Rocking Platforms for Print Processing?

[Andre Noble]

Hello,

Anyone Using Rocking Platforms for Print Processing?

I am considering trying one of these for agitation while selenium and sepia toning prints in trays. (I have a Nova slot processor for reg development).

For anyone successfully using these for agitating prints in developers or toner, what are the considerations?

 

[RichardH]

Hello,

Anyone Using Rocking Platforms for Print Processing?

I am considering trying one of these for agitation while selenium and sepia toning prints in trays. (I have a Nova slot processor for reg development).

For anyone successfully using these for agitating prints in developers or toner, what are the considerations?

Hi
Years ago I saw one in a magazine that someone had made and thought about building one at the time. I made one but it has since been put to rest. He had used a sewing maching motor . I think he used the belt that was with it and made a platform to set the trays on. The trays sat on a flat piece of wood and when he turned it on, it rocked all three trays by way of the cam setup. It wouldn't be hard to make one. You would have to play around with a cam to keep the chemicals from sloshing out. Some of the sewing machine motors came with a foot speed control and that would work to keep it from going too fast. If you didn't want to use the speed control, you would have to gear it and that would be out of my head on ratio.

Good luck if you build one. Hope it works for you. Mine did.

Richard

 

[removed account4]

hi andre

i have used rocking platforms, but nothing like the ones you linked to,
but probably similar to the one described by richard.
the ones i used were galvanized metal, and 3 of them hooked together.
a motor made a rod go round, which rotated an arm/cam which was attached to a platform which went
back-forth. it was loud and grinding, and eventually broke on my watch ( 30-40 years after they were made ).
they went right in the sink, and raised the trays ( 16x20 ) a good 3-4 inches UP so they could gently rock.
i think they were fabricated and not a store bought item ..
i kind of miss them, but find it quieter and just as easy to lift a corner by hand ...

 

[Andre Noble]

Thanks guys for sharing. I am a little suprised rocking platforms not used more often.

 

[youngrichard]

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)
Hope this link works.
I think the main concern is a period of 2 seconds to get the fluid sloshing at the best speed, and the lift of the dish controlled by the cam, about 3 inches I think.
Don't know what I will do when my motors pack up, but I will find something.
Still using them; it's more fun slurping coffee and listening to the radio than lifting corners.
Richard

 

[Ronald Moravec]

There were trays made for this some time ago and I forget the brand, but they required a curved bottom like a rocking chair. However the shape was not spherical and was designed so liquid would not slosh out at the ends.

I predict trouble with a flat bottom tray.

 

[Ronald Moravec]

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

I found it called "color canoe" Note the bottom shape

 

[Thomas Bertilsson]

It's especially helpful for those who practice lith printing where you sometimes run into really long development times. I know Tim Rudman uses an automated type of tray agitation for that very reason.

 

[frotog]

Lab rockers and shakers. If you wait long enough you can score one off ebay for under 100 bucks. Great for processing f.b. b/w up to 16x20.