We are a commercial lab, so We have to handle all kinds of films. We have a problem proccessing Tri X films - The emulsion getting very soft while the film is wet - what cause problems. Does any body heard about such a problem (only in Tri X films)? Does any body has experience on handling such problem? (I have tried using hardener - but using hardener, there is a need a of very long washing - so its bother the work flow).

Thank you Eli

-- Eli Landau (eli@haphoto.co.il), January 23, 2001

Answers

Response to soft emultion in Tri X

My guess is that Tri-X has a thicker emulsion layer than most modern films, and it's the extra thickness of the swollen gelatin that gives the impression of being softer. How do you know the emulsion is softer during processing? Nobody is feeling it, I hope!
If the films are being processed in proper holders, and kept out of contact with each other, then some softening during processing shouldn't be a problem.
What temperature are you processing at? Higher than the recommended 68 to 75 Farenheit to get more throughput?

Some old research by Ilford suggests that soft water causes more swelling of the emulsion than hard water, and that the maximum water uptake happens if a plain water rinse and not a stop bath are used between the developer and the fixer. The water uptake is also reduced by dissolved salts, so a metabisulphite stop bath instead of Acetic acid should lessen the problem.
You may still have to use a hardener, and offset its use with a Hypo clearing agent to speed up the final wash.

-- Pete Andrews (p.l.andrews@bham.ac.uk), January 23, 2001.

Response to soft emultion in Tri X

Thank you for the quick & very knowledged answer. We use roller transport processor, so the hangers & so are not relevant for us The result of the "soft" emultions are small dammages in the emulsion side, caused by rollers in the drying cabinet. We use 72 Farenheit (recomended temp. for Kodak HC-110). I'll try to use as you suggest soft water. If it's not enough, I'll make some changes in the machin so it can handle the hypo clearing agent (so We can use hardner in the fixer - that I tested with good results in the emultion side - but the films came out dirty becouse the machine doesn't have hypo bath ).

Thank again Eli

-- Eli Landau (eli@haphoto.co.il), January 23, 2001.

This is an old post but the fact is that Tri-X should be used with a hardener (this is not needed in newer emulsions so you may want to refuse Tri-X or charge more to process it?).

-- A. Taylor (hotty@hotmail.com), December 30, 2001.

I wonder if it's possible to load the Tri-X with the back side of the film contacting the rollers, instead of the emulsion side.

-- Bob Fleischman (RFXMAIL@prodigy.net), January 06, 2002.