[LargeFormat] Tray development

[Betsy Schneider]

Hi, 
I'm new to this group but I'd just like to say that I find tray development 
works very well for me. (4x5 but I have a friend who has been doing 8x10 for 
about thirty years and she taught me). I always use a pre-wash and there you 
do have to make sure to keep one hand dry as you put the sheets into the 
pre-wash. Then I transfer them singly into the dev and then I do not shuffle 
them, thus eliminating the possibility for scratching. I just run my fingers 
gently inbetween them at the corner or the edges to separate them and at the 
same time gently agitate the tray. This keeps the chemicals moving in-between 
the film and I have found provides the necessary agitation. 

Betsy