Patterson tank system 4 s**ks

colyn

colyn

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Last week I went to Arlington Camera and bought a new Patterson tank system 4 with 2 35mm reels. Went into the darkroom and loaded it. After pouring in the developer and agitation I gently taped the side to dislodge air bubbles. The #@*%$ tank broke in half dumping both reels into the tempering bath. Needless to say they were ruined.

I then bought another one (obviously I didn't learn my lesson).. The same thing happened tonight ruining 2 more rolls of HP5.

It's back to stainless steel for me..
 
I've used stainless kit as well as system 4 reels and tanks for 30+ years and I've never even seen a broken sys-4 tank... and I've dropped them plenty. I'd sure enough demand refunds for those tanks asap; if there is a problem with the materials or molds the maker should be alerted and made to step-up and make good your losses for the equipment.

Eli
 
back alley said:
bummer!
i've been using patterson tanks for almost 30 years and never had that happen.

joe
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I've used plastic tanks before without problems but this is the first time I used the Patterson tanks. I do however like the way the reels load..just twist back and forth..
 
Never had a problem with Patterson tanks. Yours must have been faulty? I've been fairly clumsy over the years, dropping them on to concrete, kicking them across the floor, etc and they just seem to survive and do what they do well.

Andrew
 
I have five and all are fine. I never bang the side but tap the base onto something hard making sure it is square. This gives a sharper impact than banging the bendy side and also plays to the natural strength of the cylinder. No cracks, nothing. sounds like a faulty batch. very odd.

Where did they split?
 
Turtle said:
No cracks, nothing. sounds like a faulty batch. very odd.

Where did they split?
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The first one split in half from top to bottom. The second one split down one side and the bottom fell out.
 
Must have been faulty tanks. This is not some brittle plastic that breaks when you look at it. And tap gently! :)
 
That is weird. I have two tanks which I have been using and abusing, and I've been pleasantly surprised at how well they've held up! Either you bought plainly faulty ones, or Paterson have changed their manufacturer-supplier. Too bad. But you might be able to get a decent second-hand one. I can vouch for mine - built like a tank.... (well, almost).

Jin
 
What?

What?

Nothing like that happened to mine.
Mine is doing fine!
How hard did you knock it ! ?

Go easy on it.
A few taps - swirl with that middle thingy is good enough . . .
no need for wacking - slaming . . .

:eek:
 
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I agree with the faulty tank theory. I have dropped Patterson tanks filled with developer and reels and nothing happened.

Richie
 
I'm another satisfied user of Paterson tanks and have been for 40 years. The only time I managed to break one was when I dropped a lid four feet on to a concrete floor and the core seperated from the lid. Two minutes work with some plastic glue and it worked for another five years or so.

:D
 
Why buy them new? They are all over the place right now in car boot sales and the like, and can be had for pence. I can't speak for the quality of the current production, but I've owned 4 in the last 35 years, and they're all still going fine.
 
Interesting, I've dropped both of Patterson tanks onto the wooden floor of my kitchen. One has a small bite out of the base, the other is unharmed. I always lift the tank and tap by bringing it down squarely onto a hard surface like banging the base of a ketchup bottle to clear the neck. I've never had a problem with air bells either. I'd say you have part of a faulty batch. Look along the cracks to see if there are any voids in the plastic (air bubbles and the like). They should be solid.
 
Mine looks exactly the one in CVBR3M's top picture. Is that the old one? I've put about 80 rolls of film through mine with no problems.
 
Bloody hell man - are you the incredible hulk? :)

I've not had any problems with the paterson tanks - just got some more which have been (very) used by a BBC photographer and they're fine too. The same doesn't go for the reels which will take a few aeons to clean.
 
Agree, have a couple of these I've been using since the mid-70s with no issues at all!

back alley said:
bummer!
i've been using patterson tanks for almost 30 years and never had that happen.

joe
Click to expand...
 
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