Paterson Print washers (for FB prints)

[Ricus.stormfire]

Hello all

I have one of these (the smaller "minor" version), I don't have the instructions for it, though I doubt if the answer I'm looking for is in there.

At what rate/tempo/frequency is the basket holding the prints supposed to rock from side to side?

I really want to use this washer for FB prints ( i currently have a two wash tray setup), are these better/worse than a two tray setup?

Thank you in advance

Ricus

 

[Bateleur]

If memory serves me correctly it should rock at a frequency of around one second per stroke, not too fast, giving the holder a gentle nudge each time, thus keeping the prints in motion as it were. In my experience I used a lot of water washing FB prints that way and switched back to hand washing with multiple changes of water and used a washaid.

 

[Ricus.stormfire]

Thanks. I guess it's not worth using then, if it uses so much water. I'll stick to trays & a "washaid" then.

 

[scheimfluger_77]

A friend and I used one of these in college and found it quite effective. As I recall it did not use much water but we didn't do any formal measurement either. what size is your unit? would you be interested in selling it?

Steve

 

[Mike Wilde]

I have the one that will do about 10 11x14. I find that if you don't do a rinse after fix 2 with fb (I do tf-3, and don't rinse), it takes a long time ( a few hours of water flowing)to wash prints well.

Here is my work around: My rocking rack print washer washer sitls in the laundry room in a deep laundry sink, beside a top load washing machine.

I don't leave water in it all the time; the algae growth and subsequent bleach soak cleaning and rinsing takes more water than just to dump it.

I put the fresh from the fixer prints into the rack, and then pour in about 40 L of water from a couple of buckets filled from a fast faucet.

Usually I print in the evening after diner, so the second fix stage happens about 11:30pm or later. After fill pouring, I hoist the print basket up and down a couple of times to agitate and then just leave the thing sit all night.

In the morning I go down, pull the basket, and pour the initial tank into the clothes washer to be used a day or two later as it's first fill when we do a load of laundry.

I fill the washer again with pails, and leave it to rock. The freqency is about once per second; slower and it stalls, faster it locks up and sprays everywhere. I leave it run for maybe an hour while eating brekfast and getting ready to go. Then the water gets shut off.

When I come home, I pull the prints, squeege then and lay them on print drying screens. I have tested the washing, and with a Kodak HT-1A dye bleach test, find that this regime washes as well as leaving the thing to rock and use up less water than from a long time running hose.

 

[Jose LS Gil]

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I'm not sure which Paterson Print washer you have or are planning on using.
I have a Paterson Print washer that can wash up to 11X14 inch prints. It does not use much water and is ok if I don't have a lot of prints to make. It looks like a modified printing tray. It can only wash one 11X14 inch print or 2 8X10 prints at a time.
I don't think it is as efficient as a Gravity Works print washer that I have and that can wash up to 10 16X20 inch prints with very little wasted water.
Not sure if you could find this type of washer in your area, but they look like a large fish aquarium.

 

[Ricus.stormfire]

Thank you for your replies.

Scheimfluger_77, international shipping would make selling/buying this unit prohibitively expensive, your from the States, bet there are tons of them there, shop around.

Mike Wilde, I'll look into that, but my daily schedule might not accomadate this routine (or vice versa)

Jose LS Gil, This is the other type of Paterson washer (they came in two sizes: "Minor", which I have, and the "Major" which is of course larger, up to 12x16 if I remember correctly). The washer you have is the other type (don't know the name) I have a small one of those (up to 8x10) they are nice but I print bigger than that from time to time. All these fancy newer washers don't seem to be available in South Africa (don't know of anyone who has one, sells one, or has bought one locally)