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RCP-20 For Black and White RC Machine Has been Modified for RA-4

mshchem

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Just as a note. I ran quite a few rc prints today. My little Durst RCP-20 that I re-cogged for 45 second developer (total developer, stop, fixer is about 2.5 minutes)

I used 28°C which I saw @Mick Fagan recommended for Dektol, I used Bromophen 1+1, which worked fine. Used Fuji Universal fixer 1+4.

Lots of clean up but so nice to not have my hands in trays.

Best Mike
 

Mick Fagan

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Well that is good news and quite interesting as yesterday I had a long conversation with a darkroom worker with regard to the cheapest B&W paper developer for roller transport processing.

The consensus was that Ilford's 2000RT with replenishment could possibly be the cheapest for big usage, but her usage wasn't that big. According to Ilford a 5 litre container of 2000RT with replenishment at 200ml per square metre does 2,427 8x10" prints. 2000RT also had the largest recommended temperature range of 20ºC to 40ºC.

She is running a Durst Printo unit, which doesn't have automatic replenishment capability, which is the same as myself. As money is tight for her she was also going to use Bromophen, the difference in Australia for 5L of working chemistry was $76.50 cheaper for the Bromophen over 2000RT.

The only caveat is that Ilford recommend Bromophen to be used at 20ºC and not suitable for machine processing. Another issue is that Bromophen is on backorder in Australia, so she will be mixing up a Dektol type developer from scratch chemistry.

I'm pleased that things are working out for you with your converted RCP-20, they are a great little unit.
 
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mshchem

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Yes, I was wary about the temperature with Bromophen, not sure if it's really an issue or not. My prints look fine. If I was going to be using large volumes it would probably be a good idea to try and use the RT chemistry. I had an opportunity to get a Ilford processor, several years ago, free. One of the best decisions I've made was NOT to take it.
 

Mick Fagan

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Yes, I have been offered a few Ilford paper processors, mainly in the early 2000's. I too am glad I never touched them, Ilford paper is really good,; not so their paper processors.
 

hiroko

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Care to share roughly how many prints you can with RCP20 before the chemical exhausted?
 
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mshchem

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hiroko said:
Care to share roughly how many prints you can with RCP20 before the chemical exhausted?
Click to expand...

I have no idea. I suspect it would be about the same as using a tray. I wouldn't mess with it if I wasn't running a bunch of small prints, like postcards. It works nice. I have an Ilford dryer that is something I would never want to be without!! A postcard takes about 10 seconds to dry, and you can feed several at a time.
 

Mick Fagan

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hiroko said:
Care to share roughly how many prints you can with RCP20 before the chemical exhausted?
Click to expand...

This is quoted directly from my Durst Printo book which accompanied my Durst Printo when I purchased it on the 25/02/1993, 32 years ago.

"Chemistry suppliers quote an approximate processing capacity of 1 square metre per litre of developer."

Page 23, under solution capacities.

They quote 20x30cm prints for the Printo as 41 sheets for 2.5 litres of developer solution capacity without replenishment. 2.5 litres is the size of the Durst Printo tanks. So 41 sheets divided by 2.5 litres equals 16.4 sheets per litre of developer solution.

From memory the RCP has a 2 litre bath, so in round figures I would be working on 30 20x25cm prints in an unreplinished system as being somewhere near the figure. Depending upon the time you take to put paper through, if continuously, then you more than likely will exceed that figure, however if you take 15 minutes between each piece of paper going through, then oxidisation of the developer may occur earlier and you may not get much more than that figure.
 
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