Nitrogen burst processing

[richard_boulware]

Wow...just wanted to share some good information about a product I

just purchased on Ebay. It is a nitrogen burst agitation development

system with SS tanks and a SS water jacket. Nitrogen burst is nothing

new, and I used to have a big 3 1/2 gallon system in my big studio

before I retired. The one I just purchased will hold 20-21 SS 4X5"

Kodak film holders in each tank. Tank capacity is only ONE

GALLON...not 3.5! This system is produced for use in processing

electron microscope film which is 3 1/4 X 4" film. THE GOOD NEWS is

that it will hold 4X5 hangers perfectly. The system is HALF the size

of a traditional 3.5 Gal. system. Beautiful for small home

darkrooms...and perfect for zone system shooters. With JOBO or

similar processors, you make one run at a given development time.

With this system, you can load the first six hangers for N-1, (left

to right), the second series for "N" and the rest for N+1. The

supplier is Pelco International and they deal in medical supplies,

research etc. I'm putting my system together right now, and I am

impressed (and not easily so) Check out the site at www.pelcoint.com!

The basic system isn't that cheap at about a thousand bucks, but when

you consider that you get the plenums, water jacket, nitrogen valve

with capacity and pressure regulator, it's a pretty good deal, and

you won't have to mortgage your house to buy massive amounts of

chemistry.

[alec1]

I've been doing this for some time now, Richard. It is a mystery to me why NB is not more popular. A lot of surplus equipment is hitting the market.

 

Like you, I started with the 3 1/2 gal. tanks. Boy, THAT is a lot of chemistry. I found something a LOT better. Leedal [or Arkay - can't tell which] once made a tiny hanger rack with gas tubing. It fits a 4x5 tank [that's 1/2 gal]. Does 5 sheets in a batch. If I have a lot, I can always pull out the big tanks and, using 12 4-up hangers, do 48 sheets in a batch.

 

You didn't mention a timer. Mine is an Arkay, and I think it was the last one made [i still see them advertised at these outfits selling to universities]. Kodak units show up on ebay. What a pleasure to sit back and let the system do the hard work [timing and agitation] for you! And such even agitation.

 

I join you in STRONGLY urging others to investigate this procedure.

 

BTW, have you seen the small sheet film washers now being sold on ebay? They are great! And, the price is right too.

[richard_boulware]

Alec: I could not agree with you more. The joy of my new system is that is uses only one gallon of solution, where my old system used the traditional 3.5 Gal. tanks.

Nitrogen burst systems are 1. Predictable 2. consistant. 3. ideal for zone system work, and 4. Easy to maintain.

Unlike JOBO and other automatic systems that let you run 'X' number of sheets of film, for a given time....most likely ten,...I can now run 20-21 in each run and pull or extend processing on any, which is what the zone system is all about.

I can only assume the the automatic processors are an advantage for weekend landscape snap shooters, using a spare bathroom for a lab. Nothing wrong this that. Been there, done that, forty years ago. For serious shooters with a darkroom, gaseous burst processing in the only way to go. It is consistant and predictable...the two most important factors in film processing. With my new system, I can process negs, at various development times at TWICE the speed, and with the same accuracy the automated systems produce. Having been a professional all my life, it is nice to get back into the groove. All my old pro buddies use this gas system. Perhaps they, and I known something that some of you should take notice of. Gas burst is not that expensive, especially on Ebay, and the only way to go. Good luck Alec, and keep in touch.

[richard_boulware]

P.S. for Alec: My new timer is a Lektra (who made the best) with the name Kodak on the front. But it says."produced for Kodak." Obviously Kodak, being the smart people they are, bought out Lektra, and put their own name on it. Same timer I used to have in my big studio. Identical, and this time with Kodak's name on the face, but on the serial number it says Lektra. IMHO serious shooters will go with a predictable system, with the ability to vary the development time in the same batch of processing. Gas burst, is the only option for serious shooters or professionals. Love it...it's a lab technicians dream. Be well. RB

[craig_maxwell]

OK,

 

I'm familiar with Nitro Burst in large commercial labs, but this sounds like a super way to go the serious home user, especially considering the smaller chemistry capacities of the tanks. Now for a dumb question, what about the Nitrogen tanks, am I correct to assume a local compressed gas dealer will deliver the tank, and pick-up the empties??, I seem to recall that the tanks are HEAVY, not something I could toss into the back of the old Volvo wagon. Also, how much is a tank of Nitrogen these days and about how long will a tank last, my guess is quite a long time considering the amount of film an average home user would process. And finally, how much is the Arkay system, and are they still available new from the manufacturer.. Thanks

[alec1]

When I started the tanks weren't a big issue at all. I got the regulator cheap on ebay, took it to an air supply, and they sold me a tank for about $50. I don't remember how much the Nitrogen was, but it was dirt cheap. I just put my tank in the trunk and took it home. Mine first tank lasted 4 yrs. This latest one is still going strong. Don't remember cost of refilling, but it was cheap [this is a common gas, thank goodness - for once I'm not using something rare and expensive]. You don't need those HUGE tanks. Mine is about 4' high. Easy to transport. And, I do roll film in it too. And, use the gas to replace air in bottles. Got the piping and connectors from Woodworker's Supply in NM, put the tank in the garage and ran the air line into my darkroom. Put a little step down valve in there. I highly recommend, as you can tell.

[dk_thompson]

Nitrogen is pretty cheap, but it comes in different grades as well...it's been years since I used a gas-burst line, but the deeptank line (3.5 gallon) in the lab next door to us, and our smaller 2 gallon line, are both done by hand agitation. I don't have a problem with standing in the dark for half an hour running the film....but anyways, we do use a nitrogen tank on our Wing Lynch processor for E6 film. That machine needs a pure hospital grade tank, because the nitrogen can have oxygen in the tank as well with some of the lower grades. In that machine, the nitrogen pressure pumps the chemistry out of the tanks as well as provides a blanket of nitrogen to ward off oxidation. A Wing Lynch is no cheap rotary processor though. You usually leave a deposit on the tank....ours is safety chained to a wall bracket--OSHA and all that....

 

BTW, our tankline is a two gallon stainless steel 4 tank line made by California Stainless. It has floating lids & tank covers, and the 4 main tanks are situated in two thirds of s.s. waterjacket tank. There's a dividing wall for the overflow, and then a quick-dump wash tank. We use a fifth tank outside for LFN. It has a basket and can run up to 28 sheets of 4x5 at a time. We do about 1-4 runs a day, and takes about an hour, dry to dry to run the film. Sometimes I wish we had a larger one, but you're right--it is alot of chemistry to deal with. The whole thing sits in a deep, four foot Regal sink.....all water-panel, chiller, backflow valves etc.....several vendors make tanklines as small as a thin one-gallon 8x10 size though....none of it's cheap, but I'll bet y'all can find some dirt cheap out at gov't surplus lots...of all the agency labs in my system, there are only a handful left still running film....I've seen entire darkrooms go to surplus recently....if you buy new, it will depend on the size & features of the tankline..be prepared for sticker-shock when it comes to stainless steel lab gear...it will probably be between $1-2000. Check out the surplus lots if there are any near you. fwiw, I use a small one-gallon tankline at home that I cobbled together out of old Leedal gear. It has a waterjacket, tanks & floating lids. I run roll film & sheets up to 5x7 in it by hand. Replenish it just like we do at work, run control strips once in a blue moon (it ain't E6), and change the chemistry out each month.....

[triblett_lungre_thurd]

DK...

 

i'll thank you not to mention that accursed name in here without pronouncing it properly... and properly-said it is...

 

'wing-bitch'...

 

for them demons in beaverton,

 

model 3 me

 

p.s. richard... good luck and have fun. sounds great but what process?