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  #11  
Old 17th April 2013, 08:53 AM
Terry S Terry S is offline
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Yep, thumbs up from me as well!

I was a bit unsure about it before I bought one from ebay, but like you my darkroom space was limited. The main thing about them, as mentioned, is that you can leave the chemicals in them for ages and can pop in and out to do just a print or a dozen with very little set up compared to trays. Great item and quite often going for great prices on ebay if you keep your eyes open.

I too mainly did only 10 x 8 when I bought one, but bought a bigger one just in case. Glad I did, as I've recently started doing 16 x 12's occasionally and it has saved a second purchase.

No regrets at all.

Terry S
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  #12  
Old 17th April 2013, 12:15 PM
alexmuir alexmuir is offline
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I also use a Nova and would highly recommend it. I have a 3-slot 16x12 model. It is perfect for a situation where you can leave it in place. As already mentioned, you don't want to be moving it much. Operation is very simple. You fill the water jackets from holes on top. A small amount of bleach in the water prevents algae type growths. You then put the chemicals in each slot. 16x12 needs about 2 litres each. Make sure you get the tubular lids for the slots, and at least one print clip if buying secondhand. The clips are essential and cost about £15 each. The clip opens by pushing down on the top, and two steel pins hold the paper. You then just dunk the print in the first slot and agitate. Cling film over the top of the unit at the end of a session greatly prolongs developer life. Lengths of clear plastic tubing attached to the drain tubes make emptying easier. The most recent processors have the temperature control on the mains plug. I find this easier to operate. Alex
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  #13  
Old 17th April 2013, 02:07 PM
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photomi7ch photomi7ch is offline
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I give the Nova Thumbs up too. My darkroom is to small to allow tray development so if it was not for the slotie there would be no dark art
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  #14  
Old 17th April 2013, 02:53 PM
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Jon Butler Jon Butler is offline
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Although I do own two 20x16 Nova's from my RA4 colour days I dislike them for B&W.
There use is not the way to a fine print.
If room for trays is a problem use the single tray method.
J.
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Last edited by Jon Butler; 17th April 2013 at 02:58 PM.
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  #15  
Old 17th April 2013, 03:02 PM
Terry S Terry S is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jon Butler View Post
There use is not the way to a fine print.
For some of us there is barely room for even one tray Jon.

But can you expand on your comment above please? I personally can't see how much difference it could really make?

I also presume the one tray method is pouring the chemicals one by one in and out of a single tray?

Terry S
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  #16  
Old 17th April 2013, 06:48 PM
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Jon Butler Jon Butler is offline
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Terry,
Believe me there's a big difference in base fog if chemicals are not changed at least daily and most people tend to keep the chemicals in a Nova for a long time, days, weeks!
This may ok for some who use RC paper and not too bothered in the absolute best quality that can be obtained. I use Fibre paper and I can't get the results I require without using fresh chemicals, eg. If printing on 14x11 I mix 2 litres of dev and fix and discard them after 8 to10 print attempts or at the end of the session if that comes first.
I also tone most of my stuff and if the dev/fix are old it can have a disastrous effect on the toning with staining and or mottling even though it looked fine before toning.
J.
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  #17  
Old 17th April 2013, 07:14 PM
John King John King is offline
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Default B&W printing in a Nova.

Just to expand a little on Jon's explanation as above. I use a 2 bath Nova for B&W but the two baths hold the stop and fix. The development is still done in a tray.

Under the safelight (I use a DUKA at full power) I can tell what areas of a print need a bit more of a boost and use a 1/2" brush to paint neat developer over that part. This is enough to tip the balance in most cases. If I see a part that is going the other way I left he print and [paint plain water over it. This dilutes the developer and slows the action down.

If you use a Nova for the 1st stage you don't get the chance to do any of that. With a straight Grade 2 paper using the paintbrush method I get the equivalent of 3 grades in one.
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  #18  
Old 17th April 2013, 07:30 PM
Mike O'Pray Mike O'Pray is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by John King View Post
Under the safelight (I use a DUKA at full power) .
John, do you have to use the B&W red cover for the DUKA to do this? A DUKA does give out a lot of light on full power. My worry has always been that it might exceed the safelight limit.

Thanks

Mike
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  #19  
Old 17th April 2013, 09:29 PM
John King John King is offline
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No, I don't have the red filter for the Duka. The light is indirect, reflecting first off the ceiling and then reflecting around the walls so I suppose it does loose a lot of power that way. It has never bothered me or given me any reason to think it is 'dodgy', so I have never tried a safe light test. I may just well do one to satisfy my curiosity.
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  #20  
Old 18th April 2013, 05:32 PM
AlanJones AlanJones is offline
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Default Nova processor 12x16 quad variety:

I have now got one and it is in transit as I type this. I chose to support one of our sponsors as it was right for me. If I had chosen to take a chance on ebay, I would have had to collect it as they all seem to demand personal collection, I would have had to hire a car or bribe a my daughter to come over from Southwold to take me, so I have saved a lot of aggravation with misbehaving kids.

I don't plan to keep chemicals in the machine for any more than three days. I set great store by using fresh chemicals and I tend to save my exposed film in my freezer until I have enough to use up a batch of stock solution developer. For B&W prints, I tend to do two 36's in a session and after one film I usually mix up a fresh batch of developer. No doubt with the processor I can do a lot more.

I think it is now time to ask for your experience of replenisher for the chemicals. I have an unopened 1 litre container of Fotospeed DV10 Varigrade Print Developer conc. which will make 10 litres of working strength solution. Initially, I will be using Ilford RC paper as I already have a load of it but later I am keen to give traditional papers a try and other makes too.
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