B&W film developing questions

Ken Hart wrote:
"G.T." wrote in message
...
snip
So in this workflow it would be develop, stop, fix, hypo, wash, and
wetting agent? In class we washed prints in hypo but not film.

Just for the record. "fixer" and "hypo" are basically the same thing. I
realize that when you say "hypo", you mean "hypo clearing agent"(sometimes
called "HCA"). The purpose of the hypo clearing agent is to remove the hypo
or fixer from the film or print.

Back in the 'good old days' when prints were actually paper and not
resin-coated plastic stuff, the paper print would soak up a lot of
chemicals. You needed to wash a print for perhaps an hour or so to remove
all the fixer from the porous paper. (Ricard K., please feel free to jump in
and correct me or elaborate-- I'm certain you are far more knowledgeable on
this!). A hypo clearing agent would neutralize the hypo (or fixer), so that
a shorter wash time (perhaps 30 minutes?) would suffice.

Film, being a non-porous material (or certainly less porous than fiber-based
prints) doesn't soak up as much chemistry, so a hypo clearing agent is not
as important. If it's critical to you that your negatives last to the next
millenia, than you may want to use it anyway...!

Ah, cool, thanks for the clarification.


As for not being able to print at home, there are many people who make do
with printing in a bathroom. Some use a cart (Rubbermaid? Check office
supply or food service supply companies.) to hold their enlarger and store
their chems, trays, and stuff so they can wheel everything into the bathroom
for a session, then wheel it all into a closet for storage. You can put
velcro around the window frame and stick a piece of faric or cardboard over
the window. There is also a gentleman who espouses 'one-tray' processing.
I've never tried it myself, but perhaps for the temporary darkroom, it may
be the answer. Maybe someone here can supply the link to his website, or to
websites for temporary darkrooms. Using the kitchen is also a possibility,
but some people don't like that idea because of the possibility of food
being contaminated-- but for darkroom work, cleanliness is important, so
wipe up those chem spills!
For me, you can take away my permanent darkrooms when you can pry the
staticmaster brush from my cold, dead fingers!

Thanks for the tips. I could maybe do it in my kitchen but I'd have to
cover a lot of windows, the kitchen is open to the small living and
dining area. And the bathroom, no, I barely have room to stand in it.

Greg

Ken Hart wrote:
As for not being able to print at home, there are many people who make do
with printing in a bathroom.

This company makes vertical print processing equipment. You can develop
prints in a very small space with one.

If you are handy with plexiglass and glue, you could probably make a
cheap one from an aquarium. Without a lot of effort, you would have
to lift it up and turn it upside down to empty it, but it may be
good enough.

http://www.novadarkroom.com/cat/31/P...rocessors.html

When I was a teenager, I had to work in a windowless bathroom.
The trays went in the tub, and the enlarger sat on the toilet.

Geoff.
--
Geoffrey S. Mendelson, Jerusalem, Israel N3OWJ/4X1GM
IL Voice: (07)-7424-1667 U.S. Voice: 1-215-821-1838
Visit my 'blog at http://geoffstechno.livejournal.com/

On 1/6/2008 9:13 PM Ken Hart spake thus:

Back in the 'good old days' when prints were actually paper and not
resin-coated plastic stuff, the paper print would soak up a lot of
chemicals. You needed to wash a print for perhaps an hour or so to remove
all the fixer from the porous paper. (Ricard K., please feel free to jump in
and correct me or elaborate-- I'm certain you are far more knowledgeable on
this!). A hypo clearing agent would neutralize the hypo (or fixer), so that
a shorter wash time (perhaps 30 minutes?) would suffice.

Just a small nit: HCA doesn't "neutralize" fixer, it sets up conditions
that make it easier to remove it. As you said, Richard K. can supply all
the gory details.

In article , G.T.
says...

Thanks for the tips. I could maybe do it in my kitchen but I'd have to
cover a lot of windows, the kitchen is open to the small living and
dining area. And the bathroom, no, I barely have room to stand in it.

As long as there's somewhee to stand the enlarger that's all you really
need - expose the paper, load it in a drum and then process it in the
kitchen in normal light.

Rob Morley wrote:
In article , G.T.
says...

Thanks for the tips. I could maybe do it in my kitchen but I'd have to
cover a lot of windows, the kitchen is open to the small living and
dining area. And the bathroom, no, I barely have room to stand in it.

As long as there's somewhee to stand the enlarger that's all you really
need - expose the paper, load it in a drum and then process it in the
kitchen in normal light.

Can you point me to daylight print processing equipment? I've been
doing a little Googling but haven't found anything definitive yet, and
when I do, I still won't know what workflow works best.

If I were to use a drum what would I need? Is it similar to processing
film?

Print, load in drum, fill with developer, agitate, empty developer, fill
with stop and agitate, empty, fill with fixer and agitate, empty. Then
hypo clear, wash, and dry?

Would the last paragraph be considered the one tray method?

Thanks,
Greg

G.T. wrote:
Rob Morley wrote:
If I were to use a drum what would I need? Is it similar to processing
film?

It depends. The simple ones are drums that are like daylight tanks
for stainless steel reels, they have a light trap at the fill end
that does not depend upon a reel.

You stuff the print in it in the dark, close it up and and develop.
Simple drums get rolled on the table, more complex systems have
rolling machines.

Normally they are used for color because consistent agitation and
temperature control are necessary.

There are all sorts of drums for the rolling machines including one
that holds sheet film in an interrupted spiral. You would use it for
small prints if you want to develop several at a time.

Look up Jobo.

Print, load in drum, fill with developer, agitate, empty developer, fill
with stop and agitate, empty, fill with fixer and agitate, empty. Then
hypo clear, wash, and dry?

Since the steps after printing can be done in daylight with no special
equipment, you may not want to use the drum for them.

Geoff.

--
Geoffrey S. Mendelson, Jerusalem, Israel N3OWJ/4X1GM
IL Voice: (07)-7424-1667 U.S. Voice: 1-215-821-1838
Visit my 'blog at http://geoffstechno.livejournal.com/

Geoffrey S. Mendelson wrote:
G.T. wrote:
Rob Morley wrote:
If I were to use a drum what would I need? Is it similar to processing
film?

It depends. The simple ones are drums that are like daylight tanks
for stainless steel reels, they have a light trap at the fill end
that does not depend upon a reel.

You stuff the print in it in the dark, close it up and and develop.
Simple drums get rolled on the table, more complex systems have
rolling machines.

Normally they are used for color because consistent agitation and
temperature control are necessary.

There are all sorts of drums for the rolling machines including one
that holds sheet film in an interrupted spiral. You would use it for
small prints if you want to develop several at a time.

Look up Jobo.

Print, load in drum, fill with developer, agitate, empty developer, fill
with stop and agitate, empty, fill with fixer and agitate, empty. Then
hypo clear, wash, and dry?

Since the steps after printing can be done in daylight with no special
equipment, you may not want to use the drum for them.


Ok, at what step can I switch to daylight equipment? Do I have to stop
and fix a little before switching to daylight? Or can I do the stop and
fix in daylight?

Thanks,
Greg

G.T. wrote:
Ok, at what step can I switch to daylight equipment? Do I have to stop
and fix a little before switching to daylight? Or can I do the stop and
fix in daylight?

No, you do the stop and fix in the dark and switch to daylight
for rinse (first wash), hypo clear and wash.

Geoff.


--
Geoffrey S. Mendelson, Jerusalem, Israel N3OWJ/4X1GM
IL Voice: (07)-7424-1667 U.S. Voice: 1-215-821-1838
Visit my 'blog at http://geoffstechno.livejournal.com/

Geoffrey S. Mendelson wrote:
G.T. wrote:
Ok, at what step can I switch to daylight equipment? Do I have to stop
and fix a little before switching to daylight? Or can I do the stop and
fix in daylight?

No, you do the stop and fix in the dark and switch to daylight
for rinse (first wash), hypo clear and wash.


Thanks. I'll have to start putting a list together and approximate cost
to put this all together.

Greg

Geoffrey S. Mendelson wrote:

When I was a teenager, I had to work in a windowless bathroom.
The trays went in the tub, and the enlarger sat on the toilet.
_____
My first darkroom in Vancouver, Canada was the same; a windowless
bathroom. I would place two rubber padded 2x4s on the bathtub, and put
the enlarger on it. The trays (11x14 was biggest size i could do) would
sit on the counter by the sink. To do exposures i would sit on the
toilet lid facing the bathtub/enlarger. I second the idea of using a
drum plus motor base. You can easily make your own drum(s) from 4 inch
black drain pipe and develop/stop/fix/wash prints that way. Use a large
O-ring in the center of the drum to stop it from rolling itself off the
base.
--
Regards / JCH