processing b&w @ home

I think beyond all else loading reels is the hardest thing about developing negs my hands start to sweat just thinking about it especially 120 film. I used to heat my reels in the drying cabinet to make sure they were dry anyone else?
 
Even if presoaking didn't lead to uneven development (I've never had that problem), presoaking is not a good idea, IMO, because it increases wet time. Maximum image quality requires minimum wet time. See: http://www.mironchuk.com/HC-110.html. Specifically about HC-110, but the principles apply to other developers, of course.

YMMV

Trius
 
Trius said:
Even if presoaking didn't lead to uneven development (I've never had that problem), presoaking is not a good idea, IMO, because it increases wet time. Maximum image quality requires minimum wet time. See: http://www.mironchuk.com/HC-110.html. Specifically about HC-110, but the principles apply to other developers, of course.
Click to expand...
I'm curious why this should be. I've heard this said from time to time, but to be honest I've never seen any difference in quality between negatives developed for short times and those for long times (e.g. partial stand). My last round of development (over 20 mins of Tri-X in Rodinal 1:50 with minimal agitation) produced some of the best results I've had from Tri-X.

Gene
 
I process all of my film in Mama's Italian gravy. It comes out a little bit garlicy-smelling but you can't beat the authenticity!
 
Okie dokie, thanks everyone! I'll try to go the easiest route with some test rolls first use the diafine per Tom's suggestion and as I get better, try various recipies I'm reading about on web sites.

Poptart, can you give me the recipe for Mama's Italian gravy? I made some wonderful marinara sauce from fresh tomatoes, basil, and garlicI hand selected from my garden last week. Nothing beats a good, homemade spaghetti sauce.
 
Tomato Sauce w/Meat

1 large onion, minced
2 T olive oil
3 28-oz cans whole tomatoes in thick puree
2 16-oz cans tomato sauce
2 C water
1 6-oz can tomato paste
3 large cloves garlic, peeled
2 carrots, peeled
1 potato, peeled
3 T each minced basil and flat-leaf parsley (sub. 1 T ea. dried, crumbled)
Salt to taste
Cayenne pepper to taste
1/4 C fresh bread crumbs
1/4 C milk
6 oz each ground pork, veal, and beef
1 large egg, beaten
1/4 C fresh grated Parmesan
2 T each minced basil and flat-leaf parsley (sub. 1 1/2 tsp. ea. dried, crumbled)


In a large saucepan over moderate heat, cook onion in oil, stirring, for 5 minutes.

In a blender or processor, puree the tomatoes and sauce. Add the tomato mixture to the pan along with the water, tomato paste, garlic, carrots, potato, basil, parsley, salt, and cayenne. Bring to a boil and simmer, stirring occasionally, partially covered, for 30 minutes.

In a small bowl, soak the bread crumbs in the milk until softened.

In a large bowl, combine the bread crumb mixture with the meat, egg, Parmesan, basil, parsley, salt, cayenne, and 1/2 C of the sauce. Add the meat to the sauce, shredding it and dropping it in a little at a time. Simmer the sauce, partially covered, stirring occasionally, for about 1 hour. Before serving remove the garlic, carrots, and potato.

Recipe: Catherine Scorsese
 
Poptart, that reads more like a stew than a sauce, hehe.

I just picked up stuff. The store didn't have diafine, and the two girls (hot diggity both were near my age and cute!) suggested I use Xtol because it works well with the film I use (acros). With their large brown eyes, they disuaded me from the steel reels and sold me the patterson tank.

So I have one question here... if the store weren't so far, I'd drive back and ask the girls ;) Do the film, reel, and canister go inside the first or second zipper of the changing bag??
 
i cook the garlic along with the onions in the olive oil at the bottom of the pot then add the rest of the ingredients.
it wakes up the garlic flavour and sends that wonderful smell through out the house.

joe
 
Jano, the second zipper for the innermost pocket. Cute women can have powerful influences on purchasing decisions! Be thankful you weren't shopping for a big ticket item!
 
Results

Results

Well.. uhm.... :D and :eek: Thanks so much for all your inputs and suggestions!

So I tried this out on a test roll of fuji 100 acros. Loading the paterson plastic spool was easy (very easy!). Reading about dev time on digital truth, I found in 1 part xtol to 3 parts water at 20 C takes 14 minutes. My tap water at home is 22/23 C, and I wasn't quite sure how to lower this, so looking at various other recipes, it looked like dev time should be shortened by about, what... 2min.

So I poured in 290ml of this 1:3 developer for 12 minutes (per note on the patterson tub) and agitated for the first five minutes for about 10 seconds a pop each time. The girls at the store said to "stop" with tap water. 6 I ran tap water into the thingy after pouring out the developer for about 30 seconds. Followed with the "oderless" fixer I picked up, let that agitate and sit for about a minute. I think this is where I might have made the mistake.. this was supposed to be done for at least 3 minutes .. according to the Ilford docs.

Or maybe the mistake was that I didn't put enough developer and/or fixer in?

Here's what the results look like:

http://portablehole.net/~jano/tmp/neg1.jpg
and flipping it around
http://portablehole.net/~jano/tmp/neg2.jpg

As if the reaction went only half way. Sorry about the blurry pics.

Hey, this was fun :D I kinda feel like Harry Potter in Potions class!
Jano
 
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Jano,
You should use 300 ml for the paterson tank but 290 should be close enough. Did you put the locking ring in to hold the reel on the bottom of the tank? It almost looks like you put the reel in upside down?
 
Jano, first of all, what size paterson tank did those cuties sell you? If it is the smallest, it takes 2 plastic reels (they often include only one reel in the package), and you should always have two reels inside when you develop. If you are only processing one reel, you should put the empty reel on the "spool" as well, to keep the one with the film on the bottom of the tank (unless you are using 600 cc of developer). It looks like you just had one reel, and it was in the middle of the tank?
 
Yes, it's the one that takes two reels, and came with only one. Before loading in everything, though, I tested the reel on the column thing and it's very snug can't see it moving halfway up and out of the developer when turned over, upside down and back. Guess I need the second reel afterall.

Woohoo! Reason to go back!

Also tried filling 290-300 ml water into the tank, and it easily covers the entire reel.

I think I'll need some of the "flo" stuff as well, the negs themselves dried with streaks and somewhat foggy looking.

I'll be back!
 
My patterson tank has a locking ring so you don't have to put in the second reel. Without it, the reel will move during inversion.
 
I have a two reel tank and for one film I only use one reel with no "locking ring". So far I have had no problems.

After inverting the tank 4-6 times I tap it on a table 4 or 5 times to remove bubbles, so perhaps this ensures that the reel is at the bottomn of the tank.

David
 
formal said:
I have a two reel tank and for one film I only use one reel with no "locking ring". So far I have had no problems.
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Likewise. The column is pretty snug. I hear it slide about a little, but when the tank's upright again it always returns the bottom. Yet to have any negs look bad because of it.
 
As I remember the locking ring was only needed by the earlier Paterson tanks (and Jessops if you're in the UK), the current System 4 tanks don't need them.

Steve
 
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