From: Judy Seigel (jseigel@panix.com)
Date: 02/02/01-09:38:16 PM Z
On Fri, 2 Feb 2001, Nelson Goforth wrote:
>
> One teacher at my school uses something not unlike the 'brush' development
> that Judy mentioned. It uses a glass or plexiglass rod to move developer
> over the emulsion.
Oh my oh my, that's VERY unlike the "brush" development, in fact strikes
me as refusal to do something the easy way, and/or styled after the roller
bars used to be used to test film in labs, maybe still is, if anyone makes
film -- they had a drop in the tray just the size of the film, and ran a
rod over it supported by ledges on all sides.
As far as getting the hands wet, PULEEZE -- you HAVE heard of gloves !
What I wonder about is only going in one direction, say left to right. I
used an out of date WIDE static master, also wide nylon brush from the
paint store, think also foam applicator 3" is fine, almost anything -- but
hunch is you're better off going rows (not in one sweep) AND crossing
--first cover the area left to right, then front to back, then left to
right, etc.
You have to disturb the laminar layer (which not being disturbed is the
potential problem with BZT & why UPENDING every minute or so solves that
problem) and brushing about 3" in many rows both directions I'd GUESS does
that better than big sweeps when you or I are doing it by hand.
However laying it on a plexi sheet for lifting in & out of solutions
sounds terrific. Solve a lot of problems (if it works, of course).
Judy
> The technique:
>
> You have a little plexiglass panel a bit larger than your negative, and
> which will fit in whatever tray you choose. You also have a fat plexi rod
> longer than the width of the negative. Both of these are carefully sanded
> to remove any burrs. You have also a tray with each chemical. The amount
> of developer should be limited, since it will be replaced for each negative
> (or very large to avoid exhaustion, if you don't want to do that).
> Everything is (hopefully) in a water bath to control temperature.
>
> Very lightly wet the negative and place it on the plexi sheet, emulsion
> side up. If you do this just right (the negative must be only VERY LIGHTLY
> wet I found out) it will adhere and stay adhered throughout the process.
>
> Start your timer and dip the plexi sheet into the developer. Hold the rod
> in whatever way you like and gently pass it across the negative, back
and
> forth. The rod actually touches the neg.
>
> At the end of the developing time lift the sheet and negative and place in
> the stop bath, then the fix, following the same procedure. Once in the
> fixer you can turn on the lights and peel the negative from the plexi -
> dropping it into the fixer to remove any backing or whatnot.
>
> Downsides:
>
> Time (Each neg is done separately); Wet fingers (I suppose you could glue
> on a handle, since the rod doesn't have to rotate); Darkness; Chance of
> scratching (not if you carefully sand the rod - and if you keep your damned
> fingernails carefully away from the neg - maybe another good reason for a
> handle.
>
> Upside:
>
> Excellent, even results, with no streaking. This photographer shoot 11x14.
>
> Why can you just rock the tray? I was told that the wave action at the
> ends of the tray causes uneven development - and the plexi sheet slides to
> each end. One possible remedy is a sheet that would not travel with the
> waves.
>
>
>
>
>
>
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