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Proper slosher agitation

Shawn Dougherty

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I'm using a 6 negative 4x5 slosher and was wondering what the proper agitation method is. I was thinking maybe 30 seconds or a minute at first and then 5 seconds every 30? Thanks. Shawn
 

JBrunner

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That's what I do, more or less, depending on developer.
 

Monophoto

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Continuous for the first 30 seconds, and then for five seconds at thirty second intervals.

To agitate, I lift a corner of the slosher, and then drop it back into the tray. Then I lift and drop the diamtrically opposing corner. Typically, about 8 lifts (four for each opposing corner) in a five second interval. Then, I gently wiggle the slosher for a second or so to dislodge any bubbles that may have formed on the film

Do bubbles actually form? Beats me - I develop in total darkness so I can't see them if they do. But that wiggle seems like a good thing to do.
 
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Shawn Dougherty

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Thanks Jason. I was using tubes and rolling them in water with Pyrocat HD. When I used the slosher with that developer I agitated gently but pretty much continuously with my old times and the negatives look great.

When I opened my box of Tmax100 I switched to D-76 1+1 and tried the same thing, gentle continuous agitation, my skies looked a little funky. (see my image in the Standard Gallery) I'm thinking for Tmax and D-76 1+1 the first 30sec and then 5 every 30 routine that Louie mentioned might work better?
 

JBrunner

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I really tend to bang things around for the first thirty or so. I think it's a left over from developing roll film in my high school darkroom.
When I agitate, every 30 or so, I agitate, not simply swishing one sheet up the stack, or tilting the slosh tray, but tilting, and wiggling the tray in a semi vigorous fashion.
 

Tom Hoskinson

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I've posted this several times before. With a slosher tray (Summitek or PF) I agitate by lifting alternate corners of the tray and then releasing the tray and allowing gravity to complete the cycle. So, for an agitation cycle I lift the upper right tray corner and release, then lift the lower left corner and release. I do all of this very gently.

I use this agitation technique for Minimal Agitation development and Semi-Stand development with Pyrocat-HD and all Pyrocat (P, PC, MC, etc) variations. I also use it for developing with Crawley's FX-2.
 

Tom Hoskinson

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Films are Tmax-100, Tmax-400, Efke 25, Efke 100, Foma 100 and Foma 200. In the sloshers I develop 4x5, 5x7 and 8x10 sheet film.
 

JBrunner

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Thanks Tom. It is always interesting to learn how others approach things. My tray developing has been with Pyrocat, PMK, and WD2d+. I souped a little J&C100 8x10 in Rodinal once. I think that is a look I may revisit, the sharpness of that developer, without the apparent grain seen in smaller formats was very promising for certain subjects.
 
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