How do you wash 5x4 sheet film after fixing?

1. filling the tank with fresh water, agitate 10 x
2. refreshing water, ag 20x
3. fresh water, ag 30x
4. fresh water, ag 40x
5. ADOX ADOFLO II wetting agent for a minute
6. a last filling with fresh water for aprox 10 minute
 
Hmmm… I used to do the same with the Combiplan until I tried with coloured water. The bottom of the tank hardly moved at all, so changed to fill-jiggle-rest-dump-fill… (at rather irregular intervals as I went past).
I also tried a narrow tube that I slid to the bottom of the tank in the gap next to the locking nuts, but it was rather clumsy in practice. Better workmanship would have helped.
Combiplan did make an S-shaped tube that connected to the bottom outlet for washing, but it seems to be very rare.
Pay no attention if you’re getting good results.
 
If I use the Stearman Press 5x4 tank I use a fill-agitate-empty and repeat - if I use the Stearman Press 10x8 universal with four sheets of 5x4 in it I run the tap in one side and drain on my sloped draining surface at the other. It's like a glorified paper tray after all.
 
I use Jobo tanks, 2000 series inversion not rotary for my 5x4 films, I essentially use the Ilford method but with 6 or 7 changes of water before the final rinse with wetting agent added. I don't use tap water direct, I use 5 litre jugs and ensure that the wash water is +/- 1º C of the process temperature which is 20ºC here in the UK. When I'm in Turkeymost of the year I process at 26 or 27ºC because that's the temperature of the tap water and it's consistent.

Ian
 
I use a Gravity Works film washer. Many like it are made under other names. It's entirely a convenience and saves water. My process:

  • Rinse the film and hanger
  • This goes into the washer for 25 mins
  • Place film in a working solution of Kodak Photo-Flo 200 made with distilled water to which 97% Isopropyl alcohol has been added ( 27ml/litre working solution) - 20-30 seconds

The pre-rinse of the hanger and film is to get rid of any residual fix trapped in the hanger itself. The small amount of alcohol is there to speed up aerial drying. This along with the Photo Flow and distilled water discourages water spots.

You can also wash in an ordinary plastic tub with a hose barb affixed to the bottom/ Water flows from bottom and then overflows continuously. I also use this for film "stop bath". See here for the idea in the middle tank:


I just drilled a hole in the tube and fitted the hose barb to it with a layer of silicone caulking material. Works quite nicely.
 
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I have Combiplan tanks, and also the variant they made for washing. The body is the same as the tank in size and takes the film holder. A hose was connected to the bottom to drain the water. After discovering the Ilford method, I've used that with the normal tank.

Like Ian, I use the wash water at the same temperature as the processing. This is then followed by a wetting agent in a final rinse.
 
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Likewise, i use a Combiplan for washing up to 6 sheets of 5x4.

I connect a hose to the bottom outlet and allow the wash water to rise from the bottom and out the top with the film held in the holder.

I let the film sit in the running water for 10 minutes at 20deg then 2 minutes in a wetting agent.
 
She made a video on washing paper, here's the link:



It's not about film, but the idea behind seems to be the same.
Running water is waste of water and doesn't help at all.
Film btw. does not contain a lot of chemicals and the small amount seems to washed out very quickly.
The idea is to give time to test in water and agitation. The so named ILFOD method, which I use, does it better than the running water method.
 
I use the Paterson Orbital for LF, with pretty much the Ilford wash method of 4 changes of water at 200ml each. Wetting agent is added after the final wash time.
 

This is MartinReid’s extensive exploration of paper washing, which might have some interest.

I suppose it might be sensible to distinguish between washing fixer off the film and washing it out of the film.
Running water is obviously needed for the first (not very much) and diffusion is what is happening for the second. If you do some simple sums, you can see how little water is actually needed to reduce concentration to parts per million.
 
I do it the ilford method ie 5 x inversions, then 10x, 20x, followed by another 20. I also make sure the lip of the lid is rinsed and the water overlaps the top so nothing remains. I also make sure the tank is thoroughly drained after each iteration. Then a few drops of photoflow at the end dispensed with a dropper from the lateral flow test kit.
 
Peter B said:
I use the Paterson Orbital for LF, with pretty much the Ilford wash method of 4 changes of water at 200ml each. Wetting agent is added after the final wash time.
Click to expand...

Likewise!
 
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