Hello. Is it possible to wash RC prints and fiber prints together in a Paterson print washer (the one with the slots)? Example, if I have some fiber prints in the washer already and I want to wash a couple of RC prints, can I add the RC prints to the washer and wash them for the normal 2 to 4 munutes or do I have to wash them longer? Thank you in advance.

Francis

-- Francis T. Knapik (fknapik@mail.nysed.gov), January 28, 2002

Answers

Francis!!!!!!! Don't EVER add prints to other prints in the washer unless you start a new timing of your overall washing time. The new prints will add fixer to the washer.

I would not wash RC and Fiber together, it takes longer to wash out all the fixer residue from the Fiber than the RC. That is, when you wash RC prints you might have clear water after 5 minutes [or whatever], but when you wash them with Fiber prints, that is not the case. Of course, if you put them in with the Fiber and take them out with the Fiber, you should be ok.

chris

-- Christian Harkness (chris.harkness@eudoramail.com), January 28, 2002.

Washing RC prints is so easy and fast, my suggestion is just to keep them separate. Why mix something that takes five minutes without a wash aid with paper that takes at least 30 minutes after a wash aid? Sure you can mix fiber and RC if you start the final process at the same time. But you should probably rinse the RC paper for at least a minute to keep from adding a large amount of fixer into you final wash. And then I would rinse it again for a minute or so if I pulled it out of the washer after four or five minutes. So why mix them in the first place?

-- Jim Rock (jameswrock@aol.com), January 28, 2002.