Processing radiograph

Noelle Ocon <nocon<-a t->ncmamail< . >dcr< . >state< . >nc< . >us> writes

>Currently, at the North Carolina Museum of Art, we are using a
>wet-processing method with our Industrex AA 400 radiograph film.
>The darkroom we use now has no drainage and inadequate water supply.
>Therefore, we would like to explore methods other conservation labs
>use, i.e. polaroid or other developing processes, and the pros and
>cons of these methods.

I can think of a few options you might what to consider. I don't
know of any films that process like a Polaroid. The systems I am
familiar with also require some outlay for hardware.  To a great
extent it depends on your budget for making this change:

    1.  Getting a portable darkroom and automatic processor and
        locating it near some water and drainage.  These are
        light-proof cylinders you walk into and feed film through a
        slit into an automatic processor manufactured by Kodak or
        another company.

    2.  The Agfa Curix 60 processor is marketed as needing no
        plumbing.  It comes with its own chemical a wash water
        bottles.  It is designed for offices and field use so may
        work as well.

    3.  Dupont markets a dry system called the NDTRapid System.  A
        single film is used with different speed fluorescent screens
        to get different film speeds.  Dupont has scaled down its
        radiography branch so this may not be available any more and
        may be less reliable in terms of long-term commitment.

    4.  An older dry system was marketed by Xerox Medical
        (Xeroradiography)  This system is no longer supported and
        parts and maintenance are a problem.

    5.  Fuji markets a digital system which is very nice and very
        expensive. The sensitivity of the system is approximating
        that of film.  Xerox is also introducing some digital
        systems.

    6.  Getting plumbing and drainage may be the least expensive!

My own inclination might  be to go for a processor that requires no
plumbing or look into portable darkrooms with a plumbed in automatic
processor and move your set up to another location.  This way you
can stay with your present films which may still offer some of the
best image quality.

Jeff Maish
J. Paul Getty Museum

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                  Conservation DistList Instance 11:18
                  Distributed: Friday, August 22, 1997
                       Message Id: cdl-11-18-006
                                  ***