johannielscom
Snorting silver salts
Care to elaborate on your approach a bit? I have a bath tub too!
How about keeping all chemicals on temp and what do you do with used chemicals while there's not much time during development?
Particular
a.k.a. CNNY, disassembler
Great! Some apartments only have a shower.
First, I would say that I have never used one of the Jobo processors, so I can't comment on how much better or more consistent they are to my 'poor mans' method.
I used to use a Jobo paper drum that I modified to take 4x5 film to do b+w developing in the school darkroom. I would clear enough space on the countertop to ensure that the drum could make more than one full rotation. Ideally you have about a meter (3 feet), or an arms width. I would then just roll the tank gently back and forth for the whole processing time.
Now that I neither have a darkroom, or a bathroom (or even a kitchen) with enough counter space, I do the same in the bath tub!
I have a Jobo 1520 and two 1530 extensions, which will take 8x 35mm or 10x 120. I chose this configuration because the amount of liquid it takes is 900ml, which is as close as I could get to the 1L of the Tetenal kit. I use the whole kit for one batch, and normally do another batch with the same chemistry the next day. I try to get as much processing out of one kit with least inefficiency or reuse.
I mix the chemicals and store them in 1L plastic soda bottles that have a wide opening. I have a plastic tub (een afwasteiltje) that I fill with hot water that I stand the chemicals and the pre-wash water and first wash bottles in. Getting the temperature right definitely is the tricky part, mainly because it needs to be higher than room temperature. Once it is there (or slightly above), it tends to stay steady long enough to process. I don't have any method for keeping the temperature in the tank steady while processing, but as developing times are relatively short, I don't think it is a huge issue, unless your tub is really cold (mid-winter). While processing, I pour the pre-wash into the toilet (deep green), but pour the chemicals back into their bottle. I find the Jobo tanks easy to pour out precisely without needing a funnel. The pouring does take longer than I would like, and I am improving with practice. I am mainly trying to be consistent.
For the agitation I basically sit on the edge of the tub, and reach down and roll the tank back and forth with my finger tips (yes, this is tedious, and yes, doing it on the counter would be better ergonomically). The tank is so long that it is wider than my tub, so I lay it length wise and lightly bounce it off the sides. I found a relaxed way of doing this that is not to hard on my back. There normally aren't any big spills, just a few drips which are easy to spray down afterwards. At the end I hang all the film from clothes hangers to dry over the tub as well.
I have thought about getting one of those freestanding motors bases, but kind of like how compact the whole setup is now. A Jobo processor would take up my whole closet.
I hope this helps.
First, I would say that I have never used one of the Jobo processors, so I can't comment on how much better or more consistent they are to my 'poor mans' method.
I used to use a Jobo paper drum that I modified to take 4x5 film to do b+w developing in the school darkroom. I would clear enough space on the countertop to ensure that the drum could make more than one full rotation. Ideally you have about a meter (3 feet), or an arms width. I would then just roll the tank gently back and forth for the whole processing time.
Now that I neither have a darkroom, or a bathroom (or even a kitchen) with enough counter space, I do the same in the bath tub!
I have a Jobo 1520 and two 1530 extensions, which will take 8x 35mm or 10x 120. I chose this configuration because the amount of liquid it takes is 900ml, which is as close as I could get to the 1L of the Tetenal kit. I use the whole kit for one batch, and normally do another batch with the same chemistry the next day. I try to get as much processing out of one kit with least inefficiency or reuse.
I mix the chemicals and store them in 1L plastic soda bottles that have a wide opening. I have a plastic tub (een afwasteiltje) that I fill with hot water that I stand the chemicals and the pre-wash water and first wash bottles in. Getting the temperature right definitely is the tricky part, mainly because it needs to be higher than room temperature. Once it is there (or slightly above), it tends to stay steady long enough to process. I don't have any method for keeping the temperature in the tank steady while processing, but as developing times are relatively short, I don't think it is a huge issue, unless your tub is really cold (mid-winter). While processing, I pour the pre-wash into the toilet (deep green), but pour the chemicals back into their bottle. I find the Jobo tanks easy to pour out precisely without needing a funnel. The pouring does take longer than I would like, and I am improving with practice. I am mainly trying to be consistent.
For the agitation I basically sit on the edge of the tub, and reach down and roll the tank back and forth with my finger tips (yes, this is tedious, and yes, doing it on the counter would be better ergonomically). The tank is so long that it is wider than my tub, so I lay it length wise and lightly bounce it off the sides. I found a relaxed way of doing this that is not to hard on my back. There normally aren't any big spills, just a few drips which are easy to spray down afterwards. At the end I hang all the film from clothes hangers to dry over the tub as well.
I have thought about getting one of those freestanding motors bases, but kind of like how compact the whole setup is now. A Jobo processor would take up my whole closet.
I hope this helps.
johannielscom
Snorting silver salts
Thanks! I particularly found the remark on 'het afwasteiltje' interesting: you must be Dutch!
Nobody non-Dutch would know a word like that, right?!
Anyway, I feel I'll be giving this a try sometime soon, I have a 5-roll Paterson tank that can do the job for a first test run!
Nobody non-Dutch would know a word like that, right?!
Anyway, I feel I'll be giving this a try sometime soon, I have a 5-roll Paterson tank that can do the job for a first test run!
Particular
a.k.a. CNNY, disassembler
Thanks! I particularly found the remark on 'het afwasteiltje' interesting: you must be Dutch!
Nobody non-Dutch would know a word like that, right?!
Anyway, I feel I'll be giving this a try sometime soon, I have a 5-roll Paterson tank that can do the job for a first test run!
You may be on to something! (Although I have many hidden talents). I grew up in limburg. I still visit there when I can.
Good luck, c41 is not as scary as it seems.
zauhar
Veteran
Beautiful results John, great work.
I,on the other hand, have been mostly disappointed in my C-41 results. I have good control of the temperature with a heat bath, but I think my downfall is agitation. I believe this really requires continuous agitation as provided by the Jobo developer.
I likewise had poor results with E-6, until I took to heart the instructions and agitated 15 sec every 30 sec (basically 15 sec on and 15 sec off). I think I might be even better off to just use continuous agitation in my usual Samigon tank.
Randy
I,on the other hand, have been mostly disappointed in my C-41 results. I have good control of the temperature with a heat bath, but I think my downfall is agitation. I believe this really requires continuous agitation as provided by the Jobo developer.
I likewise had poor results with E-6, until I took to heart the instructions and agitated 15 sec every 30 sec (basically 15 sec on and 15 sec off). I think I might be even better off to just use continuous agitation in my usual Samigon tank.
Randy
yinyangbt
MFL addicted
Thank you !