Setting up to develop 4x5 sheet film

[venchka]

Here in Texas tap water runs about 82 degrees F. With a little practice and some ice cubes I can hold 74 degrees F in two sinks full of water and chemical containers. I'll sort out the wash water temperature one way or another. I currently own several tank+reel combinations for 35mm & 120 film. What I lack is an economical (that doesn't always mean cheap), easy on my budget, daylight, 4x5 sheet film developing system. I can make my bathroom light tight or use a changing bag/tent for loading the film. Actual developing will need to proceed in the kitchen sinks which aren't even close to light proof. I await your solutions and thank you for your help.

 

[venchka]

I like that kind of thinking.

I like that kind of thinking.

I develop 4X5 in my Paterson tanks that I use for 35mm.

I've been looking at my Patterson System 4 tank and wondering how it might be used to develop 4x5 film. I would add that I think I would prefer the Patterson tank I bought in the 70s and can't locate since The Move. The model with the screw on lid and grey cap as opposed to the newer model with the large black cover.

Which tank do you use & how do you use it with 4x5 film?

 

[venchka]

Thanks! I'll have to look harder for my old tank or buy one on ebay.

I found this while searching the internet: Paterson Tank & 4x5 Tacos

 

[colyn]

Here in Texas tap water runs about 82 degrees F.

You got cold water.. Here in Fort Worth my tap water runs 95-103. I had to invest in a chiller. No fun....

I'm using a FR daylight tank which holds 12 sheets and can do 2x3 - 4x5 sheets.

 

[Nokton48]

I use the old Unicolor 8x10 color print drum, with the rubber wedge for seperating the 4x5 film sheets. Works just great, it will run 4 sheets at a time, and it's a daylight process once you load it. If you get tired of manually rolling the print drum, you can buy a -uniroller- to roll it for you. Very cheap to buy used.

I also have Kodak Rubber Deep Tanks (3.5 gallon), those will run -boku- sheet film, about 55-4x5 sheets at a time, but I haven't fired those up yet.

 

[venchka]

Glad to hear about FR

Glad to hear about FR

You got cold water.. Here in Fort Worth my tap water runs 95-103. I had to invest in a chiller. No fun....

I'm using a FR daylight tank which holds 12 sheets and can do 2x3 - 4x5 sheets.

There are several FR (and various clones) tanks on ebay right now. Glad to hear they work. Got an extra one to sell?

Sorry to hear about your water. Is the water supply above ground? That sounds really warm.

 

[oftheherd]

You can also tray develop, but I would recommend you either use the Patterson tanks as has been suggested, or some type of tube. They can be picked up off ebay pretty cheap. Just be sure they are liquid as well as light tight. The second reference given by grayhoundman looks interesting too.

If you use tanks or rollers, you should be able to cool your chemicals in a water filled trays with ice cubes. The problem is keeping the chemicals cool during the entire time. Again, a water filled tray should do the trick, especially with tanks.

Good luck and enjoy.

 

[colyn]

There are several FR (and various clones) tanks on ebay right now. Glad to hear they work. Got an extra one to sell?

I got mine from another rff member. Before I was tray developing.

Sorry to hear about your water. Is the water supply above ground? That sounds really warm.

I live 4 blocks from the water tower.

Another reason my water is so hot is because the complex uses a hot water recirculation system so those at the far end will have hot water quickly and these lines are buried next to the cold water lines.

I'm thinking about moving when my lease is up..

 

[venchka]

Armed with all this good information, I think it's time for a WTB/WTT ad in the classifieds!

 

[Chris101]

... I live 4 blocks from the water tower.

Another reason my water is so hot is because the complex uses a hot water recirculation system so those at the far end will have hot water quickly and these lines are buried next to the cold water lines.

I'm thinking about moving when my lease is up..

Don't move to Phoenix! They bury the water lines under the road, and the asphalt heats the water in the pipes. I never even turn the hot faucet on, as the water from the cold comes out hot! I usually keep a couple gallons in plastic bottles under the sink to use for film developing. I keep my house at 74, which, ironically is the temperature I develop at.

 

[venchka]

I could do that

I could do that

Don't move to Phoenix! They bury the water lines under the road, and the asphalt heats the water in the pipes. I never even turn the hot faucet on, as the water from the cold comes out hot! I usually keep a couple gallons in plastic bottles under the sink to use for film developing. I keep my house at 74, which, ironically is the temperature I develop at.

I thought about cranking the thermostat down for a Developing Day. I don't guess that would be horribly expensive for 12-24 hours. I still need to figure a way to wash the film. Would 2 gallons be enough to wash 6-12 sheets of film? I'm thinking that I could develop & stop @ 74F, fix @ 78F and wash with running water @ 82F. Would 82F wash water temperature harm the film?

 

[Chris101]

I don't really want to know the answer to your last question Wayne. I start my wash with 5-10 rinses in cool water, but then finish it in running tap water. I haven't really seen any difference between my summer developed film, and my spring/fall developed film.

But that's 35mm & 120. I have only developed 4x5 in my school's darkroom, where they have temperature controlled (and filtered) water.

 

[sepiareverb]

100° cold water😕 Yikes. My cold water comes through at 53°, so I'm always running both to get up to my 70° developing temp. Summer time I usually have to cool the stop bath a little- as I don't have AC and the darkroom can sometimes get up to 75°

But then come winter I'm burning lots of wood trying to keep the place at 62°!

I've never tried tanks for sheet film besides the big ones that require the film hangers- learned in trays and never found those big tanks easier (anything but). A buddy of mine uses the JOBO set-up for 45 & 57 and most of his 120 film. Keep your eyes on the local classifieds Wayne- darkroom stuff is sometimes free these days, you might find one around. One plus is a built-in water bath.

 

[venchka]

You poor soul! The darkroom gets UP to 75????????????? I haven't seen 75 since April. But then I never -34F either.

E-6 runs at 100F+ so I guess if I sneak up on 82F for the wash I won't shock the film. Much ado about nothing I suppose. Ilford talks about not varying the temps more than 5 degrees between solutions. I guess the legal department made that rule.

 

[wlewisiii]

One option is Diafine as it really doesn't care about time and temp. It's always the same.

William

 

[lns]

Can you wash using the Ilford method? Instead of using running water, you fill the tank with water, then invert -- 5, 10 then 20 times -- changing the water between each inverstion cycle. More specific instructions are on the Ilford website. It's supposed to be archival. I use it (for 35mm and 120 film), and it's been fine. It seems that if you are using a Patterson tank, it might work.

-Laura