Ilford film washing method - and for RC papers?
 

As I am setting up my darkroom I thought about how I washed papers in the past. Probably I used too much water. Probably many of my RC prints smell like fixer because I collected them in a tray with water after fixing and in the end I washed them. Probably the corners many of my RC prints are damaged because I let them swim freely in a bath tub so that the corners were damaged. :slap:

Is there a Jedi/Zen/Master plan how to wash RC prints thoroughly with the least amount of water?

As long as you use a non-hardening fixer, washing for 2 to 4 minutes in running water is all you need to do .
Paterson Photographic sell a good rapid print washer for resin coated papers.

I don't use RC papers but they need very little wash time, collecting them in a tray is fine till your ready to wash them, but they only need a few minutes washing, not the prolonged times of FB papers.

Neil

The prints are probably well washed just having left them in the holding container. If you can be bothered to flog your way through part 2 of the washing article, ('Mysteries of the Vortex' in 'Articles', transcribed by Les Maclean) there was one we did looking into washing FB prints in a single unreplenished tank of water, (although with some agitation).
Even the FB paper got to a reasonable hypo level in 20 minutes.

PS Just found there was a question in 2008 that never got a reply - apologies to Tony Marlow, I'll have a go at it shortly!

Don't worry, Tony's very patient! :D

I use the Paterson print washer myself for resin coated prints, and normally just wash them for two or three minutes. I understand they also make an equivalent washer for fibre based papers too.

Wash for 2/4 minutes under running water works fine,you can buy the patterson rc print washer or you can make something easily yourself, just put some holes in the bottem of a large tray, maybe a cat litter tray or a 12/16 developing tray,and you can wash 2 RC prints back to back with no problems, or even easier if, like me, you use smaller paper,water in the top runs out though the holes in the bottom, wash for 4 minutes,I have even used this method for larger FB prints, after using Hypo clear, with good results,Richard

What the others have said and if its any comfort I was on two night school B&W classes where all the students left their RC prints in a wash tray until the end then completed the wash and dry.

The sessions were 3 hours so there were some prints sitting in a holding tray for maybe over two hours or more, mine included. Not once did I have an instance of lifting corners nor did I ever hear any other student complain of this either and I am sure I would have done. That was 2003. I still have some prints from then and no signs of any separation to this day.

The paper recommended by the College and sold there was exclusively Ilford RC so this might be another plus point for Ilford's QC.

Mike

I have only once had seperation and corner lifting with RC paper, and that was after prolonged washing, in an experiment to see what would happen to some Ilford RC, and that was after several hours washing,around ten, so leaving RC paper in water for 2 or 3 hours should not be a problem, I have used Ilford,Kentmere,(When it was Kentmere and before the Harman takeover) and Fotospeed, Jessops/agfa RC and always leave them in a holding tray untill I am ready to wash them with no problems,Richard

PNo problem Martin, but please quote the question when you do as I have forgotten what I asked! Brain just can't cope.

Tony