Processing Tank for small sheets

[meltronic]

Soon I'll be using a plate camera to shoot 9x12cm sheet film. Does anyone have recommendations for a processing tank? I don't know that I've ever seen a sheet film tank, so I'm an absolute beginner in this field. Do they make daylight tanks for sheets?
Yours,
Matt

 

[unregistered]

Yes, they make daylight tanks for sheets, called Yankee tanks. The plastic film holder inside is adjustable so it might work for your size film. However, the tank sucks, IMO, and you have to be very careful or you will get surge during development.

Tray processing is the way to go. You are only in the total dark for about 15 minutes.

 

[leeturner]

Have to agree. I didn't initially look forward to 15 minutes in the dark but it's actually quite relaxing. In addition it's cheap and, touch wood, with a bit of care I haven't had any scratched films.

Amongst the options for daylight processing the are Jobo, Unidrum, HP Combi and the Paterson orbital processor. One other method is the "taco" method using a normal Paterson film tank. You'll probably have to use the one made for five reels and all you do is fold the film in a taco shape and hold it together with a rubber band. My tanks are too small for 4x5 so I'm on the lookout for a 5 reel tank to try it out.

 

[Ole]

The JOBO tank takes 6 4x5", 9x12cm or 6.5x9cm films at a time. Daylight proof, and really works well. Can also be used for agitation by inversion.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Combi-Plan holders in open tanks are the only ones I trust -- but I have successfully processed E6 with these. In all fairness I have not yet tried Jobo. The daylight tanks I have tried range from bad to abysmal.

Cheers,

Roger (www.rogerandfrances.com)

 

[DBP]

I have one of the older Yankee tanks, which is free to anyone for postage. I have had better, though not perfect, results with an FR brand tank made in the 40s which has adjustable walls, though it tends to have issues with more than 8 sheets. But then I have trouble properly loading more than 8 sheets into it, so that works out fine. I usually crop 1/16" or so while matting the print, so the very slight edge effects are not an issue. The FR tank does very well with 2x3, so I think the issue is needing more room for the developer to circulate.

 

[Nick Zentena]

The Jobo reel takes 6 sheets. The bigger tanks can take multiple reels. If you need to process more then one format the ability to mix different size reels in the same tank is a bonus.

 

[matt miller]

I bought a Yankee tank (thanks Diane) to do extreme minimal agitation with 3x4 film. I've used it once, with the side to side agitation recommended on the tank, and got bad "surge" marks on the long edges. I don't reccomend using it that way. Is there a better way to agitate in this tank? Would pulling the insert out and putting back in do the trick? Done in the dark of course.

 

[reellis67]

I don't trust anything with the Yankee name on it these days. Everything I have seen of theirs, from tanks to trays, caused problems at some point and just seems flimsy. The HP Combi-plan tank, however, is a nice product, and if you follow the directions, you should be able to use it with ease. The biggest problem with this tank is that people don't follow the directions well enough and then have problems.

- Randy

 

[Steve Smith]

For 5x4" I would recommend the Paterson Orbital but I'm not sure how it would handle 9x12cm. It may need a slight mod to the sheet retaining pins to prevent the sheets moving around.


Steve.

 

[DBP]

I don't trust anything with the Yankee name on it these days. - Randy

My maternal granddad used to say the same, but then his granddad got shot at by them.

 

[Roger Hicks]

For 5x4" I would recommend the Paterson Orbital but I'm not sure how it would handle 9x12cm. It may need a slight mod to the sheet retaining pins to prevent the sheets moving around. Steve.

How can I have forgotten the Paterson? All I can plead is a filthy cold. Steve is dead right: easily the best answer.

9x12 should not move significantly more than 4x5 and indeed some movement is almost certainly essential. I have had uneven development problems with 8x10 using auto-agitation and now recommend manual agitation, but with 4x5 I've had no problems even with auto-agitation, nor have I heard of any.

Cheers,

Roger

 

[gainer]

A simple alternative is a paper safe. I use an 8x10 paper safe with a hinged lid that extends the full length. It is light tight and water tight. It does very well for stand or "semi" stand development. You can have full room light on between agitation cycles. It's cheap and available in a number of sizes from Freestyle. You can improvise separators to do several smaller sized negs without overlap.

 

[knutb]

For 4x5, I use standard SS tank intended for 120 and/or 135 film (the height of mine is approx. 175mm). Don't use the reels, just place the film inside the tank with the emulsion facing inwards, and the film follows the inner wall nicely. I use continuous aggitation (roll the tank back and forth on a level surface). About 60ml of chemical works nicely. Loading the film is dead easy. A nice way to get started if you happen to have a tank thats big enough (anything that will take two 120 reels should work).

 

[Tom Hoskinson]

I use black plastic (ABS) tubes to process my sheet film (from 2.25 x 3.25 up to 8x10).
ABS pipe is easy to get at Home Depot, OSH, etc. See:

Dead Link Removed

And: (there was a url link here which no longer exists)

 

[reellis67]

My maternal granddad used to say the same, but then his granddad got shot at by them.

Good one. (I'm from KY).

- Randy

 

[P C Headland]

I also use a standard 120 tank. For one sheet, just put it in the tank emulsion side in. For two or more, put a rubber/elastic band round the sheets and drop them in the tank (for more info, search on the taco method).

I use semi-stand and dilute Rodinal, so I just use normal inversion agitation. I've never had a problem with scratches like this. If you use the elestic bands, you may need an extra rinse or wash without the bands in order to completely wash out the anti-halation layer.

 

[DBP]

Good one. (I'm from KY).

- Randy

Thanks. I was beginning to worry that I had offended people.

 

[derevaun]

Would extending an adjustable plastic reel work?

 

[knutb]

Would extending an adjustable plastic reel work?

I've read about extending Paterson reels. You have to figure out a way of fixing the spool halves to the center tube, but that shouldn't be too hard. I haven't tried this method, but it is on my todo list. I'm also thinking about extending a stainless steel reel; I think such a spool would be easier to load with film sheets compared to a Paterson reel. As for the tank itself, I would prefer the Paterson as it fills/drains a lot faster than my SS tank. Maybe a SS reel in a Peterson tank would be the ideal combination...

 

[gordrob]

One of the best is the Nikor tank for sheet film -pricey but one of the best that allows for adjustinf to various formats.
Gord

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

Not everyone gets along well with the Nikor sheet film tank, but I love mine. I also use trays and deep tanks with hangers, depending on what I'm doing and how many sheets I have to process.

Of new tanks, the HP Combi-Plan and Jobo daylight tanks seem to have the most positive reviews.

 

[gordrob]

The thing I like about the Nikor is that it allows me to devlope the 2x3 film packs that won't fit in the 2x3 hangers. I have about 10 of the film packs left and they are fun to use but processing can be tricky. I have to agee with you David that you have to develop a good relationship with the Nikor to get them to work properly.
Gord

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

I've got a few film packs as well, but I've got my Nikor tank set just right for 4x5", so on the odd occasion that I shoot a film pack, I process in trays.

I suspect that most people who have trouble with the Nikor tank just aren't adjusting the reel properly. I test it with one sheet on four sides to make sure it's flat, and the sheet should have about 1/16" of play. Of course after discovering this, I managed to turn up an instruction sheet where all the "special tricks" I figured out are clearly mentioned.

 

[meltronic]

Lots of great information. I was really hoping that someone would suggest starting with my standard roll film tank. That's what I'll do of course, before investigating some of the more dedicated solutions you've all suggested. Thank you! Matt