Slosher question...

Guillaume Zuili · Jul 18, 2007

I use jobo tank for my 8x10 neg. I'm thinking of getting a slosher because of different developer not suitable to rotation and the ability to do some semi stand dev.
Now is the question... what is the procedure ?
Is the slosher carried from tray to tray like a basket ?
Sorry for these clueless questions but I need an answer!!!
Best,
G.

nworth · Jul 18, 2007

I saw the slosher being used at Photographers' Formulary recently. The version I saw and was briefed on was for 4X5 and held six negatives. You put one piece of film in each compartment, emulsion side up, and place the slosher into an 11X14 tray containing the chemicals. Yes, you move the slosher from tray to tray. Agitation is done by sloshing, either moving the slosher or (it looks like this would work) tilting the tray as in print developing. It looks like a really good device, and the people who were using it were very pleased.

david b · Jul 18, 2007

I too have been thinking about getting one of these.

Here is the Summitek.

Guillaume Zuili · Jul 18, 2007

Thanks for the quick response ! Looks really interesting. I guess it can be a safe way for the wash too.
G.

dancqu · Jul 18, 2007

Guillaume Zuili said:
...and the ability to do some semi stand dev. Best G.

Slosher? Sounds like a lot of agitation. I'd think hanger
and tank for stand development. Dan

Monophoto · Jul 18, 2007

I've been using a 4x5 slosher for several years.

I load the slosher (sheets go in emulsion side up) and then place it in a presoak bath for two minutes with intermittent agitation. Then to the developer - 30 seconds of continuous agitation followed by five seconds during each 30 second interval.

Next is stop - continuous agitation for 20-30 seconds. Then fix - continuous agitation for one minute, and then intermittent for two more minutes.

Then to rinse for a couple of minutes while I empty out the other trays. Then hypoclear with continuous agitation for one minute, and then wash - five to six baths in plain water with intermittent agitation. Finally, the slosher goes into a tray of photo flow. Then, the individual sheets come out of the slosher to be hung to dry.

No scratches, even development, relatively quick and neat. I have two sloshers - both DIY - one holding six sheets and requiring 11x14 trays, and one holding two sheets for 8x10 trays.

Sumitek make a commercial slosher. Mine is DIY using plexiglass from Home Despot. 5x7 sloshers are very practical, and I can imagine an 8x10 - but that would require fairly large trays.

removed account4 · Jul 18, 2007

hi guillaume:

i've never used a slosher, but have had ok-results
doing stand/semi stand sheet film processing
with "the taco method" ... i put an elastic band around
the film (not touching emulsion side of film ) and
sticking it in a roll-film processing tank.
i put chemistry in the tube and rest it on its side ...

i've never done more than on sheet of film at a time ...
but i am sure with a handful of tubes (from home depot)
you could process lots and lots of film ...

good luck!

-john

Tom Hoskinson · Jul 18, 2007

dancqu said:
Slosher? Sounds like a lot of agitation. I'd think hanger
and tank for stand development. Dan

Not a lot of agitation, as I have posted before, I do Stand and Semi-Stand development in my Summitek Cradles with results identical to those I obtain in BTZS tubes.

I agitate with my Summitek sloshers (and my PF slosher) by slightly lifting alternate corners of the Slosher tray. The Summitek (and PF) slosher trays have holes in the tray compartment corners and the tray compartment bottoms so that the solutions can flow through freely.

Sal Santamaura · Jul 18, 2007

Considering how well built my Cascade washer is, I'd intended to order "cradles" (4x5 and 5x7) from Summitek for a while now but procrastinated. When another thread here announced Steve Peterson is closing the business, I promptly contacted him. As of three days ago he still had cradles in stock; I finally bought one one in each size.

Guillaume Zuili · Jul 18, 2007

Thank you all for the info.

Thomas Bertilsson · Jul 19, 2007

I use the same method as Hoskinson and lift the corners of the slosher tray itself. That way you fully make use of the holes in the bottom of the film compartment(s) so that chemistry can flow uniformly across the surface of the film and even out the distribution of fresh chemistry every time an agitation cycle comes along. I haven't tried semi stand yet, but will shoot a couple of junk sheets to see how it goes.
- Thomas

Richard Wasserman · Jul 19, 2007

I use the same method as Tom and Thomas and use semi stand and stand developing with Pyrocat HD regularly with great success. I have found that the key is the initial agitation, it must start the instant the film touches the developer and should be quite vigorous for about 1 minute minimum. I was having trouble with uneven development when I first started using a slosher and stand, but the above technique solved the problem and it's now easy and very reliable.

Richard Wasserman

Slosher question...

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