Pyrocat HD development question

[Erik L]

Hi folks!

I'm experimenting a little with Pyrocat hd and 8x10 tri-x and 4x5 tmax 100. I can't seem to locate a "starting point" for developing times listed in the massive development chart. I would like to use a jobo cpe2 for the 4x5 and maybe for the 8x10 in a print drum as well but I am willing to use trays for 8x10 as volume will be much less for me than for 4x5 will be. I tend to use the "expose for the shadows" and reduce development approach. Any ideas on some starting times to try? I am inexperienced and "self taught" so any advice helps me immensely and is appreciated!

One more question please, If I tray develop the 8x10 and use a water stop bath as recommended (tf-4 is the fixer), do I just agitate it a while in the water tray or do I really need running water which I don't have in my makeshift darkroom/spare bedroom. Any easy solutions?

Thanks much for any advice!

Erik

 

[edtbjon]

There are several articles on Pyrocat HD on http://www.unblinkingeye.com/Articles/articles.html. Look under articles and there are a couple written by Sandy King, who "invented" Pyrocat in the first place. There are also a few article on Pyrocat HD by other authors.
Apart from this there is also the possibility to search this site, lfphoto.info and photo.net for info on this particular developer. (What was the name again... If you include Tri-X and/or TMX in the search field, you will narrow down the hits somewhat.
And no, as I havn't used Pyrocat for Kodak films I havn't got any good starting points.
You don't need running water for stopping the development. As the developer is very much diluted in the first place, it is very near to exhaustion when you change the developer to pure water. It should be enough to agitate it for a given time (e.g. 30 sec.) and then into the fixer.

//Björn

 

[Erik L]

Thank you Bjorn, the links provided are very useful. Thanks also for clearing up my stop bath question!

regards
Erik

 

[Erik L]

I should have searched this site first, as I found numerous similiar questions already asked, lesson learned I saw a response from Sandy King recomending 15 minutes (rotary processor) with tri x for normal development printed on silver paper. Does any one see any reason not to use the suggestion? I'm just trying not to waste too many sheets of 8x10 figuring out a starting time.

Thanks again
Erik

 

[edtbjon]

Sorry for the late response. The 15 minutes in a Jobo is probably a very good starting point. Pyro and pyrocat negatives doesn't really look like "normal" negs, as they consist of both normal silver and pyro stain. Please note that pyro negs often look a little thin, but the color of the stain helps blocking the blue light for fixed paper grades and/or rising contrast when using multigrade papers.
As two weeks have passed, I assume that you have made some tests already. Did they turn out good?

//Björn

 

[Erik L]

Thanks Bjorn,
As I am self taught, I have a hard time telling what a "normal" negative is supposed to look like 15 minutes seemed OK, I think I might try a little longer. It could be my lack of experience in exposing the negative and metereing correctly, or maybe my shutters are not that accurate, but my printing times are all over the place. I could go from a 3 second print up to a 45 second print. I'm sure I just need to keep practicing.
Thanks again for the info
regards
Erik