Developing 4x5 sheet film

Tjhe way I solved the problem with loud misic from downstairs was to turn the speakers grill down on the floor, turn up the volumn, and go shopping.

8 hours later I had it fixed.

They like to stay up until 6 am and I get up at 6. Too bad.
 
I did it this way...
Downstair's bathroom is my darkroom since can shut out all light anytime of the day...
I got in there with chemicals at the ready...with the lights off I pulled the reel out poured the D-76 1:1 in and replaced the reel, capped then turned the lights back on...had to invert the tank for agitation and that's where the leaking comes in...did the light out thing again to rinse and fix then the rest normally...
Since this was the first time with this tank set-up my biggest concern was the right amount of developer to fill the tank but not waste too much...just a bit over 1 litre works (now I know)
Loading the film was easy enough...strapping them in was a bit tricky but I got that too...Overall I was real happy with the results, the negs look like they will print decently...now I gotta get some 4x5 neg holders...

I'm Happy!!!
 
If It's a game I just can't miss>>>>

If It's a game I just can't miss>>>>

venchka said:
Working in the dark is not an option for me. There's no way I can get the wet area of my apartment dark. Besides, I couldn't watch football and develop film if I were working in the dark.
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Here's what I do. Turn down the saturation on the television, put 2 layers of red film over the screen on 13 inch television. Then do my B&W development work. Nothing stops me from developing. I do try to time soak intervals when it looks like a team is within goal distance. The crowd cheering or booing is distracting so I have an automated suppression filter for large increases in volume on the audio circuit.

Re: light.... I painted all the windows black with latex enamel. It's best to sandpaper the glass a bit first and prime the glass. My landlord hasn't seen that yet.
 
Trius said:
You're a better man than I. Eventually I said "Yankee go home."
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My wife and I have set aside a small chunk of capital for the creation of a Yankee 4x5 development tank home... we are accepting applications now for all who would like to find that special resting place for their Yankee tanks - - an environment where they won't be mistreated or abused and will get sufficient exercise several weekends a month... xray film included.
 
On my way home I stopped by Samy's Camera and picked up some Neopan 400 (120) and a big box of HP5 Plus (4x5) but I forgot the 4x5 sleeves...
I'll be back that way next Friday...
HP5 Plus will go in the frige and I'll start using a new box of 320TXP...
 
HP5+ developing

HP5+ developing

nikon_sam said:
On my way home I stopped by Samy's Camera and picked up some Neopan 400 (120) and a big box of HP5 Plus (4x5) but I forgot the 4x5 sleeves...
I'll be back that way next Friday...
HP5 Plus will go in the frige and I'll start using a new box of 320TXP...
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Let us know how you get on with the HP5+. I'm using up a 100 sheet box I got cheap with D-76 1:1 I also got cheap. I'm at 10 minutes in the Jobo Expert tank right now. I will develop my next sheets at 9 minutes and flip a coin between the two times. I think 10 minutes is right for enlarging but 9 minutes may be better for scaning.
 
nikon_sam said:
a big box of HP5 Plus (4x5) but I forgot the 4x5 sleeves...
I'll be back that way next Friday...
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Last time I 4x5 sleeves I did pretty much the opposite. Something in my head totaly failed and told me that the 25 meant I could only hold 25 negatives with one package, not 25 sheets that hold 4 negatives. So, instead of buying one pack, I bought four and thought "Damn, that seemed more expensive then I remember to store 100 negatives"

So, yeah, I now have enough storage for 400 sheets sitting around. It should be a while before I need to worry about buying sleeves again.
 
Big neg developing

Big neg developing

I didn't think there'd be much interest here, so I haven't put this in the classifieds, BUT -

I don't use my Beseler drum roller and two 8X10 Unicolor drums anymore. Each drum does 4 - 4X5's, 2 - 5X7's or an 8X10 at one shot. Works a charm for film and paper.

If anyone's interested I'll put them in the classifieds here before letting them go. I won't sell without giving up my $5 to the cause here!

Jo
 
wclavey said:
My wife and I have set aside a small chunk of capital for the creation of a Yankee 4x5 development tank home... we are accepting applications now for all who would like to find that special resting place for their Yankee tanks - - an environment where they won't be mistreated or abused and will get sufficient exercise several weekends a month... xray film included.
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Well, if I ever find my Yankee tank, it's yours. :) It may be in a box of stuff that is still at my ex's house. I'll be up there next month to collect that, so we'll see.
 
Where are my manners?

Where are my manners?

wclavey said:
My wife and I have set aside a small chunk of capital for the creation of a Yankee 4x5 development tank home... we are accepting applications now for all who would like to find that special resting place for their Yankee tanks - - an environment where they won't be mistreated or abused and will get sufficient exercise several weekends a month... xray film included.
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If you'll remind me, I'll bring my Yankee tank the next time I come over. That ought to be worth a few more scans, hey? I know that it will have a good home. Should I ever need it, I'll know where to find it.

"One man's junk is another man's treasure."

Cheers!
 
If....

I don't have the funds yet for an Expert drum and I don't see myself developing in the dark with trays, is my only other option the Combi plan tank?

Are there anything else that everyone knows except for me? :D
 
shadowfox said:
If....I don't see myself developing in the dark with trays, is my only other option the Combi plan tank?
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There have been a few different tank systems designed for daylight sheet film processing over the years, and if you watch for them, they occasionally come up for auction. The best of these I ever used was a round stainless steel tank not unlike the ones for 35 and 120/220, but much larger. It requires (and if found for sale used, should only be bought if it includes) a curved ss rack that holds up to 10 or 12 sheets. Unfortunately, I have only seen these for sale maybe three times in the past ten years, but you could get lucky.

If you want a solution you can readily buy retail, I think the Combi plan tank is probably your best bet.

I'm lucky- I have a dedicated light tight darkroom; I do sheets open in Yankee tanks for runs up to 11 sheets at a time. When I have more to process at once, I break out the big 3 gallon stainless steel tanks. With racks and 4-sheet hangers, it's no trick to process 48 sheets per run (or up to 18 rolls of 120/220 at a time!). These are great to save time when I get big orders, but they do take a lot of chemistry!
 
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Drew, thanks for the rundown.
I'm just starting as you can tell. The reason I am leery of combi-plan tanks is because

I read plenty horror stories about its: wasteful usage of chemical, non-durable, and prone to accidents like spilling chemicals because the valve either got broken or accidentally opened.

The expert drums sounds like a better choice for low volumes, but they are expensive!

I guess I can get one of those Jobo tanks that has big reels inside, although how do you reel a sheet film, still not quite clear to me.
 
Getting sheet film onto those reels isn't rocket science, but it helps to be shown the procedure in the light by someone who knows it, if possible. You don't reel the film in, you slip it into it's slot. If you can find instructions with illustrations or a video, great. Either way, just like learning to reel roll film, practice with garbage sheets in the light until you see how it works; be able to do it reliably with your eyes closed before you try it for real in the dark.

As for the Combi plan, I don't like it. Are you sure there's no way you can work in the dark? Open tanks with hangers- or even just tray processing- isn't that hard. Anyway, try to keep it simple, and good luck!
 
Will: If there's any way to do it in the dark ( ;) ), do so. I recommend open tanks (a set of 3-4 tanks plus hangers isn't very expensive) over trays. Tray processing of multiple sheets is prone to scratching. I know some people can do it no problem, but they'd probably be lying if they told you it took "no time at all" before they got the technique down. YMMV.

The problem with the Yankee tank for me was that using it in daylight mode, I got uneven chemistry distribution, surge marks, etc. That was probably down to my technique, perhaps contamination as someone suggested here. But as the rack is plastic, cleanliness is more difficult than with stainless.
 
Film Tank$$$

Film Tank$$$

I've been watching, on the bay, the current prices of the Nikor 4x5 Film Tanks...I got mine about two years ago for $86 +shipping...
the last two went for over $260 +shipping...one that will end in less than 3 1/2 hours is already at $315 + $12 for shipping...this is crazy...:eek:
 
nikon_sam said:
I've been watching, on the bay, the current prices of the Nikor 4x5 Film Tanks...I got mine about two years ago for $86 +shipping...
the last two went for over $260 +shipping...one that will end in less than 3 1/2 hours is already at $315 + $12 for shipping...this is crazy...:eek:
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I just noticed that $260 one! I got mine too for 80 bucks about a month ago. Still haven't used it. I've been using BTZS tubes but sometimes, its just so much easier doing 4x5's in trays.

I used to do them face up in trays until I read the tip in viewcamera.com magazine website. It had instructions to do them face down! Completely the opposite of what I learned. And you know what?! No scratches! So that's the way I've been doing them since.
 
eric said:
I used to do them face up in trays until I read the tip in viewcamera.com magazine website. It had instructions to do them face down! Completely the opposite of what I learned. And you know what?! No scratches! So that's the way I've been doing them since.
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Face down is indeed the way to go, contrary to popular wisdom. Never had scratches that way.

-A
 
All, I know that I should probably ask first before buying stuff, but oh well... :p

I bought a Unicolor roller and two tanks, look like this:

uniroller_2tanks.jpg


Please tell me that this is all I need (except chemicals) to start developing 4x5 sheets. These tanks don't come with or need reels, do they?
 
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