Tray Processing in Tubes

[StigHagen]

Interesting article:
http://www.davidkachel.com/historical/trayproc.htm

 

[Bob-D659]

Interesting article, and for tubes to roll in trays, just collect the plastic pump type hair spray bottles, free even. Central vac tubing would work as well.

 

[mrosenlof]

I've been developing 4x5 this way since about 1996. Works great. My tubes are 1.5 inch ABS (black). I can fit 5 of them in an 8x10 tray, so that's my biggest batch. I do the first fix in the tubes and the second fix in individual sandwich size trays that I've also had for years.

I have found with TMax-100 (at least, possibly others), the anti-halation backing does not get removed (seems to be in the developer step) after the second fix. When I pour off the fixer from the little trays, I then dump in some of the used developer. That cleans up the back of the film. If you don't like the idea of more developer, don't worry, all undeveloped salts should have been removed by the fix, but a solution of about 1tsp(dry) per liter of sodium carbonate will do it also. The AH not being removed is NOT a problem with the Ilford films I've used.

A thinner tube wall might be preferable, you might fit six of them in an 8x10 tray. I went with black way back then to give me an option of making caps and using them BTZS style. I've never felt the need.