Rollo Pyro development problem

I have only used this method twice and both times it failed. The negatives were blank and there were no edge markings. 4"x5" sheets Ilford HP5+ processed in the Jobo Expert Drum

I was taught this method by Per Volquartz and used development until exhausted. It is not sensitive temperature and film type which are advantages.

Sodium Metaborate 1.5g per liter. For presoak and then half is mixed with Solution A
Solution A 15ml per liter
Solution B 30ml per liter

5 minutes Sodium Metaborate pour off and save half for later
5 minutes Solution A pour off and save half and mix with Sodium Metaborate
6 to 7.5 minutes Solution B then dump
Two 30 second washes
5 minutes TF-4 pour off and save
Two 30 second washes
2 minutes Solution A and Sodium Metaborate
Ten 2 minute washes
Rinse and PhotoFlo and hang


Any ideas?

I wish I could help you but I never used Rollo this way, back when I was using it. It looks like a divided development method... Perhaps solutions A and B are not at correct concentrations.

I have tried this with 210ml and 600ml. Does it require 1 liter?

210 and 600ml of stock? That sounds more than adequate to me. Just to rule out flawed solutions, have you tried using Rollo the conventional way?

No. I am willing to try it. Instructions?

Thanx

I mixed Solution A about 15 minutes before I used it and Solution B about 20 minutes before I used it.

Sirius Glass said:

No. I am willing to try it. Instructions?

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Here's what I have from Formulary. I skip the second Metaborate bath.

That's excellent, Mark. I also never bothered with the second Metaborate bath. I always used an acid fix (Ilford's Rapid), contrary to Formulary's advice, with no ill effects.

If blank, development failed completely. This might mean that the developer is completely oxidized (part A). I suggest testing the entire process in a tray. If it works, then the Jobo agitation is too much and in that case maybe the sulfite is bad.

PE

Andrew O'Neill said:

That's excellent, Mark. I also never bothered with the second Metaborate bath. I always used an acid fix (Ilford's Rapid), contrary to Formulary's advice, with no ill effects.

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I used it at first but I came to understand that it just added global fog, I don't need fog.

Photo Engineer said:

If blank, development failed completely. This might mean that the developer is completely oxidized (part A). I suggest testing the entire process in a tray. If it works, then the Jobo agitation is too much and in that case maybe the sulfite is bad.

PE

Click to expand...

I took an unexposed sheet of TMax 100 out in room light and let it sit out while I mixed the Sodium Metaborate, and measured Solution A and Solution B. When one minute was left for the pre-soak I added Solution A to its water. I did the same for Solution B. Washed in water and then TF-4. The film came out blank so that means that at least Solution A is bad. The status of Solution B is unknown.

Thank you everyone. Thank you for the testing strategy PE.