Today we developed large sheet film in tube, as per David Kachel's article
(July/Aug '95 Darkroom & Creative Camera Techniques) & suggestion of this
list in response to my limo problem -- that is, a large even area of
loooong white limo insisted on mottling when developed low-contrast for
gum.
I bought a piece of 4" diameter acrylic tubing (overpriced at $8, but cut
to order), sanded edges, inserted exposed film (first time carefully did
this emulsion out -- not the day's only glitch), rolled 2 min in tray of
water with photo flo, then from 1 1/2 to 3 min in Dektol 1 to 12, then
stop, & fixer, where it's wise to pluck film out of tube so dye on
film back will release quickly. (Otherwise, not to worry, it comes out in
wash water.)
Then one eagerly inspects the perfect negative in room light. Only it
wasn't, at least not the lith film. Definitely better than last month's
best, probably printable, but still -- perceptibly mottled. At this point
I switched to N31P, which came out perfect.
And so,tube development for sheet film is us: no edge buildup, no
scratching with tongs, no splashing from agitation, no hairs in the soup
from brush agitation, no problem with wave marks from inserting thin
floppy sheets, and, so far as I can tell with my densitometer on the
blink, no change from test strip to large film as in regular tray
development.
The method is a modification by David Kachel of Phil Davis's BZT tubes.
As Kachel said in his article, it's easier to just roll open tubes in the
tray, than all the on and offing of caps and pouring in of solutions.
I have one suggestion to add: For those who, like me, are enlarging or
contacting onto sheet film, not bringing home loot from the field, a short
tube (about 4" long) for test strips would be handy, rather than losing
your strip in the whole 17 inches (or longer).
Naturally, since buying the $8 acrylic, I picked up (well actually
husband picked up) two loooong lengths of PVC pipe in same diameter off
the street. (NYC plumbers don't put anything back in the truck unless
it's 20 feet long.)
Judy