RC Paper -- Darkroom workflow question

[Kycoo]

I have been getting corner delamination on some RC contact sheets I made last month. Since I am planning to use RC paper for the prints in the near future, I thought I'd investigate why.

I use Ilford paper exclusively. I read in Ilford's RC paper fact sheet that Ilford does not recommend wet times longer than 15 minutes for their RC paper. Problem is, I use a college darkroom and usually do not do a wash until the end of the period, which is about two to three hours later. During that time, the prints sit in a holding tray with running water.

Is there a way around this relatively short wet time or I just have to put up with washing and drying the prints as they get out of the fixer?

[Akki14]

Are you accidently bashing the corner of the paper? That will make it a lot more likely to delaminate. Don't miss out a good washing, the fixer left on the print will eat it away.

[jmal]

No way around it as far as I know. I ususally print for 20-30 minutes and then wash. Repeat cycle. I don't have any major delamination issues, but every now and then I get a swollen corner.

[selenium96]

Perhaps you could get a hold of a Kodak tray siphon and turn your holding tray into a washer. MGIV RC has pretty short wash times especially with rapid fixer.

[fschifano]

Yeah, well unfortunately, that's the way it is. RC papers don't like extended wet times. The figures quoted by the manufacturer are conservative, but you still need to watch it. Banging the corners is a sure way to aggravate the problem, and it doesn't take much abuse for obvious damage to occur once the paper has been wet for a while.

How are you washing the prints? In a tray with agitation or a tray siphon? Most of the damage I've had to RC prints was due to a too vigorous water flow in the tray. Turn down the flow and it goes away.

[Nick Zentena]

Does Ilford actually list a max of 15 minutes? Seems very short to me. Use a slow developer. Plain double fix. Haven't you used most of that 15minutes up before the wash?

[JBrunner]

In my experience you can get away with more than 15 minutes, but two or three hours in water is waaay too long for RC.

[Kycoo]

Nick, the wet times are noted on page 3 (washing section) of the Ilford RC paper fact sheet: http://www.ilfordphoto.com/Webfiles/...0200232336.pdf

The holding tank has very slow running water. We wash in a tumbler -- so that may be the problem. I will try hand washing instead and every hour.

Thanks for putting up with my newbie questions.

----Patrick

[fschifano]

We wash in a tumbler -- so that may be the problem. I will try hand washing instead and every hour.

There's your answer. I'd bet money on it.

[ic-racer]

When I do RC I 'wash as I go' one at a time in a tray with a Kodak siphon. I don't let the prints built up as when doing FB prints.