Prosessing Ilford Multigrade Art 300 FB

I was wondering how people are processing this paper? I see on the data sheet that there is a listed maximum wash time of 45min. I normally print in a long all day session with the prints sitting in a water bath. At the end I do the 2nd fix, any toning and then the wash-aid. Prints go to the vertical washer and are all washed for the same time. Would this work at all for this paper? Or do you have to go directly to the wash with no holding bath to minimize wet time? And it seems like you would have to wait till the wash was complete before adding another print to the washer. Unless you have a washer that's designed to allow for this. Seems like this type of routine would slow down print production.

I think you have to wash for 45 min if you don't use a hypo clearing agent solution...I was given 10 sheets of this paper and i was reading the directions for processing it and that is what i read...I can't wait to try it out...

ChuckP said:

I was wondering how people are processing this paper? I see on the data sheet that there is a listed maximum wash time of 45min. I normally print in a long all day session with the prints sitting in a water bath. At the end I do the 2nd fix, any toning and then the wash-aid. Prints go to the vertical washer and are all washed for the same time. Would this work at all for this paper? Or do you have to go directly to the wash with no holding bath to minimize wet time? And it seems like you would have to wait till the wash was complete before adding another print to the washer. Unless you have a washer that's designed to allow for this. Seems like this type of routine would slow down print production.

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Stick to Ilfords instructions, 45 mins max, Art 300 washes quicker than other fiber paper. About two months ago I left a sheet by mistake in my slot washer for about 7 hours, the image lost a considerable amount density.
J.

I would heed the advice of Ilford and Jon Butler.
I have seen some of Jon's prints and I know that he is a prolific user of Ilford films and papers.

I've washed this paper for easily two hours in an archival slot washer and it has been absolutely fine. Some prints have been toned a few days later so again lots more washing. However, can't comment on using a holding bath. Is it not better to have them washing gradually from the beginning to remove residual fixer? The paper does float so I can see them all getting stuck together. Amazing how flat the 300 stays once dried and flattened.

Good topic here. I have just re-filled at B&H with 8 boxes of 11x14 after running a full box over the last two days and absolutely loving the paper. It tones beautifully, dries fairly flat, great weight, sheen, texture...just gorgeous. My question is about the great soaking power the paper seems to have. I run a replenished system with Ethol LPD, normally replenishing with 300ml of fresh after 15 sheets. I noticed that Art300 soaks up about that much, or more, after only 5-6 sheets, which I guess would throw the replenish system out of sorts a bit. I have already sent an email to Simon Galley so maybe he can give some input. A good friend suggested maybe a pre-soak in water, which seems to make sense and I will try, and maybe someone else here has seen the same and can chime in with opinions. Thank you, Ilford, for an amazing paper!

Sounds like each sheet of this paper will need to be processed directly to drying screen with no holding bath. But as BWKate pointed out Ilford shows a sequence using wash aid that only needs a 5 min wash before and after the 10 min wash aid. PermaWash also shows similar times. I suppose a running water tray type washer would work best for this as opposed to a vertical slot type. Each sheet will need to be completed before starting the next. Toning would be done in another step requiring rewashing but a group of prints could be done pretty easily here. I suppose you could do all the processing steps including toning at the same time but you would need to step up lot of trays. I also assume that the 45 max wash time is for each time you wash it not a lifetime maximum. So you could wash a batch for 45min and then later tone the same prints and rewash for up to 45min. You could also use a slot washer that allows prints to be added without screwing up the washing of prints already in the washer. That would be great for this paper.