B&W: Film Roller/Unicolor/Agitator

At school when I need to leave my developing film somewhat unattended I
rig up a unicolor roller to accept our tanks. It's supposed to do
Foward-Reverse, but it just goes in one direction. I get good results
with it, even if the tank gets a snag for a minute or two i just add
some time onto that process to ensure "even" results. I know the B&W
process doesn't need to be constantly agitated, and to some extend I
think the silver halides need to sit? Not sure, but, my film comes out
contrasty and as expected with manual agitation.

Is it okay to use an agitator (film roller) with B&W chemistry?
[Forward/Forward-Reverse]

Thanks,
Jeff

I've used a Uniroller system for many years at home and processed
commercially with a couple of different rotary rigs at various jobs. Rotary
film processing just plain works. I personally like the reversing action of
the Unicolor base though I'm not sure it's completely necessary, in my mind
I feel it's better to break up surge. (There's a switch arrangement in the
box that regulates the reversal, perhaps it's repairable?) The reversing
action is really only "needed" when doing paper in a tube. When doing paper
in a tube on my old Simmard-type base I would manually flop the tube end for
end every few rotations to simulate the tube-reversal from a Uni-roller.

Some developer rotation combinations are not so good, my first rotary
experience was with an Imagemaker, high speed, one way rotation, no presoak
and D-76 caused all kinds of grief. I switched the lab over to HC-110 (at a
non-standard 1+9 as I recall) and the surge marks, etc. went away. But I
didn't like the short developer times so finally said to hell with it and
processed the b&w by hand while continuing to use the Imakemaker to process
40+ rolls of 'chrome (process E-6/4--E-6 developers and E-4 Bleach and Fix,
recommended at that time by King Concept for low volume users since the
bleach didn't need aeration) for some time.

--
darkroommike

"Jeph" wrote in message
oups.com...
At school when I need to leave my developing film somewhat unattended I
rig up a unicolor roller to accept our tanks. It's supposed to do
Foward-Reverse, but it just goes in one direction. I get good results
with it, even if the tank gets a snag for a minute or two i just add
some time onto that process to ensure "even" results. I know the B&W
process doesn't need to be constantly agitated, and to some extend I
think the silver halides need to sit? Not sure, but, my film comes out
contrasty and as expected with manual agitation.

Is it okay to use an agitator (film roller) with B&W chemistry?
[Forward/Forward-Reverse]

Thanks,
Jeff

"Jeph" wrote in message
oups.com...
At school when I need to leave my developing film somewhat
unattended I
rig up a unicolor roller to accept our tanks. It's
supposed to do
Foward-Reverse, but it just goes in one direction. I get
good results
with it, even if the tank gets a snag for a minute or two
i just add
some time onto that process to ensure "even" results. I
know the B&W
process doesn't need to be constantly agitated, and to
some extend I
think the silver halides need to sit? Not sure, but, my
film comes out
contrasty and as expected with manual agitation.

Is it okay to use an agitator (film roller) with B&W
chemistry?
[Forward/Forward-Reverse]

Thanks,
Jeff
It should work OK. Development time will have to be
adjusted for the continuous agitation. Kodak and others have
drum times, or, liu of these, use tray times.
I use a Unicolor drum for large format and find that I get
directional "bromide" streaks unless I take the drum off and
agitate it sideways occasionally. This effect may not happen
with tanks with reels. Reversing the direction may also cure
some directional effects if you get them.


--
---
Richard Knoppow
Los Angeles, CA, USA

"Jeph" wrote in message
oups.com...

Is it okay to use an agitator (film roller) with B&W chemistry?
[Forward/Forward-Reverse]

Thanks,
Jeff

been doing it for years. just adjust for contrast, and maybe give a side to
side manual slosh once a minute.