washing sheet film

[Rob Skeoch]

Presently I wash my tmax 400 8x10 sheets in a 16x20 tray using a Kodak syphon to change the water around.
Sometimes I get marks on my negs, most visible in the sky areas.
What is a better way.
I'm even considering getting either a Zone VIi or Kostiner 8x10 print washer to use for this.
-Rob Skeoch

 

[jp80874]

jobo expert tank. Of course it is a lot more practical if you also develop in the tank.

John Powers

 

[George Losse]

Rob,

Are you getting the marks during processing or during the wash cycle?

I use a print washer to wash sheet film. Never had any marks from the washer.

George

 

[Daniel Grenier]

Rob;

Consider Dead Link Removed out of Vancouver. Never tried his washers but I've heard good things from this fellow Canuck's products. I'd stay away from a Zone VI washer and they were proven to be very inept at archival washing due to their poor design (I know, I have one !).

 

[Rob Skeoch]

I think I get the marks during he wash.
-Rob

 

[John_Brewer]

Rob i use 12 x 16 trays with a gentle water hose at the bottom overflowing at the top. I have emulsion face up for two negs at a time with a divider separating them.

John.

 

[Tom Hoskinson]

Rob, take a look at this thread:

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

The subject is washing FB paper, but the technique DANCQU proposes is equally applicable to film.

When washing either film or paper it is important to remember that the washing process is a chemical diffusion process. Thus a water soak period followed by a dump or drain of the soak water is the most efficient way to wash both film and FB prints. When washing multiple sheets at the same time in a tray, using hydrophobic layers of material to separate the sheets makes a lot of sense.

I personally wash my sheets of film individually, either in my slosher tray or in BZT type tubes, using the soak and dump method.

 

[jmdavis]

I use a hp combi tanks and racks in the variation on dip and dunk described on http://www.largeformatphotography.info/alternative-developing/. I get very even development.

When I use trays, I take the advice of the instructor of a semester large format class that I took and use 3 pyrex meatloaf pans. However when I'm done with the fix, I put the negs into a combi rack and rinse with running water in the combi tankwater entering the bottom of the tank and overflowing at the top.

Mike Davis

 

[Sean]

Rob;

Consider Dead Link Removed out of Vancouver. Never tried his washers but I've heard good things from this fellow Canuck's products. I'd stay away from a Zone VI washer and they were proven to be very inept at archival washing due to their poor design (I know, I have one !).

Is this the same as the Calumet brand? I have a calumet washer probably going on 7yrs old. I use washaid and my final wash is an hour so hopefully that is enough, I haven't had any issues yet.. (that's with fb papers)

 

[Don M]

I turn on the faucet,and fill the tray,agitate,then dump,-repeat 8 times-just like I do with rollfilm-

many years-no problems

 

[resummerfield]

.....I'd stay away from a Zone VI washer and they were proven to be very inept at archival washing due to their poor design......

Tell me more..... I have an 11 x 14 and I have not had any problems.... but that doesn't mean there are no problems! Just interested.

 

[fschifano]

Take a look at the solution this fellow uses for developing his 4x5 film. Now, I understand that your concern is with 8x10, but this solution can be scaled up to work. The beauty of this device is that each sheet is held in place so it can't slosh around and scratch the other films, yet liquid is allowed to flowall around each sheet. It's simple. It's cheap. And you can still use your tray siphon

http://philbard.com/panel.html

 

[Tom Hoskinson]

Yep, just as I said (about washing in a slosher tray) in an earlier post in this thread.

Having said that, I think DANCQU's solution of using hydrophobic film separators in a tray is elegant!