Jobo tank 2520

Hello

I searched the old threads and couldn't find exactly what I was looking for.

 

I am looking to get some hardware to develop 4X5 sheet film, I am looking at the Jobo 2500 series tanks and reels and was wondering if you need the loading base to load the film or can you load into the reel without it.

 

It looks like you can manually rotate the tank on one of the many roller bases, is this correct? and is there a site that gives the times for the continuous agitation.

 

This is the tank I am looking at or one like it, http://www.ebay.com/itm/282357944385?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

 

Is this all I would need, excluding the roller base, or is there anything else.

 

Thanks and sorry for all the questions

 

Don

The 2520 is the current version of the tank. With the lid off the 2509n reel will lay on its side in the tank top opening. There are 3 slots on each side of the tank. Its easy to feel the slots in the reel in a Photoflex Changing Room https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/41880-REG/Photoflex_AC_CROO1_Film_Changing_Room_25.html .

I turn the slot openings away from me and load the slot farest from me first.

I have the earlier version of the tank 2521 which has a magnetic base, 2523 had a cog lid.

The roller base has not changed but its stock number has.

I use base times or +10% for rotary processing depending on film and developer (B&W). Some instructions say to decrease development time by 15%.

Rotary process requires you to reverse direction of rotation to prevent streaking. I switch directions every minute. Rotation pattern of finger tip to heel of palm, heel of palm to finger tip is easy to establish.

The tank says to use 270ml of chemical for rotary processing but you may have edge defects or uneven development at this level, increasing to 300ml of chemical eliminates the problems. Jobo requires a pre wash of 1 to 3 minutes even with films that say not use one such as Ilford. Uneven development will result if a pre wash is not used.

I use the 2509n tank with the newer version of the 4x5 reel that will accept 6 sheets. Both purchased from a dealer in the big auction site that should be easy to find if you look for it. Both not cheap but with care these are items that will last a lifetime (I have a Patterson tank that is almost 40 years old in perfect condition). This setup uses 300ml of chemistry (this number makes it easy to calculate proportions of chems required). I made my own rotary base with some plywood and casters and my hands supply the constant rotary motion. I only rotate the tank in one direction. I get perfectly developed negs everytime. I also have the 8x10 rig from this dealer that I hope to use in the near future when I start doing 8x10. I also bought a second 8x10 reel that I modified to use 5x7 and hope to use that as soon as the weather warms in upstate NY.

The loading base is totally unnecessary, and in fact a bit of a nuisance to use. Just load by hand, it's very easy.

 

+1 to needing a water or wetting agent pre-bath. Otherwise you'll get filling marks across the film.

 

I never had much success with a manual roller base. I bought a CPE-2 processor and never had another issue. I've done E6, C-41 and used various B&W developers in it with 100% success rate. The temperature control facility is invaluable.

 

I just use the recommended developing time(s). I suspect the pre-bath counteracts any tendency to overdevelopment from continuous agitation.

I still have the Jobo 2500 series tank that I bought new 30+ years ago, and have successfully developed 5000+ sheets of 4x5 B&W film with it. It came with the loading base and I have always used it, although I think you could successfully load the reels without if you needed to. As for agitation, I have always used a Unicolor roller that reverses every 3.5 seconds, and I always take the tank off once a minute and tip it over and back a couple of times in 5 seconds. On the advice of Jobo techs in the US I tested for a more dilute developer (HC-110) that created a time of 10 minutes at 68 degrees F. I got a fair amount of streaking with a small amount of developer and shorter times, but by using 48 ounces of chemistry and the agitation pattern I have described, the streaking disappeared and never came back with quantities of film ranging from 4-12 sheets in the tank. I also use a 1 minute pre-soak to help with temperature control and to improve evenness of developing.

Hello

Thanks everyone for the replies.

 

AJG that uniroller looks good would be easier than manually rolling.

 

Thanks Again

 

Don

One thing AJG, will the Jobo single tank work on the uniroller

Thanks

I have a 2 reel tank, so I don't know for sure, but I think that the single reel tank would be too small to work on a Unicolor roller.

One thing AJG, will the Jobo single tank work on the uniroller

Thanks

The single reel Jobo tank which I believe is the 2509n is too small for any electric roller base. That is why I had to build my own roller base using casters. Using my hands to supply the rotational motion I have never experienced streaking with this setup. Someone industrious could rig an electric motor to a homemade roller base for use with the single reel tank.

Hello Luis and AJG

 

Can you use the 2 reel tank with a single reel or do you need to use both

 

Thanks

Don

You can use one or two reels, but think that each tank need a minimal amount of solution. If you use a two reel tank, solution must be doubled (aprox.), despite of the number of reels you were using.

 

2509N refers to the 4x5" sheet film reel; it needs a Jobo called "Two-reel film tank" to hold it. It may be the 2523 or any tank of the same size, it doesn`t matter if for paper (with internal slots), or film. It needs 270ml of solution to process 6 sheets.

To hold two 2509N reels, a so called "Five-reel film tank" is needed. It may be the 2553 or any other of the same size. It asks for 560ml of solution.

 

Have you checked the MOD45 system? It is another interesting choice.

Edited February 16, 2017 by jose_angel

Too late for editing.

Important: Please notice that same sized tanks are fine (film or paper), but the lid should be the right one for film developing.

My take about Jobo tank nomenclature:

The first number is the tank series. Here we want "2" series..

The second is "5" for film (flat), "8" for paper (slotted).

Third is the number of reels, "2", "5" or "6".

End number is "1" for single lids, "3" for cog geared lids. The one you link seem identical to the 2521.

Edited February 16, 2017 by jose_angel

Hello Jose,

Thanks for the reply, I looked at the MOD54 and it does take a lot more chemicals but looks like a good alternative.

 

Plenty to think about.

 

ThanksDon

Hello Everyone, Thanks for all the responses, another question, if I am using the manual roller base, or even the Unicolor roller, if the tank comes with the cog lid is there any issue with using it or should I try to find the inversion lid.

Thanks again

Don

No problem with the cog lid other than it may be rougher on your hands to handle. Adjust the roller base rollers to fit behind the lid and before the last inch of the bottom of the tank.

2500 Multi Tank 2 is newest version

2521 magnet base

2523 cog lid

All the same tank, the cog lid or magnet base was for use in the Jobo processors in production at the time they were current.

New Jobo http://www.freestylephoto.biz/search?q=jobo

is the only U.S. source for new Jobo products.

Hello Everyone, Thanks for all the responses, another question, if I am using the manual roller base, or even the Unicolor roller, if the tank comes with the cog lid is there any issue with using it or should I try to find the inversion lid.

Thanks again

Don

You may use a single reel in a two reel tank. I use the following chem quantities: one reel tank 300ml, two reel tank 500ml. Don't go below those quantities or you risk uneven development. I know because I tried it. Those numbers make calculating the proportions of chem easier. The cog lid can be removed without damaging the top because I have done it. I previously used the MOD 54 but switched to Jobo because the MOD requires 1000ml of liquid to develop 6-4x5. This got to be expensive with the chems so I switched to Jobo and now develop 6-4x5 with 300ml of liquid. The two reel tank works perfect on the Unicolor base which is what I use. I also- use the two reel tank to develop 3-5x7 and 3-8x10 in separate sessions. Works perfectly.

Here is a very useful hint: The Patterson hose that connects to the sink fits the funnel opening of the Jobo tank. The tank will fill with water and flow out of the slot at the top of the funnel. So that makes unattended washing a snap. I just connect it and let the water flow for 30 minutes. One can also make a hose like contraption with some high quality rubber hose and the end of the hose can be manually trimmed to fit the opening of the funnel.

Hello Again

Well I got the 2553 tank with two of the 2509 reels, the seller gave me the inversion lid.

I also got the Uniroller but it only rotates one direction, I have seen videos and someone stated that it reverses every 3.5 seconds, was there one that just rotated one direction?

Should I invest in the 2509n reels or are the earlier ones ok? I probably would not develop more than 4 sheets at a time.

 

Now how do I determine the processing times, I normally use HC110 and Rodinal and get the times for the 35mm and 120 from the Massive Developing chart with normal agitation for those films, is there another chart for continuous agitation or do I increase or decrease the times listed for the roll films?

 

Thanks for the help and sorry to ask so many questions

Don

"I also got the Uniroller but it only rotates one direction,"

The Beseler motorized base came in two versions, a mono rotation and a reversing rotation models.

Do your 2509 reels have the end pieces that snap in once the film is loaded?

The instructions say to use standard development times.

http://www.covingtoninnovations.com/hc110/ for HC110.

Edited March 2, 2017 by thirteenthumbs

UNABLE TO UPLOAD ANY FILE!

contact me via the site if any of that still works and i'll send you the ENGLISH instructions from the 1990's when I purchased my 2521's.

Had to switch browsers to upload images.

Thank you 13thumbs

very helpful

Don