help with tank

[Aggie]

Just to make lee happy I broke down and purchased a combiplan T tank to do 4x5. I did this since my nikor and jobo tanks are in a box buried somewhere in the garage. The insturctions for this thing are written in Martian. Has anyone ever used one of these contraptions? I got it together I think, and I can see how it all works, it is just filling the darn thing. How do you do that? That is filling it with chemistry. I can get the sheet film loaded just fine.

 

[magic823]

I found I couldn't get the developer in fast enough with the lid on. It was giving me uneven developing. I had to fill the tank up first, add the film and then put the lid on. I finally decided it wasn't worth it. I now use trays and a slosher.

Steve

 

[mark]

SOme folks suggest filling the tank then putting the film in and the top on. I just put the film in put the top on, put a funnel spout into the top after I have turned it quite aways toward the open side, and pour the cehistry in. I have not had uneven development yet. At least none that I have noticed. I should note that I am not using it with Pyro. I use the combiplan with dd-x or d76

 

[Aggie]

I do have an interior bathroom which is absolutely black. What I will probably do is load the film, then go in the dark and do the chemistyr bit while I have the lights out. Turn the lights on while I agitate. It's a PIA but until I find the other tanks, this will have to do. It was a cheap quick solution.

 

[ggriffi]

I do have an interior bathroom which is absolutely black. What I will probably do is load the film, then go in the dark and do the chemistyr bit while I have the lights out. Turn the lights on while I agitate. It's a PIA but until I find the other tanks, this will have to do. It was a cheap quick solution.

Aggie,

I just started with 4x5 and all I have used is the combiplan. So far I haven't had any issues with uneven developing on my film, guess it's beginners luck. . It DOES take a while to fill and is a PIA, but given it is the only option for me at this time I am very happy with it. One question for you, when you fill it are turning the top cap one half turn open because that makes it much easier to fill.

g

 

[Dave Starr]

I use the Combi-Plan in the dark, without the lid. Lift & lower the film holder to agitate.

 

[edz]

The CombiPan is a great shrunk-down dip and dunk and a lousy daylight tank. The best way to use a CombiPan is to use at least 2, better 3, tanks in a process line, moving the film from one to the next using the holder to also agitate. By placing the tanks in a waterbath good temperature controll and stabilization is possible allowing for nearly any process including E-6 with results no worse--- and generally better--- than possible with any of the rotary processing machines.
Trying, however, to use the CombiPan as a daylight inversion tank will, I think, lead to nothing but frustration and uneven negatives. Flow rates are too slow, agitation is less than ideal and sometimes they even leak--- and worse still, if the retaining clip is in any ways damaged or incorrectly installed film will fly off ruinging the entire load.
In a process line, by contrast, I think there is no better solution for doing 4 or even 6 negatives at a go.

 

[ggriffi]

The CombiPan is a great shrunk-down dip and dunk and a lousy daylight tank. The best way to use a CombiPan is to use at least 2, better 3, tanks in a process line, moving the film from one to the next using the holder to also agitate. By placing the tanks in a waterbath good temperature controll and stabilization is possible allowing for nearly any process including E-6 with results no worse--- and generally better--- than possible with any of the rotary processing machines.
Trying, however, to use the CombiPan as a daylight inversion tank will, I think, lead to nothing but frustration and uneven negatives. Flow rates are too slow, agitation is less than ideal and sometimes they even leak--- and worse still, if the retaining clip is in any ways damaged or incorrectly installed film will fly off ruinging the entire load.
In a process line, by contrast, I think there is no better solution for doing 4 or even 6 negatives at a go.

Ed,

I don't invert the tank, I rotate it 180 degrees gently so that the top comes parallel to my counter top each agitation cycle and yes, I do have a little leakage, but nothing so severe that it is a concern. I also use 34 oz. of chemical so that the tank is not completely full. I checked one time with the tank empty and the film holder in and that amount will cover 4x5. The retaining clip takes a little finesse but I got it down pretty well so that it's no a problem either. When I started using the combiplan, that was my biggest problem. Most of the time I am using a 10 min. developing time so the flow rate doesn't seem to be a problem either. To my very untrained eye, it doesn't appear that I have had any issues with uneven developement as far as I can tell. For me it takes between 20-25 secs to both fill the tank as well as empty it. Which might be about the same amount of fill/empty time as a two reel 35mm tank although since getting my 4x5 I haven't shot much 35 so I am not sure about this. As I said before maybe I have had beginner's luck with this. Since I don't have a darkroom this works out as the best way for me to develop my film. I also know that there are better systems out there (read Jobo) , but I don't have the cash or for that matter the room for one right now. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the tank to others who might be in a situation similar to mine. As others say however, YMMV


g

 

[hortense]

Just to make lee happy I broke down and purchased a combiplan T tank to do 4x5. I did this since my nikor and jobo tanks are in a box buried somewhere in the garage. The insturctions for this thing are written in Martian. Has anyone ever used one of these contraptions? I got it together I think, and I can see how it all works, it is just filling the darn thing. How do you do that? That is filling it with chemistry. I can get the sheet film loaded just fine.

Aggie,
I understand your start-up problem; I've been there.
My solution was to create a dilution that allows 12-minute development time. This mitigates the streaking, etc. and other effects of slow developer addition.

BTW, I am very satlified with my Combi. If you with to use an alkaline fixer, PM me and I'll share what I've learned using the Combi with this fixer.

 

[papagene]

Aggie...
I have the same tank and have been using it for the past 13 years or so. I don't fill it using the top hole. I turn out the lights and take the top off and pour (very carefully) in the chemistry, turn the lights back on and agitate. Repeat the same process for the following steps. To me this has not been a bother. I am a patient man and am in no rush.
Other people may find this a pain, but not I. I have also had no problems with leakage... well not with the tank!
Good luck.

gene