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loading chemicals in drum tops

 
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cmaurice



Joined: 23 Feb 2002
Posts: 34
Location: Bay area California

PostPosted: Sat Jul 06, 2002 11:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have a set of colourtronic drums that I am going to use for developing sheet film. They are probably very similar in construction to the Unicolor and Beseler units that I have read about. What is the procedure for pouring the chemistry into the drum? Mine seems to have a light trap and then the chemicals enter the main chamber. But, while tilted upwards the chemistry wants to come out the bottom......
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Graflite



Joined: 08 Nov 2001
Posts: 103
Location: Southeast US

PostPosted: Sun Jul 07, 2002 3:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

To cmaurice:

I may not be fully understanding the problem with your drums, but here is some information that I hope helps.

I am not familar with the colourtronic drums, but I am very familar with the Unicolor product line, having owned quite a number of their various drums since their debut over 20 years ago, so perhaps my comments may be of some help.

I use the Unicolor 8 x 10 paper processing drums to develop 4 x 5 sheet films, it will develop 4 sheets of film, 2 on each side of the drum, and I usually use 3 to 6 ounces of solution per step, and if I use a pre-rinse before the developer then I use about 18 ounces.

One warning is to use the "m" looking piece that usually comes with the new drums, to keep the 2 sheets on each side from sliding under (or over) each other as the drum rotates, this piece is fitted between the 2 sheets of film, so 4 sheets would require 2 of these "m" pieces.

If the "m" pieces are missing then some people use wooden clothes pins that have the tips sanded down in order to clip onto the film holding rail inside the drum.

This drum that I speak of above has a bottom lid that is glued to the tube and cannot be removed, where I find leaks, especially in the older drums, is when the three protruding pieces around the outside of the drum start to wear down and no longer firmly hold the lid tight to the drum opening in spite of the gasket in the lid, which on occasion I have applied a film of vaseline to insure a more "positive" seal.

I load my drum in the horizontal position while it sits on the Uniroller motor agitator base and then I switch the unit on at the timer, when the cycle is completed I invert the drum at a slight side angle over the return container and return it to the Uniroller for the next cycle.

It is possible that your drums have a different light baffle system than the Unicolor drums and there may lie the problem, unless of course there is a defect or damage in the lid system that is causing the leak.

If I can be of more help then please reply to this forum or send me a private message if you like and good luck with your drums.
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cmaurice



Joined: 23 Feb 2002
Posts: 34
Location: Bay area California

PostPosted: Sun Jul 07, 2002 8:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I believe the colourtronic system was made to do prints, one at a time? I picked it up at a yard sale. There is a tub unit, a temp control, a pump, and a bunch of small contaners for chemistry. I have been using it as a temp bath for my chemistry and it works well. After reading about dev tanks(I have one)I decided to try using the drums from this unit. The tubes are finned(very short fins) inside, the covers come off both ends. 1 has an indentation with a hole and is marked "fill". Inside this top is a dome, with slit holes in the flange that sits next to this inside lip. This allows the chemicals to enter the tube. The opposite end is the same, except the hole is on an external protrusion.....The tubes have some external plastic finned wrapping, and these catch the water that is pushed by the pump in the bath, which rotates the tubes.....
I was hoping to use this, but maybe I should get that unicolor drum roller I found.

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Graflite



Joined: 08 Nov 2001
Posts: 103
Location: Southeast US

PostPosted: Mon Jul 08, 2002 12:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Your description of the colourtronic system makes it easier for me to recall the system and I believe that these drums had a separate fill and dump portal, the protrusion that you speak of on one end, was I believe, connected to a tubing that could drain the used chemicals back into a container.

This system is good if one uses a temperature sensitive formula for processing and you need a tempering bath system, but as I use ambient temperature formulas for my B & W, C-41 and RA-4, I can use the Unicolor drums and the Uniroller without the need for a tempering bath.

You mention having a Unicolor drum roller (Uniroller), which is a good roller to have as it reverses itself, lessening the chance of streaks and uneven development.

Depending on the solutions used and the film, some people use a water bath pre-rinse when processing sheet film in the print processing drums.

When processing prints in the print processing drums it is almost imperative that you use a water bath pre-rinse before the developer, especially with RA-4 as it lessens the chance of streaks and uneven development.

The Unicolor 8 x 10 print processing drums are a good bargain, often found on e***, but the danger of buying something from a distance is that you cannot check the lid for tightness (please note my previous post on this problem), and quite often the interior of the drums have not been cleaned properly and are sometimes in poor condition.

The 8 x 10 drums will process (4) 4 x 5 sheets, or (2) 5 x 7 sheets or (1) 8 x 10 sheet, for those who use these sizes of sheet film.

The 8 x 10 drums sell used from 10 - 20 USD and the Uniroller sells used for around 40 USD.

Good luck with your endeavors.


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cmaurice



Joined: 23 Feb 2002
Posts: 34
Location: Bay area California

PostPosted: Tue Jul 09, 2002 1:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

thanks Graflite,
For now I think I will stick with the FR tank, and pick up the uniroller in a coupla months.
What is RA-4?
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Graflite



Joined: 08 Nov 2001
Posts: 103
Location: Southeast US

PostPosted: Tue Jul 09, 2002 2:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

RA-4 is the process for processing color papers exposed through color negatives, using a particular formula one can mix up your solutions and process color prints using such color papers as Kodak in contrasts Portra (low), Supra (normal) and Ultra (high), Fuji Crystal and other papers from Mitsubishi and Agfa.

And while one can buy kits from Beseler and Tetenal to process RA-4, I don't use them, but mix my own solutions, and some of these kits can also be used at ambient temperatures.

Where people run into problems (and frustration) is getting the correct color balance when they expose the print and while it can be done using filters in a filter drawer, it is much quicker using a dichro color head on the enlarger and making a "ring around" and exposing areas of the paper using different filter combinations to see the correct combination or "filter pack".

Before determining the color balance you must first determine the correct exposure for the negative being printed, a Kodak Projection Print Scale used in B & W printing can be used or you can use the strip exposure method, then after finding the correct print contrast then you go on to the color balance.

The same dichro color head can also be used to expose variable contrast Black & White papers if you work in B & W.

If you had a good color lab in your area that turned out a quality product at a reasonable price then printing your own color prints might not be worth your time (and money).

graflite
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cmaurice



Joined: 23 Feb 2002
Posts: 34
Location: Bay area California

PostPosted: Thu Jul 11, 2002 2:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Being hard headed, and stubborn, and having a dichro head enlarger in the closet just waiting to be used...I will probably be doing color and B & W printing soon. I'm still working on the development processes at the moment. I have only worked with D76 so far, but today picked up some HC110. I like the idea that I can mix just as much as I need instead of mixing a gallon.
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alecj



Joined: 09 May 2001
Posts: 853
Location: Alabama

PostPosted: Thu Jul 11, 2002 2:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:

On 2002-07-10 19:01, cmaurice wrote:
... today picked up some HC110. I like the idea that I can mix just as much as I need instead of mixing a gallon.


Here's a good site for more HC 110 info.

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