Fed Up With JOBO!

Don_ih · Apr 16, 2024

Agulliver said:
I have no concept of how a Jobo could even be persuaded to leak.

Mine leak. They are quite old, though and I think they were very used before I got them.

koraks · Apr 16, 2024

Agulliver said:
I have no concept of how a Jobo could even be persuaded to leak.

Like @Don_ih says, they do, though. Some of mine are second hand, some new, but they all leak a little. Not as much as the Paterson tanks, but still a little. It seeps past the light trap cap, not the rubber lid. Just a drop or two, usually. Nothing to worry about.

I understand it's best to store the rubber lids separately from the tank so that the rubber doesn't loosen up and becomes slack.

I see lots of mention taking the little ball bearing out of the Paterson reels. Odd; I find the Paterson reels the easiest to load and I've never taken the ball out of them. I just give them a cursory rinse after having used them, set to dry and they're good to go. Snipping the corners off of the film helps regardless of the reel used, IME. With 120 roll film, it also helps to bend the leading half inch of the film back against the film curl so it doesn't get trapped as easily. This really makes a difference for me, in addition to snipping the corners.

I guess we all have our little ways of dealing with the inevitable snags. Just keep doing whatever works.

Don_ih · Apr 16, 2024

koraks said:
With 120 roll film, it also helps to bend the leading half inch of the film back against the film curl so it doesn't get trapped as easily.

I always fold a crease in 120 film, just at the start. I use a lot of older 120 film and it can be almost impossible to get it started on the reel otherwise.

P C Headland · Apr 17, 2024

My Jobo 1520 leaks a tiny amount, but nothing major. Loading either 120 or 35mm is nice and easy if you clip the corners of the film, otherwise it can be a bit of a fight.

I've got a generic 35mm stainless steel tank & reel, the reel has two prongs in the centre of the reel to catch in the film sprockets. I occasionally have had issues getting the film loaded first time, but usually get it on fine the second time around. No leaks with this tank.

My favourite tank though is the first I bought. This is a Gepe 120 plastic tank with an plastic centre load reel and an "easy load" guide. That's super easy & very quick to load wet or dry, and zero leaks.

Mark Crabtree · Apr 17, 2024

Something I don't recall being mentioned is to not put the reels in Photo Flo or any sort of after bath. Stabilizer usually has wetting agents too. This advice came from Jobo in earlier information; I don't know if they still mention it. Apparently it causes a build up on the reels and makes them had to load. They also had advice for cleaning contaminated reels.

I now always seesaw film in a small tray I've dedicated to Photo Flo and stabilizer whether I'm developing on stainless or Jobo reels. Since I never put my plastic reels in wetting agent I have no personal experience with the problem.

logan2z · Apr 17, 2024

Mark Crabtree said:
Something I don't recall being mentioned is to not put the reels in Photo Flo or any sort of after bath. Stabilizer usually has wetting agents too. This advice came from Jobo in earlier information; I don't know if they still mention it. Apparently it causes a build up on the reels and makes them had to load. They also had advice for cleaning contaminated reels.

I now always seesaw film in a small tray I've dedicated to Photo Flo and stabilizer whether I'm developing on stainless or Jobo reels. Since I never put my plastic reels in wetting agent I have no personal experience with the problem.

That's a good reminder. I never submerge my reels in anything that contains a wetting agent like Photoflo or LFN. I open up the reels and dump the film roll into a container holding a mixture of distilled water and LFN and agitate for a minute before hanging the film to dry.

Augustus Caesar · Apr 17, 2024

logan2z said:
That's a good reminder. I never submerge my reels in anything that contains a wetting agent like Photoflo or LFN. I open up the reels and dump the film roll into a container holding a mixture of distilled water and LFN and agitate for a minute before hanging the film to dry.

I never have a problem with my Paterson reels, and I immerse them in photo-flo. The thing to do afterwards is to soak them in hot water, then put them where they will get thoroughly dry, such as by a furnace register.

markbau · Apr 17, 2024

Augustus Caesar said:
I never have a problem with my Paterson reels, and I immerse them in photo-flo. The thing to do afterwards is to soak them in hot water, then put them where they will get thoroughly dry, such as by a furnace register.

+1. That's exactly what I do and have no problems with Patterson or Jobo plastic reels.

eli griggs · Apr 18, 2024

waffles said:
I am sick and tired of my JOBO developing tanks!!

Years ago, I switch from my classic Nikor + Hewes system to a more modern system. I went with the JOBO 1500 system instead of the Paterson Super System 4 primarily based on two factors:

1. The ability to easily “double up” rolls of 120 film with the JOBO.
2. The reputation of the JOBO system as being relatively leakproof.

Both of these ended up being false!

I just developed two rolls of 120 film in my JOBO 1520 and it tool me almost an hour to load both rolls onto the plastic reel! Almost 60 minutes of cursing and swearing as I try to nudge the very thin, very wide roll of 120 film on to the JOBO reel and constantly having to back off and try again. I’m no novice either! I’ve been loading reels in changing bags since 2014 … nearly 8 years.

And then when developing the film, the damn JOBO 1520 leaks all over the place!! Now I got fixer all over my kitchen!

I don’t understand all the love the JOBO gets here on the forums. Yes, the quality of the German craftsmanship that goes into manufacturing the tanks & reels is high. But that doesn’t matter because the design of the system is fundamentally flawed.

Unless you’re already invested in one of their color processors, you’re better off going with literally any other brand.

</rant>

Keep some good paper or electrical tape at the tank loading station and use it on the connection gap between top and tank, several fast, aligned wraps should do, and make sure the first thing you do with new to you tanks and caps is securely mark them, so they are not used on ill fitting tanks or with ill fitting caps (wet test used and new tank and caps together and by sorting with other tanks) and make it an always habit to secure the top to the tank, which is also insurance against a cap popping off, which can happen with aggressive agitation, especially with a figure "8" pattern.

3m paper tapes are good and the multi packs of Harbor Freight electrical tape consist of good tapes.

Good luck.

P C Headland · Apr 18, 2024

markbau said:
+1. That's exactly what I do and have no problems with Patterson or Jobo plastic reels.

Same - I rinse the reels in hot water, and clean them with an old toothbrush with some dishwashing detergent, then make sure they are rinsed and thoroughly dried.

Radost · Apr 18, 2024

I purchased a brand new cpe3. It came with the rods crocked. Got zero support. They said try to bend it.

fs999 · Apr 18, 2024

Every few years I rinse my Jobo reels in household bleach, it make wonders !

eli griggs · Apr 18, 2024

Radost said:
I purchased a brand new cpe3. It came with the rods crocked. Got zero support. They said try to bend it.

Try using a mechanics or plumbers 6" or larger vice and many rotated pressings, at room temp.

mshchem · Apr 19, 2024

Radost said:
I purchased a brand new cpe3. It came with the rods crocked. Got zero support. They said try to bend it.

Who sold you the machine? Are you in the US? Catlabs replaced a part on my CPP3 when it broke, no questions asked once I explained what was wrong. Nothing really the red plug that goes on the lift.

Fed Up With JOBO!

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