If your've started with plastic, stick with plastic. I've used both and prefer the plastic reels and tanks. Why cough up another odd $20 for a new tank and reel set when you just starting out, where as a another plastic reel might cost $2 to $5. If you get the the hang of it and curious, give stainless steel tanks and reels a go.
If you do decide to go buy another plastic reel, see if you can get an older AP reel rather than a Patterson type. The old APs had much bigger film pick ups than the Pattersons and makes life easier for beginners. 90% of the people I've taught basic darkroom theory to have had trouble with film loading rather than chemisty, water, drying problems etc, etc.
Also practice loading the film without looking at it. Sit down and 'watch' TV, and practice. Learn to do it by feel and sound... yes sound. You'll know that your reel isn't dry when it makes a certain squeak and can avoid causing the film to buckle.
It's almost similar to stereotypical view of a US Marine stripping and re-assembling his combat rifle blind-folded. He's in the dark, so are you.
The KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) approach to starting out in the joys and frustrations of Black and White photography is best. When I started out almost two decades ago (gosh I feel old) all I had was devloper and fix, I didn't have stop, let alone wetting agent. Roll after roll of FP4+ came out fine.
In my time I've never had any problem with over fixing film, some pedantic FB papers yes, but never film. Hypo Clearing agent is best if you live some where where water supply is limited, I still find three full tank flushes and a 20 minute wash is best. And of course your wetting agent at the end.
rover said:
Just take a deep breath and enjoy.
But not anywhere near powdered fix or Kodak bleach
😉 And I'll second the ENJOY.
Stu
🙂
P.S. Like your taste in notebook computing
😉
