Nikor Tank Question

[dynachrome]

I just got a Nikor tank with the sheet film reel. It looks like I'm missing the metal strap which keeps the sheets in place. What kind of material could I use to rig up a new strap?

 

[glbeas]

A rubber band works just fine.

 

[mshchem]

Yep nice rubber band.

 

[Donald Qualls]

Nice find, BTW. I have the tank that fits that, but haven't ever seen the sheet holder at a price I was willing/able to pay. Found other methods -- used to use tanks made from ABS drain pipe, with good results, but they're awfully thirsty (half a liter per sheet, near enough). Now I use a Yankee Agitank, fills and drains about like a Paterson, but requires a particular agitation technique.

 

[dynachrome]

I paid $37.75 for the tank and reel. Inknew that the cap was not original (plastic but fits) but I did not notice that the strap was missing. There is a copy of this tank/reel made in China under the King name and it goes for a pretty high price when it shows up. I have the Yankee tank you mention but have not used it yet. I imagine that some kind of gentle side to side agitation technique would work. If I am correct, the Nikor tank uses 36 oz. of solution. I have all sizes of the Paterson System 4 and Super System 4 tanks so I could get one of the plastic reels for sheet film that fit in them. My next project is to clean up the Omega D3 I recently got and get it working.

 

[BAC1967]

I rotate and rock at the same time, seems to work for me. The metal strap can be a bit frustrating to attach, a rubber band is much simpler and probably does the same thing.

 

[Donald Qualls]

The Yankee tank trick is that the agitation arrows ("Agitate this way only") don't mean to slide the tank sideways, but to rock it. Notice how the tank's feet are offset inward from the ends? When the tank is full, you can tilt the tank on one foot until the edge touches the work surface, then let it down to level again, and get a good bit of solution movement without spilling; tilt the other way, and back to level, and the two-way set is one "inversion" equivalent. Pace those so you get five or six two-way rocks in ten seconds, and that's an agitation cycle, to be done once a minute.

The last time I saw one of the Nikor tanks with the cage it was priced close to the brand new B&W King unit -- but the Nikor has a welded cage, rather than bolted together, and holds one more sheet (6 instead of 5) in slightly less solution. Supply and demand -- fifteen years ago, a Nikor with cage (but missing the band -- they're always missing the band, I think it breaks) was around $100, and the cages were almost never found without the tank. With film and home processing making something of a comeback, they've gone up, just like good cameras have.