Lott Drum-master dryer

[Mike Keers]

Hi all,
This is my first post to this wonderful resource. I hope this is the right category for my question. I've also searched and not come up with anything directly related to my questions.

First, a quick introduction. I'm just rediscovering the joys of developing and printing my own B&W pics after a forty year hiatus. I was recently given a bunch of darkroom stuff, and bought several lots of equipment on eBay as well. I've only developed two rolls so far, and made a coupla dozen prints, more for the experience all around and to get to know my new darkroom equipment.

In one of the lots of stuff I got an old Lott Drum-Master print dryer, and quite a bit of old fiber based paper in various brands, sizes and styles, most unopened. Since I'm just 'playing' with enlarging and printing at this point, I'm using up the old paper. Results are surprisingly good (to me anyway), but I'm having trouble with drying the single weight papers, the usual curling and all. I dragged out the print dryer and went over it, it's in good working condition but I don't have a clue how to use it properly. I know from reading that the emulsion side in will give me super glossy pics, and I believe the emulsion side out against the canvas will give me a matte or textured print, but other than that, no clue.

Can anyone offer advice about the proper use of this drum dryer--like the time to dry, tips, etc? It has no temp control, plug it in, it gets hot. Thanx in advance.
mike

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

To get a real gloss, the drum needs to be polished, and we used to soak the print first in a solution called "Pakosol," which seemed to have something like a wetting agent and I guess would swell the gelatin, and the print had to have uniform contact with the drum/plate, or you would get unglossed spots. It was a bit tricky, and I don't know how it would work without Pakosol, or if there's a replacement product for it today. I don't think you can find Pakosol anymore.

It's a good idea to clean the canvas, in case it has any fixer residue from past use. I used to hand wash it in cold water occasionally and let it drip dry, stretching it back into place while it was still damp.

You'll have to experiment to find the optimal drying time, since it depends on the paper, humidity, and such. This kind of dryer is only for fiber based paper, so don't use it with RC, which is designed to be air dried.

 

[Lopaka]

Find Pakosol here:

http://www.pakor.com/Pages/Searchresults.cfm?UserID=127217-50304-100608-7951.0625

You can also use Photo-flo solution to soak the prints for a couple of minutes before you squeegee them onto the drum. You must have complete contact - any tiny air bubble will leave a non-glossy spot that is very noticeable.

Bob

 

[Mike Keers]

Thanx for the responses. I found a brief mention in one of my books about using Photo-Flo for the same purpose (I think) as the Pakasol. I have Photo-Flo, so maybe I'll try that. The drum is in good shape, and I did polish it to a mirror shine, but frankly, I don't care for high gloss prints that much, so maybe I'll re-wash some of the worst prints and try drying them emulsion-out first.

David, a good comment about the canvas, this one is pretty grubby and it's stretched oddly, kind of crooked so it doesn't apply equal pressure to the entire surface area. I thought of washing it, but wasn't sure I should or how until your comment. The issue of potential fixer contamination never crossed my mind.

Having nothing to do with developing or printing for about forty years, and picking it up again with some of the technology and materials I left off with (altho only for a bit of fun as I came by the old stuff) has been kind of instructive--in how far things have come! I think the new VC RC papers might be the biggest single advance, at least the most welcome one I'm very appreciative of--what a time and work saver! Given the choice between fiber based and RC papers (and having used my first of that), I doubt I'll ever go back once my supply of old stuff is exhausted and I start getting serious about printing.

 

[michaelbsc]

Find Pakosol here:

http://www.pakor.com/Pages/Searchresults.cfm?UserID=127217-50304-100608-7951.0625

You can also use Photo-flo solution to soak the prints for a couple of minutes before you squeegee them onto the drum. You must have complete contact - any tiny air bubble will leave a non-glossy spot that is very noticeable.

Bob

I found the link doesn't work properly, I think because it's dynamically generated in a cold-fusion session. However if you just go to the Pakor home page and search for Pakosol there's a choice for a gallon or a carton of 4 gallons. (What on earth I would ever do with 4 gallons is beyond me.)

Regardless, thanks for the link. I've been looking around for this for a few weeks.

 

[Martin Aislabie]

I used to use a drum dryer many years ago - no idea what make – but I will give you my 2 cents worth anyway.

Unless the Drum is spotlessly clean and polished, prints dried emulsion side against the drum will often stick to the drum leaving you the heartbreaking task of ripping/scraping/destroying you print getting it off a finger burningly hot drum.

Uneven pressure of the Canvas on the Drum leads to parts of the print being glazed and the remainder unglazed – which looks absolutely rubbish

After several of these episodes I learned my lessons, after which I dried all my prints emulsion side out – against the canvas/linen bed

Drying emulsion side out was much less error prone.

The Canvas/Linen gives a nice mottled print texture/finish.

Practice on plenty of scrap prints.

Only do your best prints after you have mastered the machine.

If you are planning on glazing some good prints, make sure the machine has been on for well over and hour, then run some expendable prints through first.

The Linen/Canvas bed collects fixer from improperly washed previous prints, which accumulates over time to become a chocolate brown stain.

If you can work out how to remove it, a wash in your domestic washing machine would not go amiss.

This needs to be followed by an extended soak on domestic household bleach – which kills residual fixer – then an extended rinse in plain water.

Exactly what drum temperature and belt speed combination was the optimum – I never found out.

I used a reasonably hot drum temperature and reasonably slow belt speed – I can still see the dial positions in my head but have no idea what the units were.

You will just have to experiment

Have fun playing

Martin