Roll paper

Well, I finally used up all my sheet 8x10 RA4 paper.

Broke into a roll of Fuji Crystal Archive I bought and started playing.

This happened late in a printing session and I'd already run about 20 sheets through 600ml of developer.

All of a sudden my color was off, way blue, and prints were light.

Try again in the morning I thought, break out the Subtractive Calculator and mix fresh chemicals too.

Same result.

So it opened up the lens 2-stops and got an exposure I could make some sense of; the numbers that indicate base exposure time from the calculator were backwards. :confused:

I was printing through the paper to the emulsion.

The roll has the emulsion on the outside. I had assumed the opposite was true.

The paper prints beautifully right side up with considerably smaller filter corrections than the Arista paper I had been using.

Live and learn.

The emulsion side also tends to curve outwards slightly too.

What possible benefit is there to doing it this way? Not that I don't think there can be one, I'm just not aware of why the paper would be rolled that way. Something having to do with the common transport mechanism designs for RA-4 processors?

Next issue for me is figuring out how to cut the paper.

I've got a nice 38" industrial rotary trimmer, need to make a roller or hanger to to hold the paper.

I'm open to suggestion here.

http://www.rotatrim.co.uk/spares_detail.php?product_code=16

Might be a way to adapt it. Otherwise some kind of dowel and 2 horizontal supports would probably work fine.

clayne said:

Something having to do with the common transport mechanism designs for RA-4 processors?

Click to expand...

That's all I could think of, makes it a bit tougher to handle for us tray users.

Thanks clayne

roll holder idea

markbarendt said:

Next issue for me is figuring out how to ...hold the paper.

Click to expand...

I have a rig I use for cutting the 12" rolls I use into sheets.

It is a 1/2" plywood base about 16" long x 6" wide, with 2- 2x3x8 pine uprights glued and screwed mid way along the 6" side of the plywood.

The uprights an inch or so from the top have holes bored though them that allows an 18" length of broomstick/dowel to easily slip though them.

I set this rig to the right of my cutter, with the dowel partially slipped though the first upright. Set the stop bar of the cutter to the size I want to cut now as well.

Have the dark drawer cleaned out ready to receive just cut paper.

Start with both hands in cotton gloves.

With lights off, get the roll out of its' bag, and onto the dowel, and slide dowel though the other support hole.

Undo the little tab of tape holding the roll from unfurling, and stick it to far side support top so as not to loose it in the dark. Decide if you are going to put that glove back on, and find it in the dark.

Adjust base plate so the paper edge is lined up with the top of the cutter.

Start cutting.

Loose track of how many you have cut, working in the dark with the radio on for company.

Cut a few more than you think you have cut to make sure that the projects needs are really met.

Close the dark drawer.

Roll the loose furls of the roll snug again, using the still gloved hand, and attach the sticky bit of tape you carefully set aside.

Put the roll back in the bag. Find the bull spring back clips you had readied to close the bag, if this was the first time you were going to unwrap it, fold the bag over, and seal it with the clips.

Reset the cutter stop bar.

Lights off, and make any need second cuts on the paper in the dark drawer.

Put paper back into dark drawer. Lights on, find bags/boxes to store v=cutr paper.

Lights off, load bag/box, counting so as to not loose count this time, and close up.

Figure out how much you have cut and write it on the roll bag.

Label the cut paper bag/box.

Make a new mask for the vaccuum easel, if necessary, if this is a new size cut, and the paper is too curly to not use the vaccuum easel.

I have 12" rolls, and commonly cut to 4x6, 5x7, 8x10, 10X12, 12x12, and 12x18. Having a roller processor helps. If you are working in tubes, you may have to stick to more common sizes.

Most roll paper sizes in monochrome are offered as EI ( emulsion in ) or EO ( emulsion out )

Simon ILFORD Photo / HARMAN technology limited :

Current Agfa RA-4 paper is rolled emulsion inside. So, there is no common rule.

Mike Wilde said:

I have a rig I use for cutting the 12" rolls I use into sheets.

Click to expand...

Truly helpful!

Thanks

Simon R Galley said:

Most roll paper sizes in monochrome are offered as EI ( emulsion in ) or EO ( emulsion out )

Simon ILFORD Photo / HARMAN technology limited :

Click to expand...

I now know to ask.

AgX said:

Current Agfa RA-4 paper is rolled emulsion inside. So, there is no common rule.

Click to expand...

I thought Agfa RA-4 paper had gone the way of the dodo when Agfa's consumer division collapsed. Is it being produced again somewhere, or are you referring to whatever was last made?

Agfa recently introduced a new type for their aerial portfolio. Slightly different data than the papers out of their gone consumer range as far as I can compare.

Thanks, AgX. I'll keep my eyes open. It's always good to know there's another option out there....