doremus_scudder1

<p>Tray processing up to 6 sheets at a time is fairly easy to learn and, once mastered, the most even, lowest tech and least expensive of any of the options. Practicing with scrap sheets and with the lights on at first is a real help.</p> <p>Yes, there is a learning curve and you need a modicum of manual dexterity. There are lots of tutorials on the web about how to do it best and different people prefer slightly different work flows (tray sizes, emulsion-side up or down, etc.).</p> <p>The gist, however, is to shuffle the films from the bottom to the top of a stack during the development to effect agitation.</p> <p>FWIW, my workflow. Note that everything must be done in complete darkness:<br> 1. presoak. I unload the holders, fan the films in my hand like a hand of cards and, starting with the bottom sheet, immerse them one-at-a time at 10-15 second intervals into the water presoak tray. The 10-15 seconds between sheets is to keep them from sticking together. If sheets do stick together, they will soak apart, just give them time (five minutes or so). I agitate several times through the stack to total about three minutes, then gather the stack, fan them out again and...<br> 2. develop. I immerse the sheets one-at-a-time at equal intervals over 30 seconds. The timer is started when sheet one hits the developer (footswitch). I shuffle through the stack once every 30 seconds. For three sheets, the agitation interval is 10 seconds, for four sheets, 7.5 seconds ... six sheets is once every five seconds. That is about my limit of comfort, but I can agitate faster if I need to. I turn the sheets 180° with each shuffle.<br> <br />3. stop. Same procedure as above, immersing the sheets one-at-a-time into the stop. I keep track of sheet #1 in the developer so I it can be the first into the stop.<br> 4. fix. Same... After half the fixing time, you can turn the lights on.<br> Rinse and wash as you like. Since the sheets are loose for tray processing, a slotted film washer (Gravity Works, etc.) is helpful. Some put the film into hangers to wash. You can wash by shuffling as well. I always use a distilled water/PhotoFlo final rinse and then hang the film up by a corner (clothespins) to dry.</p> <p>Hope this helps,</p> <p>Doremus</p>