Question on brand of stainless steel tanks

Tom Kershaw · Oct 19, 2011

I recently purchased two stainless steel tanks of an all metal design, as opposed to the tanks with plastic lids that I already use. Both tanks are of the design below; one with the capacity of a single '120' film, and one for four '120' films. The cap of the longer tank is rather loose, but the cap for the shorter tank is stuck, and will need some mechanical advantage to release.

Is it possible to tell whether these are the Nikkor brand?

The reels supplied (5) are fully spaced 120 format, but not Hewes brand.

Tom

Ottrdaemmerung · Oct 19, 2011

From the ones I have, Nikkor tanks are marked with the brand name on the bottom.

Yes, those metal caps always seem to not fit well. They are *somewhat* interchangeable: I have a few used ones and played a sort of shell game with them until I found the combination of caps and tanks that fit best. Keep something handy to pry stubborn ones off. You don't want to be struggling with one when you're in a rush developing film and the clock is ticking!

Tom Kershaw · Oct 19, 2011

Ottrdaemmerung said:
From the ones I have, Nikkor tanks are marked with the brand name on the bottom.

Yes, those metal caps always seem to not fit well. They are *somewhat* interchangeable: I have a few used ones and played a sort of shell game with them until I found the combination of caps and tanks that fit best. Keep something handy to pry stubborn ones off. You don't want to be struggling with one when you're in a rush developing film and the clock is ticking!

Interesting. These tanks just say 'Made in Japan' on the rear.

Tom

Mark Crabtree · Oct 19, 2011

I have tanks stamped (on the bottom) as Nikor Products Co. W Springfield, Mass USA, plus some marked Honeywell Nikor Japan. I mix and match these and other brands to find the best fit. Nikor is one "k"; no connection to Nikon and Nikkor as far as I know.

I don't notice as much difference in tanks as reels. I particularly like the early Nikor reels in 120 and 35 that don't have traditional spring clips. I have them both as Nikor Springfield, and Honeywell Nikor. The Honeywell one I have NIB doesn't indicate country of manufacture. I had thought all these were made in US, but don't know for certain.

Tom Kershaw said:
I recently purchased two stainless steel tanks of an all metal design, as opposed to the tanks with plastic lids that I already use. Both tanks are of the design below; one with the capacity of a single '120' film, and one for four '120' films. The cap of the longer tank is rather loose, but the cap for the shorter tank is stuck, and will need some mechanical advantage to release.

Is it possible to tell whether these are the Nikkor brand?

The reels supplied (5) are fully spaced 120 format, but not Hewes brand.

Tom

Tom Kershaw · Oct 19, 2011

I'll post a photo of the reels with a comparison of my other reels; probably tomorrow.

Tom

John Koehrer · Oct 19, 2011

"made in Japan"= any number of imported tanks. Prinz, Kalt, Joe's garage etc.

Sort of like a nonspecific urinary tract infection.

Nicholas Lindan · Oct 19, 2011

The 'made in Japan' tanks all seem to come from the same maker but with different names stamped into the caps and tanks.

The real Nikor tanks were made in Massachusetts. Honeywell sold some of the gJts [generic Japanese tank] with the Nikor name on the bottom - these are not real Nikor tanks, though.

Nikor tanks have caps with either a rim all around or with a tab - this makes the caps much easier to remove.

I find the stainless caps are matched to the lids are matched to the tanks and they are not interchangeable. I have engraved numbers on mine so I can sort them correctly. I'm sure the caps/lids/tanks were sorted into large/medium/small when they were fit together so it should be possible to find the odd cap that will fit the odd lid correctly.

To make gJt caps easier to remove I keep a quarter (with a hole and a string so it doesn't wander) on the darkroom bench - it works as a twist key to pop the cap off.

semi-ambivalent · Oct 19, 2011

Nicholas Lindan said:
To make gJt caps easier to remove I keep a quarter (with a hole and a string so it doesn't wander) on the darkroom bench - it works as a twist key to pop the cap off.

I wish the caps on my Nikor tanks were that snug. I've moved and mixed and matched caps/lids/tanks until I'm blue in the face, and the air was getting blue too. Now they all leak equally

s-a

vpwphoto · Oct 19, 2011

Nikkor marked on bottom.... I always use electrical tape around the top just to be sure.... hang the tape from a shelf and you can re-use it dozens of times.... the tape from the bulk-load cans would last through developing the rolls from the can.

Ronald Moravec · Oct 22, 2011

The fits from the factory are variable and they may have been exchanged by previous owners over the years to make the issue worse.

The large lids are normally decent. The small are sometimes tight and require a can opener to pop off. Most of mine were bought new 50 years ago and that is how they are, but don`t complain because they lasted 50 years and will go another. Not much lasts 50 years. The plastic top ones NEVER will. Plastic deteriorates with time.

darkroom_rookie · Oct 23, 2011

Nicholas Lindan said:
Honeywell sold some of the gJts [generic Japanese tank] with the Nikor name on the bottom - these are not real Nikor tanks, though.

But they're good. I have one 120 tank and the cap fits properly and isn't hard to remove.

Question on brand of stainless steel tanks

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