Developing Tanks...

L

LeicaVirgin1

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Dear Tom-

Have you ever used those plastic types of 35mm film developing spools that have the little ball bearings? It is a hit & miss with me. I sometimes get cinch/crease marks that permanently etch themselves on the developed negative. Am I doing this wrong? It sometimes is a battle to get the film on those spools. Should I invest in a metal types; stainless steel?

I only invested in them because I had heard & read they were easier then the older traditional types.

In closing, what is your opinion of 35mm film negative squeeges to remove excess water & wetting agent from the negs.?

Looking forward to your answers.

Best,

LV1
 
My opinion: Buy quality ones, such as the patterson brand. I have a 2nd tank/reels[cheap brand] to increase output and its a lot more difficult, and mostly, less sure if your film is gonna crinkle, with the cheap ones. I have never had a problem with patterson reels, as long as they are dry!
 
Yesterday I got fed up with my films getting stuck halfway through in my Paterson reels, and I attacked one of them with a very small screwdriver wrapped in toilet paper, and some alcohol. After a good 15 minutes of rubbing the spiral rails, and lots of black smears on the paper, I managed to load a couple of films smoothly till the end. It may be that your reels are just dirty, like mines were.
 
Squeegies are the invention of the Devil. :) I kept getting scratches on the film from them, no matter how well I cleaned them. Nowadays I hold the film up at an angle for a minute (gives me a chance to have a quick first look at the images, too) before hanging it up to dry, to let the water drain to one side.

Reels should be absolutely clean and dry, or else the film snatches and binds. I gave up and switched to steel reels, which I find no problem to load (after the first practice roll or two).
 
I use a photo sponge on my negatives to wipe the excess water off. Keep them clean and use them lightly - I have no problem with scratching.
 
They all work with practice.
Some work better than others.
None of them work unless they are clean and dry.
 
I love my patterson reels with the little ball bearings. The secret I've discovered to using them without getting jams and crinkles, is to load them with the 36th frame going in first, instead of the first frame. The natural curl of the film better matches the sprial of the reels with way and they tend to load much easier. If this doesn't make sense, I wrote this post for my web site a few months back to help explain/illustrate the concept.
 
I use Paterson reels and rarely have troubles loading them. However, you need to clean them regularly (use an old toothbrush) and check that the small steel balls are moving freely.
One way of doing a initial clean of Paterson reels is to run them through your dishwasher! That gets some of the dirt of them. The use the toothbrush and clean out the tracks. You dont have to do that after every use - once every 6 month is enough, depending on how many rolls you go through.
You can get film to "crinkle" too, if you cut the leader off and cut through a sprocket - with unswerving accuracy that "edge" will curl up and jam the reel!!!!
When you use Photo Flo in the final rinse - I also finds that this sticks to the reel and it can get a bit sticky from it,
I never use a squeege to dry film. Too many scratches!! I hang the film up to dry and usually leave it overnight.
 
I bought a small Jobo tank a while ago and as much as it appears to have a superior lid sealing system to the Paterson the reel is strange ... entry slots for the film like the Paterson but without the ball bearings. I haven't quite figured out exactly how you're supposed to feed the film ... I tend to grip the outside of the film on the right as I twist then release and rotate the right side back and repeat the movement. It seems to work OK but it's fiddly!

Does anyone else use this type of Jobo reel?
 
Keith said:
I bought a small Jobo tank a while ago and as much as it appears to have a superior lid sealing system to the Paterson the reel is strange ... entry slots for the film like the Paterson but without the ball bearings. I haven't quite figured out exactly how you're supposed to feed the film ... I tend to grip the outside of the film on the right as I twist then release and rotate the right side back and repeat the movement. It seems to work OK but it's fiddly!

Does anyone else use this type of Jobo reel?
Click to expand...

Hi Keith, I have a couple of those Jobo tanks and reels as well but I didn't really get the point of them and just stuck with the Patterson system instead. If it ain't broke, etcetera etcetera..

Also, I agree that Tom A's suggestion of putting the reels through the dishwasher every once in a while is a good one. If they still feel a bit sticky before I need to use them I occassionally wash them again quickly with hot water and dry them off quickly.

Sjixxxy's method of loading the reels is also a good way to start, though I think most people end up finding a way that works for them with these things, dependant upon your equipment and work flow.
 
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Al Kaplan said:
Once you get the knack of loading a stainless steel reel you'll wonder why you ever bothered using plastic.
Click to expand...

Hi Al, I have a single stainless (Ilford) tank, and I've never used it or try to load even a film onto it.

So what is the great advantage of using stainless anyway? The only thing I can guess is that they are more rugged i.e, you can chuck them in a bag. Are they easier to load or something?
 
Al Kaplan said:
Once you get the knack of loading a stainless steel reel you'll wonder why you ever bothered using plastic.
Click to expand...
It seemed a good idea at the time. :) And if anyone near London needs a twin-reel System IV tank and half a dozen reels (and that blasted squeegie), you're welcome to 'em.
 
Al Kaplan said:
Once you get the knack of loading a stainless steel reel you'll wonder why you ever bothered using plastic.
Click to expand...


Hi Al,

I discovered I was able to load a stainles 35mm reel comfortably but MF had me really struggling ... I damaged a film on one occasion and that discouraged me!

Some of those damned 120 films are like a coiled spring ... especially some of the older stock with a fairly heavy base. Stretch them out and let one end go and they can just about take your eye out! :p
 
Reply to Developing Tanks....

Reply to Developing Tanks....

To all who commented on my post... Thank you all for your generous and very good advise. I use the Patterson version, (2 reels). It was easy at first, but well, you know...

I will clean them & see how that goes. Funny thing is I invested in a Patterson squeege thinking that it would be the BEST... Hardy, har, har. You live, you learn, you drink & smoke more because of it. :bang:

Thanks again,

LV1
 
I find SS easy to load. I first did it back in 1961. It was what every studio, newspaper, custom lab used back then. Try to use new reels or reels that you are sure aren't bent. Second hand reels may look okay and still cause loading problems. On ther other hand, once you get to "know" your reels you shouldn't have a problem. As you turn the reel you let the film get under the wire coil for half a turn or so, then you push the film slightly so it goes up against wire. Push, pull, push, pull...and make sure the cap is on before turning on the lights. Cell phones light up so either turn it off or hide it in your pocket.
 
Al Kaplan said:
Once you get the knack of loading a stainless steel reel you'll wonder why you ever bothered using plastic.
Click to expand...

My little stainless tank and reel set is the least used piece of my developing kit. I can load it just fine, but it's much more of a pita to use than my arista plastic reels.
 
Plastic reels are easy once you get used to them - but unless they are bone-dry they can frustrate even the best of us.
Stainless are fine - but I find that some thin films (Acros/Tech Pan/ Minicopy II etc) are more prone to mishaps!
Another problem is simply the size of the stainless tanks. They usually do 1000 ml/4 reels and with some developers that is just not enough developer.
If you ever drop a stainless reel - just throw it out! Even with the slightest misaligned you are stuck.
Over the years I have accumulated a multitude of Paterson reel ( about 100) - one good reason for going to swapmeets. This way I am sure that I have a set of dry ones when needed.
I also have to keep only one type of reels for 35mm and 120 films.
 
I did Paterson for a year, and they work well. But I bought some Hewes steel reels a few weeks ago and my entire attitude toward steel reels has changed. they are superb, and much much better than other steel reels.
 
I use nothing but Paterson plastic reels with ball bearings, and as long as they're clean and dry, I never have a problem. I use a hair drier to make sure they're really dry - people do sometimes wonder why I have one, as I have no hair.

Cheers,
 
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