Motor Base Agitation Direction?

[jolefler]

I picked up a Beseler motor base to replace a burned out Unicolor unit recently. Although the included spec sheet says the base features a switch to allow agitation in either a constant or reciprocating modes, I can't see any switch even with the housing removed. The unit only turns the drum in one direction....will sheet fim and paper developement (I'm concerned with chemical coverage) suffer? Anyone use a base with agitation in one direction only?

 

[RalphLambrecht]

I picked up a Beseler motor base to replace a burned out Unicolor unit recently. Although the included spec sheet says the base features a switch to allow agitation in either a constant or reciprocating modes, I can't see any switch even with the housing removed. The unit only turns the drum in one direction....will sheet fim and paper developement (I'm concerned with chemical coverage) suffer? Anyone use a base with agitation in one direction only?

Theoretically, uneven development should be the result of mono-directional turning of the development drum. My base has a switch to turn in one or both directions, but it is sold now. Just make a test with a neg exposed to give a uniform medium gray and you'll find out.

Can you trun the drum around a few times during development?

 

[jolefler]

Duh! Easy enough to turn it around a few times! Shame on me. Still, I'll miss the "CLUNK" of the base reversing.

 

[MattKing]

You probably have the spec sheet that goes with the other model.

I have the "stop the roller, flip the drum the other way, re-start the roller" protocol ingrained in my procedure now, but I only use it for prints, so it probably isn't as critical.