Paterson 231 Standard Auto Print Washer 24x30cm - washing machine for photo paper

Paterson archival fibre paper washer

For prints up to 24x30 cm

Finally, an affordable fiber washer with a uniquely low water-usage requirement thanks to a patented rocking-basket system.

Water is cirulated through a special vent so that the print-basket is constantly rocked. This creates a constant, slight motion while using very little water. A thin trickle is sufficient for the prints to stay in motion. Consequently, you can leave the photos in the washer even overnight and use only a few liters of water.

The downside of the vent is that, if you use insufficient water pressure, the basket won't rock, and with too much the hose will fly off the water faucet. Some customers have removed the vent alltogether and just used the natural water circulation within the washer. Rocking the basket a few times by hand will also work.

The washer has a capacity for 12 prints. This is not an individual-cell washer - you have to wash all prints at the same time. The 30x40 washer is of better-quality construction than the 24x30 washer, as the water comes in at the bottom of the washer and is driven upwards through a channel.

Warning: The 30x40 cm washer is cut exactly to 30,5x40x5 cm. Some papers, however, are cut slightly larger. Soaking wet fiber paper tends to swell to a size of around 40,7 cm. When this happens, the sheets don't fit cleanly into the washer. If you find that you are having this problem, you'll need to trim your paper a few centimeters before exposing and processing it.