Hi everybody, I live in the Tropics, and the tapwater is around 30 degrees cels. I use PanF +, APX 100 and Tri-X all 120. I never had a problem with reticulation exept with Tri-X. The temperatures of all the baths are kept at a steady 20 degr. in a waterbath. Before the final rinse, I fill up the ss.tank with 20 degr.water and then run the water at a very low flow so the temp.in the tank will reach 30 degr. in about 3 min. This procedure give's me no problems, only Tri-X will reticulate. What am I doing wrong ????? Suggestions would be really appreciated. Thanks, Tjibbe Veeloo

-- jTjibbe Veeloo (palmtree @megatropic.com), July 03, 2001

Answers

My guess is that Tri-x has a thicker emuslion that the other two films.
Try this: Instead of running the 30 degree water directly into the tank, stand the tank of 20 degree water in a bath of water at 30 degrees for 5 or 10 minutes, and let it gradually come up to temperature. Water poured very slowly into a cooler bath will 'laminate', and form a warmer layer, rather than mix properly.
Using a hardening fixer would probably be an equally good answer.

-- Pete Andrews (p.l.andrews@bham.ac.uk), July 03, 2001.

Tri-X 120 reticulates easily here in New Orleans during the summer. I've never had a problem with other 120 films or TX 135. I've had to use ice while rinsing.

-- John Fleetwood (johnfleetwood@hotmail.com), July 03, 2001.

Running your other steps at 24C would close the gap.

-- Tim Brown (brownt@flash.net), July 03, 2001.

I really meant reduce the gap.

-- Tim Brown (brownt@flash.net), July 03, 2001.

Tri-X is definitely an older emulsion that is very sensitive to temp changes in processing. I had the same problem when I lived in Houston years ago, and all the films available then were highly subject to reticulation. To solve this problem, I recommend that you use a very fresh Rapid Fix for a maximum of 2 minutes, followed by a reasonably fresh hypo clearing product, followed by a wash that does not use running water. This wash can be accomplished by a change of water about 5 times (not running water). Obviously, the means having enough water for the 5 changes on hand at the correct temperature. By keeping the fix time to a minimum, you can get away with a non- running water wash. Using an acid stop bath will keep your fixer more fresh and allow you to take a few seconds off your fix time (less wash required).

-- Michael Feldman (mfeldman@qwest.net), July 03, 2001.

Here in Dallas, I've been doing what you do every summer for 35 years (developing at 70 F and washing at 86 F) and never have seen a sign of reticulation in Tri-X or other film. I do not go directly from 70 F to 86 F, however. After development, I use a water stop at about 75 F, followed by a fix at about that temperature, followed by a dehypo solution at 80 F or so, and then put the film in water at about 80 F and flow in the 86 F tap water rather slowly to displace the 80 F water. I wash about three minutes in the 86 F water. I then dunk the film in some detergent solution at 86 F and hang it in still air without squeegeeing, since the warm emulsion tears rather easily. The detergent is intended to reduce droplets and mineral deposits, but I doubt that it does that much good. I don't get that much mineral deposit, anyway. The cooler solutions are made by tempering tap water with refrigerated water.

-- Keith Nichols (knichols1@mindspring.com), July 03, 2001.

Thanks for all your input guy's. Today I developed a new roll of Tri-X, and followed Pete's advice. Guess what , no reticulation !!!!!!!!!!!! However, this is time consuming, so I will experiment some more. Once more, thank's a lot Pete and all of you. Tjibbe Veeloo

-- Tjibbe Veeloo (palmtree@megatropic.com), July 04, 2001.

If you have such a temp difference and don't want to calculate much... use Diafine (a 2 bath developer). But you will have to keep all your chemicals the same temp. A water bath, film tanks in a tub of water, will help in this matter.

-- Scott Walton (f64sw@hotmail.com), July 05, 2001.