holder to develop single 4x5" sheets in trays

[reinier_de_vlaam]

Hi When I currently have 1 or 2 sheets to develop, I use trays rather

than tanks. Now when I try to remove the sheet from the tray and I

don't take good care (it's dark you know ;-)), I may touch the

emulsion and damage it. So I want to build in a holder for one sheet

so I can put that in the tray. My first thought was to use a small

messing profile, but realized in time that that probably was not a

good idea (metal). Huib told me some people made one from e.g.

perspex. Anything about this in the web somewere, before I design one

myself?

[michael_dowdall]

Hello Reinier

 

If you go to the bottom of the page of this first link you will read what I did to modify the panel described in the second link.

 

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=003ZFi

 

http://philbard.com/panel.html

 

It works for me. No scatches or thumb prints.

[mike_rosenlof2]

For just 2 sheets, I have used just 2 little trays. 5x7 trays don't take much chemistry, and your sheets don't have to touch each other. You can do 2 sheets in two trays, using 1 hand each to rock the trays. Actually works quite well.

 

My standard method for 4x5 developing is to put the sheets in ABS tubes (1.5 inch diameter) then spin the tubes by hand in open trays. I can do 2 tubes in a 5x7 tray, up to 5 tubes in an 8x10 tray. Might be possible to do more, but I pretty much limit myself to developing 5 sheets at a time.

 

The tubes are open on both ends, not closed like BTZS tubes, so I need enough chemistry in the trays that it flows easily into the tube, but I certainly don't need enough to cover the entire tube.

 

This method gives nice even results like most constant rotational developing. Materials are really cheap. I fix in open trays (individual sandwich size).

[john_cook1]

Summitek makes something called a "cradle" which keeps films separate to prevent scratches. Could be useful for solf-emulsion films such as Efke.

 

Perhaps not exactly what you need. But it may give you some useful ideas. Here is the address:

 

http://www.summitek.com/cradle.html

[john_cook1]

Sorry for the typo. That should read "soft-emulsion".

[bob haight]

I would try metal film hangers. I bought a bunch made by Kodak and use them to dry the film but I am sure you could dunk the film with them also. They come on ebay from time to time but I don't think they are made new anymore, by anyone.

[john_boeckeler]

When I have just one or two sheet of 4 x 5 film for compensating development, I use the same method Mike Rosenef described; that is, 5 x 7 trays, one sheet per tray. I've never had a problem with it.

[patrick_gainer]

If you want to experiment with stand developing, it is best to have the sheets horizontal in the developer. Face up gives slightly lower contrast than face down. Look in Wal Mart or equivalent for cheap plastic picture frames. Cut some notches where the edge of the frame sits on the bottom of the tray to allow some flow.

[darin_cozine]

I made a tray out of a plastic tupperware type box. I cut holes in the corners, and I used it to develop single sheets. It works nicely cause it keeps my hands out of the chemicals.<br/> <br/> The downside to single sheet developing is that it just takes for-ever to do a stack of negs.<br/><br/>Ive read some people just develop whole stacks at a time, shuffling them periodically. I've never had any success at this cause the sheets get stuck together.