SASQUA PHOTO
EQUIP. IDEA
SP 445 FILM WASHER
INTRO:
The SP 445 developing tank that is designed for 4X5 sheet film and does it spectacularly.
Over the past year or so I have made a
few field modifications to my own but none were (I deemed) production worthy, such as
painting the fill end of the lid in red or epoxying two pieces as rubber “feet” on
the ends of the base of the tank and “protect" a really big rubber-band.
The rubber pad protects the band from the
“chines” of the tank and the that works very nicely to “Lock” the top and,
almost more importantly, lets me know there is film in there and not to unintentionally open it up…
One, however, is not really a hack (an
hack.?) directly and allows me to more thoroughly rinse the film.
I originally created one of these rinsing
device for use with a Unicolor drum that I was using for my 5x7 negatives.
I discovered that the water flowing into
this device actually scavenges the wash water and unusually the water level showed to be lower inside the wash unit than the level where the wash flows over the rim of
the tank.
The scavenging effect.
ITS USE:
The wash jet is simplicity itself.
A small funnel is affixed to a short
piece of plastic tube and to put the extractor or washer jet in place I remove the first
tank baffles, insert the unit into that end of the tank and turn on the wash
water.
If you turn the water on too hard the
water will over flow the funnel.
It seems that the optimal flow is that
which shows that the wash water is actually below the line overflowing the tank.
SUPPLIES:
(Item #1.)
I found a small funnel at the local
Dollar Tree store but probably any “super discount” type store will do just
fine.
I found a nest of three funnels for all
of the proverbial dollar…
The 5/8” ID tube came from the local Home Depot altho’,
again, can be sourced from most home or plumbing supply.
The only real caveat here is the fact
that the end of the funnel fits within the inside of the tube.
It’s also helpful if you can find a
globe shaped funnel (see: Illustration #2) rather than a conical one altho’ this is not
mandatory.
It’s nicer if the funnel just rests on
the rim of the tank.
CONSTRUCTION:
I started with about a 7” piece of the 5/8"ID tube.
While this is too long for the final
washer it gives you a workable section of tube for sizing things.
Your funnel determines the ultimate length of the tube.
What I then did was to put the funnel
into the tube and mark the point at which the tube seats against the tapered
part of the funnel.
Having removed the two baffles (they
just slide out) in the tank put in the tube and funnel assembly.
The tube will seat on the small bulkhead
at the bottom of the tank.
A good thing…
Now carefully measure the distance
from the rim of the tank to the point at which the tube will fit into the tube.
Cut off that length from the tube.
You’re almost there.
I drilled two holes as shown at the
base of the tube although it could probably be a notch or a couple of holes of
almost any sort.
I cleaned up the cuts as much as I
could.
I also cut back the funnel nozzle until it
only fits into the tube by about ½” or so.
This will probably increase the
opening a bit more.
Another good thing….
I then scarred up or sanded the inside of the
tube and the outside of the base of the funnel and epoxied the two pieces
together with J-B Weld.
Once it’s cured all you have to do is
to put it in the washer and turn on the water……
ILLUSTRATIONS:
Illustration
#1
Illustration
#2
Illustration
#3
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