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Short history of developing tanks

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Well, for an "entire and utter history" as claimed by the author, the article is an utter disappointment.
Sad enouhg as this is a rather overlooked historic topic, would there not be Maurice Fischer who at least for his home manufacturers went much deeper.


The author not even puts up the most important different handling features:

forms of rotary motion vs. inversion

the various forms of rotary motion (reel to reel spooling, sole reel rotation by stick, whole tank rotation)

different forms of loading (winding onto steel reels, push-in winding, barbs, true ratchet-winding, virtual ratchet-winding by thumb action.
 
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Martin (it's his website) ended up with most of the surplus Ilford 72 exposure stainless steel developing tanks :D The 72 exp HP5 35mm film was dropped because the thin PET base was damaging motor drive/power winder cameras.

Ian
 
chip j said:
https://darkside.photography/history-of-processing-tanks/
Click to expand...
Nowhere did I see the first plastic tank that I used in 1945, the FR developing tank. Made by Fink & Roslieve, I think it had been available as early as 1941. It was adjustable, accepting 35mm, 127, 120, and possibly 616 films. I developed my first panchromatic films in an FR which I may still have. Prior to that, I developed orthochromatic film under a red safe light by inspection, using trays.......Regards!
 
Rondinax 60 are scarce because they used to cost 3x the price of a regular tank, not because of the claimed unpredictability.
It needs the natural curl of the film to operate correctly. For more information, read the appendix.

Arklatexian said:
Nowhere did I see the first plastic tank that I used in 1945, the FR developing tank. Made by Fink & Roslieve, I think it had been available as early as 1941. It was adjustable, accepting 35mm, 127, 120, and possibly 616 films. I developed my first panchromatic films in an FR which I may still have. Prior to that, I developed orthochromatic film under a red safe light by inspection, using trays.......Regards!
Click to expand...

I like the FR Special, it's a breeze to load inside a light-tight bag.
 
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Agfa made two different Rondinax tanks: one for type 120 and one for type 135 film.

If I remember right the material was changed over time, but I better check this.
 
CMoore said:
1945.?
Click to expand...
Yep, he is that "mature".
In my case, my first plastic tank was a Yankee tank, in or about 1967.
I was eleven at the time.
 
CMoore said:
1945.?
Click to expand...
Yes, 1945. I was 14 years old. WW2 ended in August of that year. Some photo gear began to be available after August. The FR tank, being plastic came back on the market before metal equipment. By 1946 there were "War Surplus Stores" where you could buy all sorts of stuff. The first Simmons Brothers enlargers (Omega) were in catalogs published before Dec.7, 1941. I may have one of those old catalogs around here somewhere. I really hate to break the news, but the world did not begin in the late 20th Century and after, though most people alive today did. I am reminded of this fact once a year.........Regards!
 
And it was not even Jobo's first daylight-loading tank, to get back to history. But to be fair, even I in Germany lack much knowledge on Jobo history, let alone on tanks in general.
 
MattKing said:
Yep, he is that "mature".
In my case, my first plastic tank was a Yankee tank, in or about 1967.
I was eleven at the time.
Click to expand...
I am "Only" 60, but..... "Advanced Youth" is the term that i prefer to use. :smile:

Arklatexian said:
Yes, 1945. I was 14 years old. WW2 ended in August of that year. Some photo gear began to be available after August. The FR tank, being plastic came back on the market before metal equipment. By 1946 there were "War Surplus Stores" where you could buy all sorts of stuff. The first Simmons Brothers enlargers (Omega) were in catalogs published before Dec.7, 1941. I may have one of those old catalogs around here somewhere. I really hate to break the news, but the world did not begin in the late 20th Century and after, though most people alive today did. I am reminded of this fact once a year.........Regards!
Click to expand...
Fascinating.
WWII is a very precious topic with me.
It is interesting in so many ways.
Amway..... thanks for the info. I had no idea some of this stuff had this much history.

Aahhhh, there you go....... "History"
I have a long, History :smile:
 
CMoore said:
I am "Only" 60, but..... "Advanced Youth" is the term that i prefer to use. :smile:


Fascinating.
WWII is a very precious topic with me.
It is interesting in so many ways.
Amway..... thanks for the info. I had no idea some of this stuff had this much history.

Aahhhh, there you go....... "History"
I have a long, History :smile:
Click to expand...
History? Why I lived through much of the 20th century and this much of the 21st century. Most of it seems like "only" yesterday. Like my "first" camera. I paid 75 cents for a Baby Brownie, which came with one roll of orthochromatic 127 film. Bought it at a drugstore with three quarters. All the money that I had and had saved just to buy the camera. Shot and developed that roll of film under a red safelight in MQ developer which was packaged with Sodium thiosulfate fixer which I also used. My folks gave enough money to buy a package of Velox photo paper which I "contact printed the 127 negatives on. And "thus" I got started in all this foolishness. I was a Cub Scout and we had friends whose son was a Boy Scout, with a "photography" merit badge. He is the one who taught me NOT to open film and paper in "white" light nor outdoors. Something I have remembered with a very few disastrous exceptions ever since....... You now know everything "important" that I know about photography........Regards!
 
Arklatexian said:
History? Why I lived through much of the 20th century and this much of the 21st century. Most of it seems like "only" yesterday. Like my "first" camera. I paid 75 cents for a Baby Brownie, which came with one roll of orthochromatic 127 film. Bought it at a drugstore with three quarters. All the money that I had and had saved just to buy the camera. Shot and developed that roll of film under a red safelight in MQ developer which was packaged with Sodium thiosulfate fixer which I also used. My folks gave enough money to buy a package of Velox photo paper which I "contact printed the 127 negatives on. And "thus" I got started in all this foolishness. I was a Cub Scout and we had friends whose son was a Boy Scout, with a "photography" merit badge. He is the one who taught me NOT to open film and paper in "white" light nor outdoors. Something I have remembered with a very few disastrous exceptions ever since....... You now know everything "important" that I know about photography........Regards!
Click to expand...
OK Soldier.......thanks for teaching me all you know. :smile:
 
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