Best multi-reel developing tanks to replace leaking lids Patersons

...so I'm pretty fed up of leaking LIDS on my Paterson tanks which are otherwise great......what are the recommendations from you all please......I like to develop from 2-4 rolls at a time......I hate it when I'm agitating and the developer/fixer/etc leaks as I roll the tank around in my hands....thanks for your time......

Jobo tanks and tank extensions (extension tube needed with each section) are the best to avoid leakage.

You can keep using your Paterson tank system if you learn Figure-8 agitation. It eliminates leaks and produces perfectly-developed films.

Figure-8 Agitation

Some developing tanks cannot be inverted without leaking. In that case you can use Figure-8 agitation. This consists of keeping the tank upright at all times and moving the tank in a figure-8 pattern from right to left. The tank can be held by your hands and moved through the air, or you can slide the tank on a smooth countertop or tabletop.

We agitate by moving the tank vigorously in a figure-8 (long dimension from left to right) from 300mm to 400mm from right to left. The 300mm-400mm dimension is simply a starting point and can be modified as you see fit. The tank should make one complete figure-8 in 1 to 2 seconds. This is vigorous—as it must be—interspaced with rest periods (which are just as important).

I sometimes use a variation I refer to as “Double Figure-8”. This is two complete anticlockwise circles on the right joined to two complete clockwise circles on the left, and so forth in a continuous motion.

Another variation I’ve used recently is even easier. Simply orbit the tank anticlockwise in a roughly 200mm-diameter circle for 2 quick orbits, stop abruptly, and do 2 more orbits in clockwise direction, and so forth. The tank does not rotate on its axis and stays in a horizontal plane. All that's really needed is to strip the thin layer of depleted developer from the emulsion and remix all the developer into a uniform solution without concentrated bromide in contact with the emulsion (bromide is released from the emulsion during development).

This gives perfect results with any roll-film tank, those that leak when inverted and those that don’t. The agitation is adequate for uniform development and generates no developer-displacing foam. I’ve used these alternate agitation modes since 1987 with good results after spoiling films with conventional inversion agitation.

Which type of Paterson tanks do you have - the current System 4 Super (flattish black lid) or the older System 4?
As long as I "burp" the lids, my current System 4 Super don't leak.

+1 for burping. For me, the dev stage does not leak if the lid is attached firmly. The stop and fix stages leak if the pressure is not released by lifting the lid slightly and then replacing firmly.

Two sources of leakage for Paterson tanks. (1) Push-on (red) lid to black top. Already addressed above with "burping". (2) Screw-on top to body; the gasket is made of some kind of nylon, not compliant enough. Dev tanks of brand AP (made in Spain, sold at fotoimpex, Berlin and other places) have a better gasket, like soft rubber, and with dimensions compatible with Paterson tanks. I would like to replace the gaskets on my Paterson tanks with ones made by AP, but could not find a way to buy the gasket separately.

thanks for feedback everyone......I do burp them....and they are the older ones yes......no matter what I do they leak and they don't leak hahahah

MattKing said:

Which type of Paterson tanks do you have - the current System 4 Super (flattish black lid) or the older System 4?
As long as I "burp" the lids, my current System 4 Super don't leak.

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+1 for "burping" the newer Paterson Super System 4 lids. No leaking at all.

I use stainless steel tanks that have plastic lids, and the lids are available as replacements since they do wear out over time. I wonder if Paterson sells replacement lids for their plastic tanks? That would be a much less expensive solution.

chriscrawfordphoto said:

I use stainless steel tanks that have plastic lids, and the lids are available as replacements since they do wear out over time. I wonder if Paterson sells replacement lids for their plastic tanks? That would be a much less expensive solution.

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Yes they sell the lids for the system 4 tanks (in the U.K. at least) but for some reason they only seem to sell the lid and funnel together, not the lid alone.

+1 for JOBO.

If you are using the older tanks, I can't help you. But for the current tanks: http://www.patersonphotographic.com/product-category/darkroom-equipment/spares/dts/

So are they Super System 4 tanks? If they are the new lids are available. If they are expensive to ship to Gib from the mainland UK then I could actually bring them out when I am next in Gib (early December). Or you could try the tanks made by AP (a Spanish company). These have a red lid and are sometimes branded Kaiser. Paterson reels fit the AP tanks but they only hold 2x 35mm. I have both Paterson System 4 and AP tanks. The AP tanks leak less but are not quite as convenient to use (the top fits so well it is quite difficult to get off in a hurry when stopping the dev). Also the AP tanks use a slightly greater volume of liquid per film.

so kind of you SVENEDIN....will look into it!!!!

Svenedin said:

So are they Super System 4 tanks? If they are the new lids are available. If they are expensive to ship to Gib from the mainland UK then I could actually bring them out when I am next in Gib (early December). Or you could try the tanks made by AP (a Spanish company). These have a red lid and are sometimes branded Kaiser. Paterson reels fit the AP tanks but they only hold 2x 35mm. I have both Paterson System 4 and AP tanks. The AP tanks leak less but are not quite as convenient to use (the top fits so well it is quite difficult to get off in a hurry when stopping the dev). Also the AP tanks use a slightly greater volume of liquid per film.

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One of my Paterson tanks leaked no matter how well I burped it, and it turned out it had cracked between the red plastic edge and the black body of the tank. I have probably dropped it sometime. I sealed the leak by applying a coat of epoxy on the inside of the tank all around the edge of the red edge thing, and since then no leaks for a while...until the epoxy cracked due to repeated slight flexing of the tank. A flexible sealant would have been better.

My JOBOs all leaked after 20 years of use. I resurfaced the plastic around the top and they stopped leaking. You might want to try that. IIRC I used super fine sandpaper on a counter top. Take off any protrusions and make sure the surface around the top is smooth. Clean the lids too in case they have any buildup.

Hope that helps.

thanks to everyone for excellent comments and advice