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Tray Processing
Tank Developing Sheet Film

Photography (Basic) - Introduction to photography and other graphic techniques
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the film vigorously in the stop bath and initially in the fixer because gases are released in these solutions and there is danger of air bubbles forming on the film surface. If you allow these air bells, or bubbles, to form, they may cause dark spots. This is due to the continued action of the developer beneath the bubbles. Agitate the film in the fixing bath for a few seconds and then the safelights or the white lights may be turned on. Continue agitating the film until it loses the cloudy or creamy appearance. Note the time required for this change to occur because it is just half the total required fixing time. Agitate the film several times during the second half of the  fixing  time.  After  the  film  clears,  continuous agitation  is  not  necessary. After fixing is completed, transfer the negative to the wash water and continue to agitate it unless a regular film washing tank or tray is available. After washing is complete, the film should be treated in a wetting agent and dried. As stated earlier, with experience you can process several sheets of line copy film at a time in a tray. When processing several sheets in a tray at once, there is an added step. This is a predevelopment rinse in clean water that should be at the same temperature as the rest of the processing solutions. The predevelop- ment rinse is located to the left of the developer. Its purpose is to prevent the films from sticking together in the developer. The procedure for processing more than one sheet of line copy film at a time is the following: 1. When the solutions are ready, place a dry, dust-free  paper  or  cardboard  on  the  workbench  near  the predevelopment rinse. Place the exposed film holders near  this  clean  working  space. 2. Set the timer. 3. Turn out the lights. 4. Remove one film from its holder and place it, emulsion-side  down,  on  the  clean  paper.  Remove  the second film and place it, emulsion-side down, on top of the first. Continue until all the film is placed in a loose pile on the space provided for them. 5. Pick up the film on top of the pile with your left hand (keep it dry until all films have been placed in the water),  drop  it,  emulsion-side  down,  into  the  water,  and immerse it quickly with your right hand. Pick the film up immediately, turn it over, emulsion-side up, and push it  back  under  the  solution.  Place  the  wet  film, emulsion-side up, at one end of the tray. Immerse the next film in the same manner. Stack it on top of the first film, and continue with this procedure until all the films are stacked in a pile at one end of the tray. Your left hand should follow the last film into the tray to assist in the agitation  of  the  films. Wet  film  may  be  handled  with  wet  fingers. However,   be   extremely   careful   to   KEEP   WET FINGERS OFF DRY FILMS. Slight pressure with the balls of the fingers is not harmful to a wet emulsion unless  it  has  swollen  excessively. The films should be agitated or shifted constantly to prevent the individual sheets from sticking together. Agitation is accomplished by moving the first film from the bottom of the stack and placing it on top or by starting a new stack at the other end of the tray. Continue agitating the films from bottom to top until they become completely saturated with water-about 1 or 2 minutes is sufficient. After the emulsion is completely saturated, the danger of films sticking together is no longer a problem. 6. Remove the films, one at a time, from the predevelopment  rinse  and  immerse  them  in  the developer.   Place   the   films   in   the   developer, emulsion-side up; slide them under the surface of the solution  quickly,  and  agitate  them  vigorously  to eliminate possible air bells. Start the timer just before the first film is placed in the developer. Use your left hand to remove all films from the water, and be careful not  to  get  the  water  contaminated  with  developer.  Your left hand should follow the last film transferred from the water into the developer to help with the agitation. It is important for you to locate the first sheet of film placed in the developer quickly. To do this, align the long dimension of all other films at a right angle to the first sheet placed in the developer. The films are immersed, emulsion-side up, in the developer  to  reduce  greater  damage  that  would  occur  if the  emulsion,  already  softened  by  presoaking,  were allowed to come in contact with the bottom of the tray. Be careful not to dig or drag the comer or edge of a film into the emulsion surface of the film below it. Do not allow your fingernails to touch the emulsion at any time. Stacking  films  by  aligning  their  edges  against  the  sides of the tray helps to reduce scratches and abrasions. 7. Agitate the films constantly, not by rocking the tray, but by moving each film from the bottom of the stack and placing it carefully on top, and pressing it down gently to assure a flow of solution over its surface. Continue this procedure until the developing time is up. 10-17







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