Double-loading developing tanks?

I just bought a new FR Special developing tank on eBay. (And when I say "new" I mean in box with original papers and apparently never used. It was made in 1962). I have Nikor tanks for 35mm and 120, but I've started splitting my own 127 film from 120 and needed a tank for that.

I've used other FR tanks, but this one also included the original instructions, which I've never seen before. These explain the two ways of loading the FR developing reel: either hooking the film on the inside prong and spiraling it out like stainless steel reels, or pushing the film in from the outside like most plastic reels.

But the instructions also contain an idea I never heard of before. After explaining the "Alternate Loading Method" (pushing the film in from the outside), it says, "With the exception of 116 and 616 this method allows 2 rolls of film to be loaded into the tank at the same time; the first roll being loaded from the inside of the reel and the second by the alternate method."

So this scheme lets you develop two rolls of film on a single reel. Has anyone ever tried it? I think it would work, not just on FR reels, but on any reel that lets you load film both from the inside out and the outside in.

Mike Taglieri

You don't need to have special reels that permit loading in two ways.
You can do that with Paterson or Paterson clone reels as well.
Two rolls on a single 120 AP clone reel (designed for Paterson tanks) works great for me - reliable and consistent.
First roll pushed all the way to the centre.
Second roll loaded until just past the bearings, leaving an appreciable gap between the two.
Inversion agitation only during all but the first 30 seconds of the development stage.
All other stages - 3 minute pre-rinse, acid stop bath, fixer, rinse, HCA - done using continuous reversing rotary agitation.
If you use rotary agitation for the development stage, the no doubt slippery films move too much and you risk them overlapping.

Isn't this just a version of the Jobo scheme? Only with Jobo you push both films in from the outside.???

I know a fellow who used to develop 16 rolls of Tri-X at a time on 8 SS Nikor reels. He would load two films at a time, back to back, non emulsion sides touching.

This same guy goes out in the woods looking for Bigfoot. I guess this falls in the see to believe category

MattKing said:

If you use rotary agitation for the development stage, the no doubt slippery films move too much and you risk them overlapping.

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I've done this with swizzle stick agitation, and it's still okay. If you want a little extra security, it's possible to improvise end clips that will block film overlaps, or tape the films together with the head tape from one of the film (this will stay on through the development process, where other tapes may not).

Even being careful I have had two rolls overlap and damage photographs on both films. Jobo reels have a red clip that gets engaged after the first roll to keep the rolls separate, but again I have had rolls overlap.

I've taped 2 rolls of 120 film together to load them both on a stainless 220 reel. Given the length I see no reason why you couldn't do the same on a Paterson-type reel with 127; 127 film is 65cm in length, while a 36exp 35mm roll is about 165cm long.

mshchem said:

I know a fellow who used to develop 16 rolls of Tri-X at a time on 8 SS Nikor reels. He would load two films at a time, back to back, non emulsion sides touching.

This same guy goes out in the woods looking for Bigfoot. I guess this falls in the see to believe category

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I first heard of this from a teacher who spent the 60s and 70s working for a newspaper. 32 rolls at once, she would double load 2 eight reel tanks and process them at the same time. Considering that they didn't always finish washing the film before printing it, longevity was not a primary concern. I've personally never been in quite that much of a hurry and never tried it although I suppose as long as you could ensure good washing, it would work fine.

If you develop two rolls of film on one reel, you need to make sure you have enough developer in the tank to process both rolls.

faberryman said:

enough developer in the tank to process both rolls.

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If you're using replenished stock solution (as newspaper photo labs virtually always did), it's not a problem. This is only a concern if you're using one-shot diluted developers.

Dirb9 said:

I first heard of this from a teacher who spent the 60s and 70s working for a newspaper. 32 rolls at once, she would double load 2 eight reel tanks and process them at the same time. Considering that they didn't always finish washing the film before printing it, longevity was not a primary concern. I've personally never been in quite that much of a hurry and never tried it although I suppose as long as you could ensure good washing, it would work fine.

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Analog Super Heros!!

Donald Qualls said:

If you're using replenished stock solution (as newspaper photo labs virtually always did), it's not a problem. This is only a concern if you're using one-shot diluted developers.

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Assuming, of course, that you are using enough volume in the first place.
With replenished developer it makes sense to more developer/fill your tank - don't put the minimum amount in that rotary agitation might otherwise permit.
Keeping in mind of course any weight limitations that might apply to the equipment you are using for the agitation. Some of the larger JOBO tanks can get quite heavy when totally full, and some of the older/smaller JOBO machines can have trouble with that.

Donald Qualls said:

I've done this with swizzle stick agitation, and it's still okay. If you want a little extra security, it's possible to improvise end clips that will block film overlaps, or tape the films together with the head tape from one of the film (this will stay on through the development process, where other tapes may not).

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Sippose you just bent the ends down? Then there'd be two 90° angles butting against each other and they'd be unlikely to slip.

MikeT-NYC said:

Sippose you just bent the ends down? Then there'd be two 90° angles butting against each other and they'd be unlikely to slip.

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If you trim the corners enough to do that and still go into the reel, it ought to work, but I don't trim the corners of my 120 when I'm loading it.