NOVA "SPRHC1" - What is it?

[RH Designs]

Assuming the heaters are in working order I think you got yourself a bargain . Bdial has covered pretty much all you need to know, but it's not a Quad - those have four heated slots. I think this type, which is three heated slots plus a wash, was called an RA4 and as the name implies they were designed for RA4 colour printing. I have a Quad which I've used for RA4 and Ilfochrome in the past, but I use it just for monochrome these days. There's no need to upgrade the heaters, the old design works perfectly well. If you don't have the "floating lids" a trip to a plumbers' merchant to pick up some plastic water pipe will sort that out. That's what Nova uses. If you email Nova you'll find them very helpful and able to advise what else you might need to get the most from the unit. It'll work fine for b+w, the built-in wash slot is ideal for RC papers.

[john_s]

There was also a "Chrome" model: Slots 1,3 and 4 heated, slot 2 running water rinse and slot 5 also running water rinse. Slot 5 was a separate unit that fitted snugly against the right hand end of the main unit. I have a 12"x16" one, and I think they also existed in 8"x10" and 16"x20" but I'm not really sure.

The lids that Nova supply don't really protect from air very well. I prefer that the slots be quite full and then I stretch plastic cling wrap over the whole unit. My linked heaters failed and the replacements were rather expensive, but the whole setup is super and the cost worthwhile. I chose two separate heaters so that if one failed then that would not take out the other, which is what happened with the original linked pair.

I have blocked the top drain of slot 2 and use metabisulphite stop because I found that the water rinse had to be very thorough (i.e. long) to avoid a chance of staining.

[Steve Smith]

Every time I see a thread like this, I start drawing up plans to make my own slot processor... then I don't get round to doing it. I will one day!

Can somone who owns one tell me what width the compartments are?


Steve.

[Greg Davis]

They aren't wide, about 1/2 to 3/4 inch, but to help guide the paper in, they are rounded out at the top. They also have textured walls to prevent the paper from sticking to the sides.

[michaelbsc]

They aren't wide, about 1/2 to 3/4 inch, but to help guide the paper in, they are rounded out at the top. They also have textured walls to prevent the paper from sticking to the sides.

They're made from the "waffled" acrylic, and the actual chamber is V shaped. Or really more U shaped. Wider at the top than bottom.

When I looked at making my own I decided that unless you can get the acrylic cheap it isn't worth the labor. The cost savings isn't enough to justify the effort.

If you can get the materials cheaply then that changes the analysis. I'm relating my situation.