green stain on border of RA-4 print

[robert_davis2]

In the past I've used my 8x10 tanks to make two 8x10s at a time but

then today I got bold and decided to add the extension and use the

four print tank. Loading it went fine but then the problems started. I

can fix the leaks and deal with the oversized tank but I've got some

green spots on the edges of a couple prints. I'm guessing with all the

problems it's either a water spot or maybe a chemical problem. The

tank was literally falling off the motorbase at times-) The prints

otherwise look great and I could just trim off the borders but I'm

trying to make sure it doesn't happen again.

[don_cooper]

I think a THOROUGH wash between the developer and blix solutions will solve your problem.

[robert_davis2]

I do a stop between. So I guess that means with the tank flopping around the edges didn't get covered in stop long enough?

[robert_davis2]

Looking at them some more I wonder if the stains might be fingerprints. That tank wasn't 100% dry. Maybe I should start wearing gloves.

[bujor_b]

Cyan-green spots or zones appear when developer barely touched the paper (you said tank tipped over and fell...) in that region. Surely enough, you'll get cyan prints starting at under 5 seconds development time, irrelevant to your filtration pack.

 

 

RULE: you have to level your working area. Example: for a Jobo 4 x 8x10s tube or equivalent, find a 24x36 tray, take a long bubble level and place it on tray. Make adjustments for horizontality in both directions from your table legs or using paper sheets under the tray. Take a piece of plane board big enough to accomodate all your 4 roller legs, and place it in the middle of the tray. Put the roller on it, then the empty capped tube on the roller. Put your level on the tube, take again left to right horizontality and adjust as required. Start the motor and observe how the tube rotates. Change the black roller "tires" if movement is too bumpy.

 

Place a one liter bottle filled with water at the bottom end and one at the capped end of the tube, so the tube can't do anywhere when it spins (left or right). Glass will allow frictionless rotation even if bottles touch the cap or botton.

 

In my limited experience, drying the tube is good but not at all essential, especially if you rinse it two times with tap water. However, hands have to be ABSOLUTELY dry (I'm a chemist and I tell you: don't wear gloves, you don't feel anything anymore... you know.. it's like... I have another example from day to day life, but it is not appropriate to use it here). You have to know exactly where you lateral tank grooves are, so you don't have to fool around with the paper at all inside there. Dry your hands thoroughly with a cotton towel between papers. When I have to hurry up, my normal productivity on "manual" is at cca one 8x10 every two minutes, if I don't have to change negatives.

 

There are other issues, like streaking and so on, which we'll try to deal with once I have an adequate solution for it, but your cyan definitely comes from lack of developer.

 

the rookie