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  #21  
Old 17th June 2021, 01:33 PM
Faraz Faraz is offline
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ok, so this is getting a bit random. Again I saw silver stains on the border even with fresh stop. There seems no rhyme nor reason for this that I can figure out. Freshened up the fix in case and the next sheet is clean, but this may be a red herring. I've never had paper so fickle, but I'm getting the prints out with the occasional border bleach, so happy enough.

The odd thing about the stain (sorry didn't photograph, next time will) is how its consistently about 1 cm in all around the edges, not a fog but small patches.

About vertical slots, I have an Optima 12 processor, the new fangled Nova I guess. The basic flaw is the slots are not vertical, they are around 60egrees. So they gather residue on the acrylic sides. This ruins your prints after a few sessions. Unfortunately as the slot is so narrow they are very difficult to clean. I've actually mounted these vertically on my bench / sink I built. They last longer before residue build up but are still a pain in the *&!# to clean. There are many other flaws to this system. Like the acrylic bulges out with the liquid so the lids don't fully cover the slot leaving some exposure to air. The water inlets also have a lot of issues but since mine is a prototype I got for less than the finished model not fair to comment on this.
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  #22  
Old 17th June 2021, 06:28 PM
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David Lingham David Lingham is offline
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Faraz, what fixer are you using? And for how long? The Ilford data sheet for Art300 mentions Rapid or Hypam 1+4 for 1 min only. Ilford also do not recommend a hardening fix. Final thought, has you paper had to go through customs or are you in the UK.
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  #23  
Old 17th June 2021, 06:38 PM
Mike O'Pray Mike O'Pray is offline
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Frankly, if it were me, Faraz, I'd now be contacting Ag Photographic about the issue. It is just possible that Ag received a bad batch of Art 300 from whomsoever it buys from and for all you know it has had other complaints but can do nothing about individual cases until it knows who the affected customers are.

I'd assume but this may not be a correct assumption, that it buys direct from Ilford who makes it at Mobberley so in theory no overseas travel and only a short run from Cheshire to Brum but still I feel you need to alert AgPhotographic.

Mike
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  #24  
Old 17th June 2021, 07:37 PM
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skellum skellum is offline
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Faraz, I am more than happy to send you a couple of sheets of Art300 from a different batch.
This would let you test whether it was your box of paper or a process fault.
PM me if you are interested.
Not here every day, but not usually absent for too long.
Colin
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  #25  
Old 18th June 2021, 11:38 AM
Terry S Terry S is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by skellum View Post
Faraz, I am more than happy to send you a couple of sheets of Art300 from a different batch.
This would let you test whether it was your box of paper or a process fault.
Colin
That's a good idea and very generous of you Colin. This is one of the things that I like about this site - the way that 'members'(?) of the forum help each other out.

But just to say, I'm on my second box of Art 300, which I absolutely love, (only using it for the right neg or two) and have never had a problem with a single sheet.

It will good for you to sort out the problem and get back to using the paper with no worries.

Terry S
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  #26  
Old 18th June 2021, 11:54 AM
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billcowan billcowan is offline
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this sounds like s similar problem as I had. I have an older Nova and if I move the sheets with my fingers from slot to slot instead of the clips, the skin of my fingers was contaminated with a combination of developer stop and fixer. this resulted in finger marks and as well, as the session went on to rundown marks as the the various solutions running off the prints were contaminated by my fingers and ran down onto the print. Of course the clips never did this.
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  #27  
Old 18th June 2021, 01:17 PM
Terry S Terry S is offline
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...and have never had a problem with a single sheet.

Terry S
I should of added, that I too use a Nova vertical slot processor, and have never had a problem with Art 300, or any other paper come to that, when using the Nova unit.

Terry S
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  #28  
Old 18th June 2021, 07:05 PM
Faraz Faraz is offline
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I produced around 10 prints yesterday and they were all clear. @skellum, Colin, Thanks so much for the offer of a few sheets, but since the problem is so intermittent I'm not sure if it'd clear things up. Very kind of you non the less.

@David, I'm using PF TF-5 for 1 min. I often sepia tone which I believe is also a good test that the print is fixing well and also the fixer is clearing in the wash. Although this print isn't toned.

@billcowan, the Optima has a print holder, which I believe just increases contamination from one slot to another. Clips make more sense, but don't work with the Optima since the print would just suck onto the acrylic sides if not held in place. For something touted as 'next generation', it really has a few too many flaws. But it does save space so...

For now the box has earned its keep with a few print sales and perhaps only 15 sheets left. btw. this is the print I was working on , not enough border to trim off any marks, but in the end only 1 or 2 needed to be bleached.

Thanks again everyone for chiming in with ideas
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  #29  
Old 19th June 2021, 05:45 AM
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Faraz, you have some truly lovely images on your website. You have a knack for catching the light with real delicacy. Great work.
Hope you resolve this hiccup with the Art300.
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  #30  
Old 19th June 2021, 09:34 AM
Faraz Faraz is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by skellum View Post
Faraz, you have some truly lovely images on your website. You have a knack for catching the light with real delicacy. Great work.
Hope you resolve this hiccup with the Art300.

Many thanks Colin
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