10x8 e6 processing.

[soupdragon]

Anyone here processing 10x8 slide film?
The issue form me is what dev tank to use and how to keep the first dev at temp.

Suggestions/techniques? I want to hear them.

 

[mpirie]

For a dev tank, consider a Paterson Orbital.

Mike

 

[soupdragon]

Do you know if it's possible to roll the film inside a paterson tank?

 

[Dave_P]

I have processed 10x8” b&w in a jobo tank on my CPE with a Catlabs reel, but it scratched the film with HP5+ so I never risked it with E6 (and sent the reel back as their response to a clearly sub-par design was dismissive). The main problem you’d have using an Orbital for E6 is temp control as by design theres no water bath. However you might be able to float the entire tank in a bowl of warm water.

 

[mpirie]

Do you know if it's possible to roll the film inside a paterson tank?

No, the Paterson Orbital takes one sheet of 10x8 at a time. Floating the tray in a temp bath is the only way to keep it warm.

It's like a tray but with a light-proof lid.

Mike

 

[David M]

The Paterson Orbital came with a (rather flimsy, cardboard) slide rule to help with temperature. You adjusted it for ambient temperature, which would be the original developer temperature, and the desired processing temperature. It gave the result for a higher pre-wash temperature that would give a drift-past processing temperature. Seemed to work with Cibachrome.

 

[karlt]

For keeping everything warm i use a plastic storage box filled with water with a sous vide hung over the edge, just enough water so the bottles don't float but enough for the sous vide minimum levels. All the bottles that need to be up to 38°c sit in there. For a while before developing i put my developing tank into the water too with a large chopping board over the top to allow the tank to stabilise.

Just watch out for which sous vide you opt for, some don't go down to 38°c

 

[soupdragon]

Thanks for that.
I have two plastic storage boxes and two Cinestill heaters, one for heating chems and one for tank inversion/wash water.

My issue is what tank, drum or tray to use?

I did not get on with the Stearman Press 4x5 tank as the fill drain times were too long. I'm guessing the 8x10 tank will suffer the same problem.

I have seen articles suggesting one of the Paterson multi reel tanks may take a single sheet of 8x10 with an elastic band around it.
I am also led to think that Stearman produce a tray with a lid not unlike the Paterson orbital.
Both of these look tricky to keep at temperature during E6 processing.

 

[David M]

Have you looked at the Stearman website?
…or Jobo? Their tanks and processors are widely used.

 

[David M]

You might care to look at Nova slot processors. They have thermostatic control, so no worries there and the fill/empty time is pretty well zero. You do need darkness and a bit of dexterity.

 

[soupdragon]

You might care to look at Nova slot processors. They have thermostatic control, so no worries there and the fill/empty time is pretty well zero. You do need darkness and a bit of dexterity.

I'm not totally thrilled about the prospect of doing E6 in darkness.
Whilst that's fairly simple for RA4 in trays, 6 baths to agitate and keep warm is a tall order.