What experience do you have dealing with CATLABS jobo support

Radost · Mar 7, 2025

My brand new CPE3 arm came crooked and does not align with the tub tab. Catlabs dismissed my concern and said it is normal. I pointed that my older CP2Plus and anll other JOBOS i have seen are not crooked. They said tough luck I got one like that and they will not replace it..
I tried to ignore it for a bit but when the tub has no water the whole thing rattles because the rail is not straight and does not align.
I contacted Jobo Germany and I hope they have better support.

koraks · Mar 7, 2025

Moderator note: we're OK with discussing direct, first-hand experiences with CatLABS. Posts about general perceptions of their business, views on business practices in the analog photography domain in general, or "I read online that..." may be removed without notice.

ic-racer · Mar 7, 2025

Can you show a picture of what part is 'crooked? Is it something that can be bent back straight? I don't have the CP3, I have the CPP2, so I'm not sure which part you are having an issue with.

Radost · Mar 7, 2025

Radost · Mar 7, 2025

The cell phone picture does not give it justice.

mshchem · Mar 7, 2025

My CPP3 came from Catlabs as well. My lift didn't settle as much as I thought as well, got a similar response from Catlabs. It does work fine when processing once tank has liquid. Sometimes these need a little gentle persuasion, very gentle. Fine tuning maybe a better term.
CPP3 is overkill unless you plan to use the Expert drums. My unit works great.

Radost · Mar 7, 2025

mshchem said:
My CPP3 came from Catlabs as well. My lift didn't settle as much as I thought as well, got a similar response from Catlabs. It does work fine when processing once tank has liquid. Sometimes these need a little gentle persuasion, very gentle. Fine tuning maybe a better term.
CPP3 is overkill unless you plan to use the Expert drums. My unit works great.

I dont know I believe after spending $2500 on something you should get a good product.
“I donated my CPe2” I never should have upgraded!!!!

Sirius Glass · Mar 7, 2025

Would you please explain what you mean about the arm being crooked? I have a CPP2, and I would like to see if I can help you make progress.

mshchem · Mar 7, 2025

Radost said:
I dont know I believe after spending $2500 on something you should get a good product.
“I donated my CPe2” I never should have upgraded!!!!

Have you checked to see if both stainless steel tubes are fully seated in the lift? Don't force anything. That may be a issue with of adjustment, it shouldn't be that far off. Catlabs can be a bit abrupt, I wouldn't give up until you resolve this, Jobo Germany should get back to you.

OrientPoint · Mar 7, 2025

I've never seen a CPP3, but on the CPP2 at least the lift is removable. It is secured to the rest of the unit with plastic tabs and screws. The lift can come sometimes loose and become misaligned. I'd check that the lift is firmly attached and properly aligned to the base housing and the screws are tight. It should not take very much for it to be straight. No need to force anything - and of course my experience is with the CPP2. The CPP3 may be different.

It wouldn't surprise me if it were simply put together wrong. I came into a brand new JOBO Mistral 3 dryer last year. I've had a Mistral 2 for a long time and it's a great product. With the Mistral 3 the sheet plastic drying cabinet didn't fit on the head unit, and the holes for the attachment pegs were misaligned. If I had paid retail ($700!) I would've have been very upset to have to cut and drill things out of the box. Thank goodness I didn't, but I will avoid new Jobo gear in the future. (The old stuff is great though)

MattKing · Mar 7, 2025

Sirius Glass said:
Would you please explain what you mean about the arm being crooked? I have a CPP2, and I would like to see if I can help you make progress.

"Crooked" may be confusing.
I see metal arms that aren't parallel with the tub "tabs".

Sirius Glass · Mar 7, 2025

The two arms support the tank on the rollers. The fact that the two arms are not parallel should not have an effect on development. As a unit the two arms can still be used to raise the tank to drain it. I lift by the tank and arms because the raising arm was broken off before I bought the Jobo processor.

Radost · Mar 7, 2025

Yes not paralel.
The roller base hits the channel and rattles.

mshchem · Mar 7, 2025

To get rid of the rattles fill it with water. I'm not trying to be a smart a*#. The tub is a thermoformed tub, light weight, strong plastic. When empty it rattles like a tambourine. I have a CPP2 and a CPP3 both are similar. Same is true of my CPE2 plus. When I first got my CPP3 I was concerned about how the lift was positioned, I tried shims etc. Got the same answer from Omer at Catlabs, I have found that in use the machine works perfectly.
It's astonishing to me that I have all this stuff, I always thought Jobo was crazy, when for decades I processed all kinds of color film and prints (very successfully) with nothing more than a bucket and an aquarium heater.
Still now I'm spoiled, I love these things, once accustomed the Jobo tanks are very easy to load and use.
MHOFWIW YMMV.

Radost · Mar 8, 2025

mshchem said:
To get rid of the rattles fill it with water. I'm not trying to be a smart a*#. The tub is a thermoformed tub, light weight, strong plastic. When empty it rattles like a tambourine. I have a CPP2 and a CPP3 both are similar. Same is true of my CPE2 plus. When I first got my CPP3 I was concerned about how the lift was positioned, I tried shims etc. Got the same answer from Omer at Catlabs, I have found that in use the machine works perfectly.
It's astonishing to me that I have all this stuff, I always thought Jobo was crazy, when for decades I processed all kinds of color film and prints (very successfully) with nothing more than a bucket and an aquarium heater.
Still now I'm spoiled, I love these things, once accustomed the Jobo tanks are very easy to load and use.
MHOFWIW YMMV.

I can not waist time with water when I b&w

mshchem · Mar 8, 2025

Radost said:
I can not waist time with water when I b&w

Aha, there's the rub, literally. I have one of the Silverbase units that I use for Black and White. It rattles a bit as well. Of course it doesn't have a cavernous sounding board like a CPP3.

When I use mine I have to use water, in part to wash out the lift.

It is what it is I'm afraid.

Radost · Mar 8, 2025

mshchem said:
Aha, there's the rub, literally. I have one of the Silverbase units that I use for Black and White. It rattles a bit as well. Of course it doesn't have a cavernous sounding board like a CPP3.

When I use mine I have to use water, in part to wash out the lift.

It is what it is I'm afraid.

The lift is being washed in the film wash process.

mshchem · Mar 8, 2025

Radost said:
The lift is being washed in the film wash process.

Yes it is. I use my clever little Silverbase for B&W roll film for 1 or 2 rolls. I have a Duolab works great for a couple rolls of color.

There's absolutely no reason for an amateur to get one of these machines from a cost/benefit standpoint.

Having said that I love these machines

Go team!

What experience do you have dealing with CATLABS jobo support

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