Jobo users

Hi,
I am going to splurge for a cpe+. A friend of mine has a jobo, and I used it long ago to do some color. I will be doing mostly B&W 4x5 negatives in mine.

The question is I read on the jobo site that fixer, and maybe stop bath will oxidise faster due to the rotary processing. I use powdered u mix fixer. NO rapid !. Storage life of used fixer is rated 30 days. Assuming the fixer capacity is not used up, I wonder how much less storage, life it has due to oxidising effect of rotary processing.

Any comments on this ?.

Jennifer

Jennifer,

I suspect that oxidation rate is a function of the chemicals used. I've used a CPE-2 for the past three years and the only issue I've seen with regard to aerial oxidation is with pyro developers. Steve Anchell recommends adding 30% more of PMK solution A when processing in a Jobo. I've been using Rollo Pyro (ABC+ Pyro) which is formulated with ascorbic acid to make it specific to Jobo processing.

Stop bath or fixer oxidation I've not encountered anywhere. I've used T-Max developer with acedic acid stop and Kodak Rapid Fixer, Edwal's FG-7, and now the Rollo Pyro with a water stop bath and TF-4 alkaline fixer. All this on 120 roll film. No problems at all -- except when the 1530 tank extension doesn't seat properly.

My CPE-2, with a brand-new, factory-reconditioned lift is for sale; I bought a CPA-2 to replace it. Contact me off the list if you're interested.

Rich

I use a 1500 and have had no troubles other than making sure it was perfectly level.

S.

I use my jobo to process B&W film about 3 days a week. I replenish about 50-100 ml of stop and fix per roll or 4-4X5 or 1-8x10.

The stop and Fix remain strong and in working condition.

I hope that helps!

Corey

I use Jobo tanks on a motor. Same sort of thing. I don't see any life shortening for fixer. B&W or colour. Maybe if you're using an acid fixer? But the neutral to alkaline fixers I use sure seem to last forever in the Jobo tank.

I never heard of fixer oxidation being a problem. In a Jobo or not. I use my fixer as a 1 shot in my Jobo expert drums though. 400ml, use once and discard. It's cheap enough and I never worry about exhausting fixer with the newer B&W films.
Take care,
Tom

Jennifer said:

Hi,
I am going to splurge for a cpe+. A friend of mine has a jobo, and I used it long ago to do some color. I will be doing mostly B&W 4x5 negatives in mine.

The question is I read on the jobo site that fixer, and maybe stop bath will oxidise faster due to the rotary processing. I use powdered u mix fixer. NO rapid !. Storage life of used fixer is rated 30 days. Assuming the fixer capacity is not used up, I wonder how much less storage, life it has due to oxidising effect of rotary processing.

Any comments on this ?.

Jennifer

Click to expand...

If you are processing 4x5 inch sheet film, you may find the use of the Jobo Expert Drums to be more convenient. I`m not sure if these are suitable for the CPE-2, so it may be better to buy the CPA-2 or CPP-2 processer instead, along with a Jobo Lift. Unfortunately, they cost a little more.
Stop baths, Fixers, along with Developers, are cheap enough to be used as one-shot solutions with rotary processors, due to the smaller volumes of chemicals required, so no worries there.

Keith Tapscott. said:

If you are processing 4x5 inch sheet film, you may find the use of the Jobo Expert Drums to be more convenient. I`m not sure if these are suitable for the CPE-2, so it may be better to buy the CPA-2 or CPP-2 processer instead, along with a Jobo Lift. Unfortunately, they cost a little more.
Stop baths, Fixers, along with Developers, are cheap enough to be used as one-shot solutions with rotary processors, due to the smaller volumes of chemicals required, so no worries there.

Click to expand...

Years ago, I bought a CPE and processed B&W with it. If you stayed there to monitor the temps, it worked will and produced excellent negatives. I spotted a "wounded" CPP on ebay and bought it. It isn't much to look at but it controls the temp and gives you a lot more flexibility. The expert drum system is not compatible with the CPE - that is reason alone to move up to the CPA/CPP level.

I use a 1:9 dilution of TMax RS @75 degrees and use twice the amount recommended for the drum. My results are amazingly consistent and repeatable. If I have a variation in a negative, it is always something I have done. The development variable is completely removed from the equation.

blaughn said:

Years ago, I bought a CPE and processed B&W with it. If you stayed there to monitor the temps,

I use a 1:9 dilution of TMax RS @75 degrees and use twice the amount recommended for the drum.

Click to expand...

Try this. Take a preheated tank and fill it with 75 degree water. Close the lid. Unless you're working in a freezer I bet it'll hold that 75 degrees for a long time. Without the processor. I've done the test with 100degree water and the 2500 type tank I tested held temp for over 10 minutes. I got bored and gave up at this point.

The tanks are pretty good insulators. An advantage of plastic over metal.

It could well be the chemicals pack in quicker because of the small amounts that are used in a Jobo, eg: 600ml for 12 sheets 5x4 with a CPE-2. Going up to say 700ml wont be much better. One shot seems to be the way to go.

blaughn said:

Years ago, I bought a CPE and processed B&W with it. If you stayed there to monitor the temps, it worked will and produced excellent negatives. I spotted a "wounded" CPP on ebay and bought it. It isn't much to look at but it controls the temp and gives you a lot more flexibility. The expert drum system is not compatible with the CPE - that is reason alone to move up to the CPA/CPP level.

I use a 1:9 dilution of TMax RS @75 degrees and use twice the amount recommended for the drum. My results are amazingly consistent and repeatable. If I have a variation in a negative, it is always something I have done. The development variable is completely removed from the equation.

Click to expand...

Consistency is important with any processing method, whether it`s done manually or by an automatic processor. Jobo also make the excellent TBE-2 which holds either six or twelve 1 litre chemical storage bottles. This is a very useful accessory for those who use Jobo or Paterson type tanks for inversion agitation and ideal for any B&W amateur darkroom hobbyist.

Hi,
Lots of comments. I "was" going to get a new cpe+...but I just "scored"
a used in nice condition with drums, a CPA-2 with a lift on Ebay.
Woo hoo !. Life is gonna be good. I have a friend that bought one back in 1988 and I ran quite a few rolls of 35mm and 120 doing C-41 and E6 through it. I haven't used one in 15 years...I'm getting old .

On the fixer...I use, and I'm old fashioned except for using a "new fangled"
jobo, regular fixer. I also do 2 fix bath. Using 2 fix processed to archival, meaning keeping the silver content LOW, 16oz fix one, and 16oz fix 2 will do 20 4x5 sheets. Not 20 if it's T-max tho. One shot in a jobo 2500 tank would use 540ml for 6 sheets. That's expensive !. You can read up the the 2 fix advantage some where on the apug is the link to www.binbook.com has an
article with the information that was given by Grant Haist, former director of research at Kodak.

On the Jobo. I read altho not recomend, but most people don't have a problem, developing fiber paper with it. Anyone here run fiber in it, and did you get "bumps" in the paper from the drum. I will mostly use trays, but this is also another option.

I'm excited...remember using my friends with the old unicolor chems, and every roll was a winner. You can't fault a jobo for consistency. I want to try a vit-c and carbonate only dev I read about. Take 30 min or more, but I don't care. Slap on the drum and go watch TV !.

Jennifer