Following on from my thread about C41 processing temperature a few weeks ago, I am planning on making my own temperature bath to put bottles and a developing tank inside. Like everyone else, I’ve previously used a washing up basin with warm water inside, but it’s a total pain in the ass keeping the water at the right temperature and the bottles bob about all over the place.
I’m not sure a proper “build thread” is really needed as it’s such a simple thing to make, but I wanted to get input first and also I figured other people might find it useful if they plan to do their own C41 too.
Background:
I develop my own black and white all the time, and have done C41 in the past. I currently send my film to UK Film Lab, who do an excellent job, but charge about £10 a roll for their service. I’ve recently returned from holiday with 12 rolls of film to develop, and rather than sending the £120 to UKFL, I thought I could make my own temperature bath and then I won’t have to pay any developing costs in the future aside from the occasional C41 kit. I would also like to have the photos pretty quick, and a ten day turnaround is less than ideal.
Requirements:
The bath must:
· Be able to maintain a constant temperature of 38 degrees centigrade +/- 1 degree
· Hold four 1L glass bottles and 1 Paterson Super System 4 tank
· Have the ability to empty the tank via a tap on the side so that I don’t have to tip it out to empty and make a mess everywhere
· Not electrocute me!
And ideally:
· Cost around £100-£120 to make from scratch
· Be self-contained within the euro container so that all the wires and bits fit inside so it can be packed away cleanly and quickly.
Plan:
My current plan is quite simple: A 20L euro container with a Novatronic water heater (basically like a fish tank heater but with a slightly higher maximum temperature) at one end, and a small fish tank pump at the other end to circulate the water and keep the temperature even throughout the entire container. At the other sides there will be holders for four glass bottles which will be held securely against the side to stop them bobbing about and hitting into each other etc. In the middle there will be a fifth holder which will hold the actual developing tank securely in place. If I was using 500ml bottles then standard bicycle bottle holders would be perfect and could easily be screwed to the sides, but I don’t think 1L bottles will fit so I’ll have to think of another way to hold them. I also need to think of a way to hold the developing tank.
I will be making this to hold 1 litre chemical bottles and a Super System 4 Paterson tank, because I want to be able to do 4x5 sheets on occasion, or the ability to do more than one 120 roll at a time.
This is the Novatronic heater that I’m planning on using
http://www.firstcall-photographic.co.uk/nova-water-heater-novatronic/p784
And these are the bottles. They’re not the cheapest around but the postage cost of glass bottles is quite high elsewhere and I’ll be getting the heater from Firstcall anyway!
http://www.firstcall-photographic.co.uk/firstcall-chemical-storage-bottle-glass-1-litre/p866
and the 20L container will be similar to this one, once I find a place that’s reasonably priced and doesn’t have stupid massive holes for handles
http://www.screwfix.com/p/20ltr-euro-container-400-x-300-x-220mm/47126
I don’t think the pump is too important as long as it keeps the water moving around, so I think a cheap one like this would suit
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Submersibl...&qid=1464177601&sr=8-3&keywords=aquarium+pump
I’ve started doing a bit of CAD modelling of the whole set up, but before I get to a stage where I can show any images I want to gather thoughts from knowledgeable and helpful F&C members, instead of making it and then finding out I could have done something a different/better way.
I’m not sure a proper “build thread” is really needed as it’s such a simple thing to make, but I wanted to get input first and also I figured other people might find it useful if they plan to do their own C41 too.
Background:
I develop my own black and white all the time, and have done C41 in the past. I currently send my film to UK Film Lab, who do an excellent job, but charge about £10 a roll for their service. I’ve recently returned from holiday with 12 rolls of film to develop, and rather than sending the £120 to UKFL, I thought I could make my own temperature bath and then I won’t have to pay any developing costs in the future aside from the occasional C41 kit. I would also like to have the photos pretty quick, and a ten day turnaround is less than ideal.
Requirements:
The bath must:
· Be able to maintain a constant temperature of 38 degrees centigrade +/- 1 degree
· Hold four 1L glass bottles and 1 Paterson Super System 4 tank
· Have the ability to empty the tank via a tap on the side so that I don’t have to tip it out to empty and make a mess everywhere
· Not electrocute me!
And ideally:
· Cost around £100-£120 to make from scratch
· Be self-contained within the euro container so that all the wires and bits fit inside so it can be packed away cleanly and quickly.
Plan:
My current plan is quite simple: A 20L euro container with a Novatronic water heater (basically like a fish tank heater but with a slightly higher maximum temperature) at one end, and a small fish tank pump at the other end to circulate the water and keep the temperature even throughout the entire container. At the other sides there will be holders for four glass bottles which will be held securely against the side to stop them bobbing about and hitting into each other etc. In the middle there will be a fifth holder which will hold the actual developing tank securely in place. If I was using 500ml bottles then standard bicycle bottle holders would be perfect and could easily be screwed to the sides, but I don’t think 1L bottles will fit so I’ll have to think of another way to hold them. I also need to think of a way to hold the developing tank.
I will be making this to hold 1 litre chemical bottles and a Super System 4 Paterson tank, because I want to be able to do 4x5 sheets on occasion, or the ability to do more than one 120 roll at a time.
This is the Novatronic heater that I’m planning on using
http://www.firstcall-photographic.co.uk/nova-water-heater-novatronic/p784
And these are the bottles. They’re not the cheapest around but the postage cost of glass bottles is quite high elsewhere and I’ll be getting the heater from Firstcall anyway!
http://www.firstcall-photographic.co.uk/firstcall-chemical-storage-bottle-glass-1-litre/p866
and the 20L container will be similar to this one, once I find a place that’s reasonably priced and doesn’t have stupid massive holes for handles
http://www.screwfix.com/p/20ltr-euro-container-400-x-300-x-220mm/47126
I don’t think the pump is too important as long as it keeps the water moving around, so I think a cheap one like this would suit
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Submersibl...&qid=1464177601&sr=8-3&keywords=aquarium+pump
I’ve started doing a bit of CAD modelling of the whole set up, but before I get to a stage where I can show any images I want to gather thoughts from knowledgeable and helpful F&C members, instead of making it and then finding out I could have done something a different/better way.


The velcro sounds like a great idea, not too much effort to pull it out of the water but enough to stop them bobbing about!

