RE: [Leica] Jobos & XTol

[henry <henry@henryambrose.com>]

I wrote:
>> When I do B&W I do it by hand. I can be done before I could get the Jobo
>> setup.
>> Get some tanks, reels and some measuring containers.
>> Skip the Jobo unless you need its features.

Then Austin remarked:
>I use my Jobo almost exclusively for B&W.  It gives me very consistent
>results, expecially with Xtol.  It is hardly difficult to pour in chemicals
>and push a button...whether by hand or Jobo, you still have to load the
>reels.
>
I have a very small darkroom. The sink is 6 feet long. When I set up my 
Jobo it takes half the sink, so everytime I use it I have to drag it out 
from under the sink, blah, blah, blah and then put it back when I"m done.

I prefer to reserve half my sink for my home-made vertical tanks for 
print processing set up and full. That leaves me some room to do film by 
hand. Its simple that way. And leaves me able to make a contact sheet or 
print right NOW!

Sounded like to me that the person who posed the original question did 
not have a proper darkroom so the thought of not having space led me to 
suggesting the simplest and least obtrusive method - hand tanks.
Two tanks, some reels, measuring devices, chemicals and a big plastic ice 
chest or box  and your "darkroom" can store in the bottom of a closet 
when you're not using it.

If I had space for (or need for quantity) I'd have a bigger Jobo.
Or even one of the ATLs. I don't really need it or have space or the 
inclination to spend on that. If I shoot a lot of film, its for a job, 
and its worth going to the lab as opposed to when its one or two rolls or 
sheets.

On the other hand if you want to come and be my darkroom tech, well come 
on down! Can you follow directions explicitly without asking a bunch of 
questions?
:)

Henry