Carl Weese (cjweese@wtco.net)
Fri, 26 Mar 1999 10:55:27 -0500
OK, results are in enough to talk about:
Some may remember I was having trouble tray-developing Ilford films
without scratching and I suspected that my water supply was defeating
the built-in hardeners.
Yes.
Yesterday I took a very deep breath and processed sets of HP5+ in 7x17
(arguably the most difficult format to handle) using distilled water for
the pre-soak and the developer (PMK pyro). First a set of four-up. Then
six-up. The results were absolutely flawless. I don't mean ok. I don't
mean nice. I don't mean acceptable. I mean totally freaking PERFECT.
Ahem. <composure mode back on>
Anyone (and this must include all hoping to print in alternate
processes) who has to handle large sheets of film should note: if you've
decided that batch processing sheet film in trays is just too difficult
for you, that you can't do it without scratching the negs, wait a
second. You may be a klutz and there's no hope (it *does* take
unswerving attention and complete concentration for a half hour of
manual dexterity) but it just may be that your local water supply makes
the task impossible and all that is required is a switch to distilled
water for the opening stages of processing. If you aren't using pyro,
I'd recommend a strong hardening fixer mixed with distilled water (pyro
hardens--tans--the gelatin by itself).
My water isn't "soft"--I don't have a pH test handy but it was evaluated
"slightly hard" in the house inspection papers eight years ago. But my
still shows major mineral deposits from each gallon of water that goes
through it. Films _feel_ different from the moment they get wet: they
now, in distilled water, squeak and stick to my gloves in the presoak.
The finished negative, when lifted from the wash tray, "beads up" like a
freshly waxed car. If your negatives don't feel like that, and don't
bead up in the wash, try distilled water. (There are a number of $300 to
$500 stills advertised on the net, but I bought one from Sears on
special for $99. If it doesn't burn out in a few months, I'd call it a
Best Buy).
---Carl
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.0b3 on Sat Nov 06 1999 - 10:09:05