Processing of RC

[Miha]

Ok, those of you who print mostly on RC, what is your processing workflow? Do you wash each print right after fixing or do you keep more prints in a holding tray and wash them later? I develop, stop, fix, and wash each print before I expose the next one. The exception is when printing small 5x7 RC print. I would wash them every 30 minutes or when the holding tray is full and I start to worry about delaminating...

[Richard Gould]

Depends how many prints I have, when I have 4 or 5 finished prints I wash them for 4 minutes, just gives me time for a cold drink,Richard

[Trevor Crone]

Miha, I leave them in the water holding tray until the end of the printing session then wash them thoroughly before leaving to dry. I haven't had a problem with delaminating with modern RC papers.

[Dave miller]

I wash as I go, they get 1 to 2 minutes in a Paterson Print Washer.

[cliveh]

Miha, I don't know what a holding tray is. I just put all prints in the wash and dry at the end of a session, which may be a couple of hours. But then you have to remember that to me the print is not precious.

[Miha]

Thanks, it's seems that everyone takes a slightly different approach.

I'm using this Kaiser "apparatus" which is slower that the high-speed model Dave is using as mine is intended for FB papers:

[Trevor Crone]

Originally Posted by cliveh

SNIP; But then you have to remember that to me the print is not precious.

Neither are resin coated prints to me Clive only fibre based ones

[Miha]

Cliveh, if the print is not precious why taking the analogue way in the first place then?

[Mike O'Pray]

I use a four slot Nova processor with a washer slot attached so I really have no choice but to do it one at a time. I agitate continuously while in dev, stop and fix. The fix is only 45 secs as I use 1+4 where Ilford says 30 secs is enough.

Once in the washer slot I'll then break away to focus, crop, check exposure etc for the next neg before moving the print out of the washer and under the fan assisted dryer.

Sometimes this means the print is washing for up to 5 mins but usually not more than 3 mins. I turn the water off until the next print is in the washing slot.

Mike

[Paulographic]

I use a holding bath and wash a number later when I want or need a break. The number depends on the size of paper and whether they are just 7x5/6x4 proofs or larger final prints. Could be 20 0r 2.