comes out the other. There was an optional dryer unit too that was the same size as the proicessor that hooked up to the outgoing end and produced a dried print. They can be used for RA-4 as well as Ilfochrome, but you won't find it easy to get usable Ilfochrome paper anymore. I have an owners manual around here somewhere, if one can't be found online. I don't think I would develop film in one, at least I've never heard of it being done. It would be incredibly wasteful unless you were processing large quantities of 8x10 film anyway.

Edit: apparently it was also used for Ciba Micrographic film

Without alteration of the timer it can only use processing times between 20 seconds and 3 minutes per bath, so its fairly useless for normal photographic films. Check the rollers carefully for signs of warpage/shrinkage/swelling and take very good care of them. If they haven't been used they are probably fine. There is a maintenance procedure in the manual that you'll want to follow after every chemical change to keep it all in good shape.

 

[jojonas]

Thank you for the input!
Knowing that they take 2 liters is a good starting point.
I mailed Thermaphot about a manual earlier but haven't heard back from them yet.

 

[Wayne]

If you have any questions just let me know. You can buy one here

http://www.ephotozine.com/equipment/manuals/icp-42-instruction-manual-p19899.html

but I suspect if you dig around you can find one on the net for free. I don't have any easy way to scan the whole thing or I would, but I can scan specific pages for you

 

[jojonas]

Thanks, that might come in handy.
I just hope this guy is still interested in getting it set up even though
he mainly bought it for C-41 developing.

I'll ask Ilford Imaging Europe GMBH too about a digital copy of the manual.