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Experience with Jobo Roller Base?

blee1996

Subscriber
Joined
Jul 25, 2008
Messages
1,567
Location
SF Bay Area, California
Format
Multi Format
Hi

I use Jobo CPP2 and 3005 for developing 8x10 film. However. it is a bit cold to work in the garage during the winter month. So I'm considering manually rolling 3005 in a small bathroom using the Jobo roller base. 3005 with 1L of solution is too heavy for inversion.

Does anyone have experience with this roller base? Good, bad? Thanks!
 
I have one and used it for a little while to process film. It works fine, but I ultimately preferred agitation by hand.
 
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I built my own roller base years ago and used it for several years. Worked well.
 
My experience has been with Beseler and Unicolor motor bases with 3005 and 3006 drums (with auto-reverse disconnected).

I fill my drums while they are rotating on the motor base (w/ hand-held funnel and plastic tubing). A little more difficult on a non-motorized roller base.
 
Works fine. I use mine to develop black & white film in my bathroom.
 
I do have a Unicolor motor base as well. May deactivate the auto-reverse switch and give it a go first before spending the money on the Jobo roller base.
 
blee1996 said:
I do have a Unicolor motor base as well. May deactivate the auto-reverse switch and give it a go first before spending the money on the Jobo roller base.
Click to expand...

I use the Beseler motor base in bi-directional mode when making prints. No issues. Why deactivate it on your Unicolor base?
 
logan2z said:
I use the Beseler motor base in bi-directional mode when making prints. No issues. Why deactivate it on your Unicolor base?
Click to expand...

The Jobo Expert Drum 3005 has much larger diameter than the Unicolor tank, thus it will not make a full turn before the auto-reverse. This will result in film not properly in contact with chemicals.
 
blee1996 said:
The Jobo Expert Drum 3005 has much larger diameter than the Unicolor tank, thus it will not make a full turn before the auto-reverse. This will result in film not properly in contact with chemicals.
Click to expand...

Ahh that makes sense.
 
If you are going to disable the auto reverse, I would build in to your routine at least a couple of sets of manually reversing the orientation of the tank on the rollers.
 
MattKing said:
If you are going to disable the auto reverse, I would build in to your routine at least a couple of sets of manually reversing the orientation of the tank on the rollers.
Click to expand...

That is a good idea even with this roller base. I spin the rollers with the tank 180 degrees every 10 rotations. Seems to work all right.
 
MattKing said:
If you are going to disable the auto reverse, I would build in to your routine at least a couple of sets of manually reversing the orientation of the tank on the rollers.
Click to expand...
I tend to flip the drum every minute...gives me something to do, but I can go two minutes without worrying about even development (total time is often around 8 minutes).

To 'disconnect' the auto-reverse on the model Beseler I have, I had to take a hacksaw to some plastic parts. So my non-reversal cannot be reversed. The Unicolor was easy -- I just bent the contact arm that hits the reversing switch, or something along that line...it's been a few years.
 
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