Print drum advice/recommendations?

I'd like to experiment with paper negative (10x8) reversal, but my (very small) bathroom doubles as my darkroom, and I really don't want to have a tray of Sulfuric acid bleach and a tray of metabisulfite clearing bath under my nose (I know from experience Sulfur dioxide gives me asthma), let alone working safely in such a cramped space with so many trays.

Accordingly, I thought I might be able to use a colour print drum, without a roller base (so rolling manually).

[It might also suit me at a later date to try film reversal also in 10x8, and I believe some people do use these types of drums successfully for film development,although without a base agitation and thus even development might be more of a challenge than with paper.]

Old Paterson colour print and Ilford 'chrome drums are relatively easily available and very inexpensive (often for under £10, which suits my budget admirably). Jobo are simply out of reach in this price range.

I've struggled to find any information about what these types of drums "contain" - I don't want to shell out for one only to find some vital internal clip or gasket or whatnot is missing, so want to be able to ask a seller the right questions.

So any descriptions,tips,tricks would be of assistance to me.

I have only done black and white paper negatives, so take it for what it is worth ...

... but I have had good luck with the Ilfochrome drums. Not much to say, apart from keeping the drum level and moving it at a majestic and thoughtful pace. They don't hold all that much liquid which is good, I think (economy).

I'm pretty sure any drum designed for 8x10 will work with no additional doodads needed. I only have Beseler and Unicolor drums, but both come with built in fins to hold the print in place and I would guess they all do. Now if you decide you want to do 4x5 or 5x7 you'll likely need some accessories. The caps often have a gasket, so make sure that is there, but all that does is prevent leakage. You might want to look into which drums can develop which size negatives-I can do four 4x5's in my UNicolor though that does require a clip or other spacer which can be had for very little cost.


I haven't priced them lately but bases should also be pretty cheap.

This is from memory cause Im not at home.

My 8x10 tank for cibachromes was externally like a Patterson film tank with lid seal and inversion cap.

Under the lid was a detachable cup part of light seal.

Inside the tank a two piece clipped together separator for smaller sized paper, just plastic stripping lengths.

You loaded the tank dry in dark filled the tank cup vertically with developer in daylight started clock and turned tank on side into wash hand basin to flood the paper... and rolled until time elapsed.

I'll have a look tomorrow to see if there are more bits.

Local shop does an insert for four off 4x5 negs in normal Patterson 3x multi tank but about 50 GBP may be 3D printer one offs so not cheap.

thanks for the responses. that all sounds fine.

The main problem I think will be removing the wet paper for the fogging exposure, but with RC paper it shouldn't be at all onerous. The alternative would be to use a chemical foggant, I might post another thread about that in the appropriate subforum. I think Stannous chloride is one.

MOD54 is an expensive luxury for once-in-a-blue-moon work; I've actually done development of 5x4 film - including reversals - in a Paterson Universal "taco style", and it was good enough for what I wanted at the time. However, I almost always got a corner of the emulsion rubbed off, but I didn't really do enough to refine my technique. I know others get fine results from taco method

I have got a Paterson 5x tank someone gave me, and a 10x8 sheet will curl into into it, but I also think there's every chance the centre column will mark the emulsion once you start the old hokey-cokey.

Think the separator mechanism for my tank was only for test strips and it would probably mar them a normal Patterson would only be good for prints of nearly the correct size the print needs to stay against the side wall for uniform development if it got near the centre tube it would not be processed.

Think I never used the separator for 8x10s but forty years ago...

The tank operated on very little developer the RC needs to stay against side wall.

pdeeh said:

but I also think there's every chance the centre column will mark the emulsion once you start the old hokey-cokey.

Click to expand...

For the benefit of Ge readers
http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=xf2ttt0OqqI

The simpler the drum, the better. Just roll it back and forth in the bed of the sink.