PMK LF agitation solution

[patrick_mckay]

I've recently begun using PMK Pyro for 4x5 work. I took Mr.

Hutchings advice to heart regarding "engetic" tray agitation (i.e.

vigorous sloshing) for even development, but found that I'm not

happy with the amount of spill-over occurring during development. To

date, I have been using an 8x10 tray/container temp. bath, holding a

5x7 dev. tray inside; but still with too much spillage into the

larger tray.

 

Recently I spotted a new Rubbermaid food container that looks like

it'll solve this issue. It's not the usual soft/flexible type, but

rather is hard/rigid, clear grey, with a good sealing lid. It's

marketed as their new "Stain Resistant" style. The size I picked-up

is about 8" square, and 3" deep. It appears that this will resolve

the matter perfectly.

 

I would like to hear from others regarding their own

approaches/solutions to this matter.

[michael_chini]

I haven't found a way to process 4x5 in PMK yet. I use tanks for my 4x5's. How do you hold the film in place in this container?

[mark_sampson]

I have found, after nine years of using PMK for my 4x5 film, that simple "shuffle-through-the-stack" rotation works quite well. I do rotate the stack 90 degrees after every agitation cycle, as I beleive Mr. Hutchings suggests. I've had no problem with streaked or uneven negs, and I don't splash much around. I use an 8x10 tray with raised ridges in the bottom, and have a bottle cap sitting beneath the back of the tray. This tilts the tray forward a little and keeps the films closer together. Any scratches are my own fault.

[david_goldfarb]

Like Mark, I shuffle when I develop in trays (8x10" and larger), turning the sheets 90 degrees periodically, and that works for me. For 4x5" I use a Nikor daylight tank.

[lex_jenkins]

Sounds good to me, Patrick. I use a set of Rubbermaid cereal keeper one-gallon jugs for the fixer and stop bath for my printing sessions. These oval shaped, tall containers are perfect for holding prints up to 8x10 on their sides. They really save on precious horizontal space in my cramped darkroom/spare bathroom/laundry room. My wet area is the top of the washing machine!

 

While the jug lids are usually watertight enough to minimize leakage I don't use 'em that way - I just drop the prints into the jugs and agitate with rubber tipped tongs. There's plenty of room in there so I don't have to worry about actually touching or marring the emulsion surface.

 

In more than a year's use these jugs have proven to be stain resistant and very durable.

 

At first I'd intended to use the third jug for developer but it would take a gallon of print developer solution to keep the level high enough to cover 8x10 prints. That just wouldn't be cost effective. So I still develop in an open tray.

 

The third jug now hold HCA for my fiber print sessions. Capped between sessions I feel comfortable using the same batch of HCA for two or three days before replacing it.

 

Another good use for these containers would be selenium toning. Prints can be dropped into the jug and the cap replaced to keep down odor and potential air contaminants. Unlike tray toning, an aggravating chore because the prints want to float to the surface, the entire print remains submerged in toner. And because the sides are transparent you can evaluate when to pull the print.

[lex_jenkins]

BTW, I forgot to mention another kitchen doodad I've hijacked to the darkroom: Reynolds Potlux Cookware trays. These are lightweight plastic oven-safe trays, just right for 8x10s. They come with snap on lids to minimize oxidation or, in your case, sloshing overspill. Cost a couple bucks apiece. Glad makes a version of these.

 

If the Reynolds tray seems too floppy for your purposes, just stack one inside another for rigidity.

[tim_curry]

I tried using the tray and shuffle method at first, it worked great with one sheet of film. I found when I went up to a few sheets, I would invariably nick one sheet in some small place sooner or later, every few batches. Got a 4x5 agitank and have had no problems since. I do agitate for about a minute after the presoak as my starting cycle with PMK. I'm still not convinced that a tank is less efficient than another device (mechanical rolling tanks excepted) with proper motion. Have to keep the tank over a basin, as I do "shake that thing" enough to have spillage, drippage and sloshage, although never simultaneously. Look on some spills into a container as the sign of good agitation; tank, tray or whatever.

 

Nice to know the tank will keep each sheet perfectly in place until I'm ready to handle it to dry. That, to me is the biggest plus. I only handle the film once. Also, nice to work in the light once the film is in the tank, see what I'm doing and all at a relaxed pace.