Processing 4x5 In Stainless Steel Tanks?

[Lissah]

I will shoot him an email then. I found his website but didn’t see a shop or purchase option. Thanks.

 

[drmoss_ca]

There's a method for stopping taco-style processing sheet film slipping around and getting the emulsion covered by the second sheet:
https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/the-taco-method-for-4x5.125674/#post-1662200

But I moved on to a MOD54 (didn't like it) and an SP-445 (really liked it).

 

[Donald Qualls]

I saw these but the attached reviews concerned me.. specifically the comments about it not being liquid tight so no inversion and the film getting crushed because the grooves aren’t deep enough. Have you experienced any of this?

First, the Yankee Agitank isn't intended to be inverted for agitation, just as the old "swizzle stick" roll film tanks from Yankee, FR, and other manufacturers weren't. The instructions have a rather vague diagram for how to agitate; it looks like they intend the user to slide the tank sharply toward one end and then the other, but what I figured out the second or third time I used mine was that it works much better to rock the tank. The two feet are recessed in from the ends, and even when filled to cover 4x5, tilting the tank on one foot until the end of the tank touches the counter won't result in a slop-over. I treat a two-way rock (tilt one way, back to center, tilt the other way, back to center) the same as an inversion and I've gotten good results. If you overfill, of course, you'll make a mess when you rock the tank, but overfilling a Paterson or stainless tank has its problems, too (reduces effectiveness of agitation, may cause spillage).

I've never experienced crushed film; that's probably coming from someone loading the tank incorrectly (perhaps they didn't receive or read the instruction sheet). The rack should be adjusted for the size in use (2x3, 6.5x9, 3x4/quarter plate, 9x12, or 4x5), then the sheets are slipped into the grooves from one end. The grooves have a stop on the other end to prevent the sheet sliding right out, and the tank (when new) comes with a loading aid that rides in notches on the end of the rack you're loading, allowing (in theory; this is the biggest problem I've had with mine, getting two sheets in the same groove, and I simply need more practice) loading each sheet in succession in the six grooves on each side. After loading six, turn the rack over, and load the other six.

Once loaded and closed, there's nothing to keep the lid on but gravity, but I've never seen evidence of a light leak in mine. It fills even faster than a comparable capacity Paterson, and drains about as fast.

Short version, every "hate it" comment I've seen on these seems to stem from not fully understanding how the tank should be used. Use it the way the designers intended, and it's the biggest bargain on the market, marred only by the fact that most of the sizes it can hold are hard to get or available only in limited emulsion choices these days.

 

[Lissah]

I feel like this is a super dumb question but I’m guessing inverting the tank and holding on for dear life is how you drain the tank between development and stop bath? I tried google and it wasn’t the most helpful, couldn’t find the answer or even a user manual. Lots of videos on how to load the film though.

 

[LibraryTroll]

I bought the SP-810 from Stearman Press a couple of years ago. Best short description... a daylight tray developing kit for multiple sheet film formats that uses only 500ml (Uses only 300ml in some applications). It will hold four 4x5 sheets, or two 5x7 sheets, or one 8x10 depending upon how one rearranges the baffles. I liked the option to "grow" into other large film formats rather than just purchasing a 4x5 tank so it was an attractive option. It has received only light use so far, but I have not had any scratched film with this system. They put some good thought into the baffle system. It works great for my needs since I'm not yet trying to process many, many sheet of 8x10 film.

If anyone gets one, follow the assembly instructions closely and pay attention to which pieces fit where. There was one YouTube video review / demonstration that I found very informative and helped convinced me to purchase. I'm sure there are many out there by now.

 

[esearing]

Regarding the question of Taco method in Stainless - it works just fine. I recently developed two 5x12" negatives using 2 wide rubber bands per sheet to keep the film from touching in an old Nikkor 5 reel tank. They likely still touched but it is not apparent that they did since it would be back to back. The SP-445 works for me without the problems the other poster mentioned, I have 5 SP-445 tanks, all version 1.

 

[btaylor]

I feel like this is a super dumb question but I’m guessing inverting the tank and holding on for dear life is how you drain the tank between development and stop bath? I tried google and it wasn’t the most helpful, couldn’t find the answer or even a user manual. Lots of videos on how to load the film though.

The Yankee people did consider that the tank will need to be drained, there is a drain spout on one of the corners. I know a lot of people seem to really dislike this tank, but it has always performed well for me. I got mine about 50 years ago when I needed a tank for the 2 1/4 x 3 1/4 sheet film my baby Speed Graphic required. I still had it in a box years later when I got my first 4x5 and it did the trick. I agitate like Donald and never had a problem.

 

[Donald Qualls]

I’m guessing inverting the tank and holding on for dear life is how you drain the tank between development and stop bath?

I generally manage to drain mine (through the corner pour opening) while holding the lid in place with my thumbs, but if you're concerned about this, you could run rubber bands around the fill riser, down around the body, and back to the fill riser to hold the lid in place more securely. Velcro straps around the lid to either side of the fill riser should also work, though I'd prefer something I can toss so I don't have to worry about chemicals in the straps.

Honestly, you don't need to worry much (if at all) about light reaching the film at this stage. First, development tends to desensitize the film to some extent; second, if you're draining and filling immediately with stop bath, there's little time for developer left in the gelatin to act before it's definitively put out of action by the pH change (especially true if your development time is above five minutes, as it usually ought to be). The Zone VI system (tubes, load in the dark and mate up with standing caps containing small quantity of developer, start development by shaking vigorously to rapidly coat the film, then float in a tempering bath and roll continously until time expires) are just opened in the light to go into the stop tray -- and this by some very serious large format users.

I'd be much more concerned about dropping and breaking the Agitank's lid.

 

[B&W MAN]

I saw one seller - "Black and White King 4x5 Reels" - but can't find them on Freestyle or B+H - and they seem to ship from China. Wondering if there are any other solutions.

I have the 4x5 B/W King tank, and recommend it.
... ...

Thanks, Alan. The B+W King is going to be my next purchase if the Stearman Press SP-445 I ordered yesterday doesn't work for me.

The Nikor tanks, and the the current production B&W King stainless tank (holds 10 sheets) both take a little over a liter; they're larger diameter and a little taller than a 2x120 stainless tank (though I have a pair of 220 reels for my large Nikor, for which I've never had the 4x5 cage).

B&W King is a very good tank, and in my opinion better then the old Nikor. I have both. The maker sell them only on e-bay and shipping very fast and affordable. The maker is a very responsible and nice person.

Unfortunately, the photographers left a message two years ago. I just saw it. Because of the impact of the pandemic, the closure of personnel and the stagnation of transportation, B&W KING stopped selling for four years. Now I am very moved to see the comments of photographers looking forward to B&W KING. I would like to express my apologies and thanks to all the photographers!

 

[Augustus Caesar]

You can easily find stainless steel hangers and tanks on e-bay. You work in total darkness, of course, but it's not that hard once you practice a bit. Agitation consists of lifting the holders up out of the solution, then tilting them at an angle to let the developer run off in a corner, then repeating the process in the opposite direction. See:

Figure 10-13.Sheet film tank processing agitation

 

[abruzzi]

Unfortunately, the photographers left a message two years ago. I just saw it. Because of the impact of the pandemic, the closure of personnel and the stagnation of transportation, B&W KING stopped selling for four years. Now I am very moved to see the comments of photographers looking forward to B&W KING. I would like to express my apologies and thanks to all the photographers!

wow, I'd never seen these before (and I missed this thread last time it was bumped). They look very nice!

 

[B&W MAN]

I just checked the information of ems China Post. Eight B&W KING Developing tanks shipped to America, Britain, Poland and Ireland in April have all arrived by mail.
Whether the postal service is timely and unimpeded is what worries me most after the epidemic recovers. Within a month (less than 30 days), all the mail was sent across the globe, and the results were undoubtedly good news.
Thanks to photographers from all over the world for their trust and support to B&W KING!