Sod's Law

Dave Miller · Aug 8, 2005

Imagine this: yesterday I had four 120 films to develop, two taken on Saturday during an unrepeatable trip to London. The other two were unimportant, and easily replicated test films. These were randomly loaded, two to a reel and the two reels put into a three reel Paterson tank. I used one litre of fluid to cover the two reels instead of one and a half litres that would have been required for three reels. Still with me? Unfortunately, as it transpired, I didn’t push the second reel all the way to the bottom of the centre support tube; the result is a sort of high tide mark all along the edge of two of the films.
Can you guess which two films were ruined?

argus · Aug 8, 2005

Yup.

To avoid situations like that, I first prepare the developer, after that I load the film, not inverse. Very handy for people who only remember things from noon till 12 o'clock (like me)

I made markings on a large plastic pot with the amount of water per film (+ how much Rodinal to add in 1+50) and every possible combination for the three reels that fit my Paterson tank: 3 x 35mm, 2 x 120, 1x35 + 1x120, etc...

G
(I even forgot how many ml's I use for 1 film)

JHannon · Aug 8, 2005

Sounds like Murphy's law to me. Same as a piece of buttered bread will always land buttered side down...

philldresser · Aug 8, 2005

Dave

Why does this always happen to the films that you want to keep?

However this a common problem and one which Paterson were well aware of. They provide a circlip with all the deep tanks so that you can keep a lesser number of reels under the solution by stopping the reels moving when inverting. Do you have one?

Phill

Dave Miller · Aug 8, 2005

philldresser said:
Dave

Why does this always happen to the films that you want to keep?

However this a common problem and one which Paterson were well aware of. They provide a circlip with all the deep tanks so that you can keep a lesser number of reels under the solution by stopping the reels moving when inverting. Do you have one?

Phill

Yes Phill, I have one. It's kept safe in a draw so I don't lose it!

Leon · Aug 8, 2005

Dave - I feel for you. It always is the important ones that suffer!

I went to orkney a couple of years ago - we drove there, it took about 26 hours all in all, door to door. I took loads of pics and excitedly loaded my reels to develop when i got home the following week. I prepared the developer , gave the a prewash, then completely unthinkingly, unscrewed the lid of the tank, letting all the bright shining sunlight shine directky onto the films, then poured the developer on before I realised what I'd done. DOH! always the important ones.

Ben Taylor · Aug 8, 2005

philldresser said:
However this a common problem and one which Paterson were well aware of. They provide a circlip with all the deep tanks so that you can keep a lesser number of reels under the solution by stopping the reels moving when inverting.

I have a Paterson tank, with the clip. My darkroom has been in storage for almost a year - rather foolishly I stored the clip on the plastic spindle, so it has stretched and doesn't keep the reel fully in place.

Unfortunately it took a ruined film to discover the problem.

Monophoto · Aug 8, 2005

Dave -

Been there, done that.

I like to look at these experiences as a lesson-learned. I know that I will almost certainly not make that particular mistake again.

But what I am finding is that the number of bad-things that I will not do again now exceeds the number of things that I do right! Aarggh!

photomc · Aug 8, 2005

Dave Miller said:
Yes Phill, I have one. It's kept safe in a draw so I don't lose it!

Dave, I feel your pain but Gawd!! Do I love that statement!!!

Louis Mutch · Aug 8, 2005

JHannon said:
Sounds like Murphy's law to me. Same as a piece of buttered bread will always land buttered side down...

I know Murphy, who is Sod?

clogz · Aug 8, 2005

Murphy was an optimist!

Paul Sorensen · Aug 8, 2005

Of course, another option is to place an empty reel on top. That is what I do since I am in a community darkroom space where little things like clips do not last.

This reminds me of my first few sheets of 4X5 that I developed, the only ones without streaking from uneven agitation were the ones that I didn't really care about. Everything I liked was trashed.

dr bob · Aug 8, 2005

I guess I have made about every mistake possible (oops, now Ive done it!). I once loaded a single 35mm tank requiring 250ml with 6 oz. The results were similar to yours. A couple of unreproducable (weather related) frames ruined.

Actually, Murphys Law is a corollary of Dr. Finagles Law of Maximum Inconvenience which states: If an event can occur in more than one manner, it will always occur in that manner creating the maximum inconvenience to the observer. I have given proof to this law many times.

Then there is dr bobs corollary: If one performs an act with the foreknowledge that there is at least one deleterious result, that result will ultimately occur. In other words, if you do something stupid knowing that it is stupid, you will pay the price. E.g., the guy who lights his charcoal grill with gasoline!

Dave Miller · Aug 8, 2005

Louis Mutch said:
I know Murphy, who is Sod?

Murphy's Dad!

gainer · Aug 8, 2005

Ben Taylor said:
I have a Paterson tank, with the clip. My darkroom has been in storage for almost a year - rather foolishly I stored the clip on the plastic spindle, so it has stretched and doesn't keep the reel fully in place.

Unfortunately it took a ruined film to discover the problem.

My Paterson tank is so old it never had a clip. I use a rubber band. When it disintegrates, I use another rubber band. I'm only 78 so I don't forget...what were we talking about?

gainer · Aug 8, 2005

clogz said:
Murphy was an optimist!

His given name was Edsel.

Dave Wooten · Aug 8, 2005

I've done that!

According to some of my students, A nice piercing will keep those patterson circle clips handy, right under your nose if necessary,

fschifano · Aug 8, 2005

Ben Taylor said:
I have a Paterson tank, with the clip. My darkroom has been in storage for almost a year - rather foolishly I stored the clip on the plastic spindle, so it has stretched and doesn't keep the reel fully in place.

Unfortunately it took a ruined film to discover the problem.

OH well. Don't go crazy looking for another plastic clip though. Mine are long gone, so now I just use a rubber band around the spindle. Cheap, effective, and easily replaceable. What's not to like?

Donald Qualls · Aug 8, 2005

JHannon said:
Sounds like Murphy's law to me. Same as a piece of buttered bread will always land buttered side down...

This is actually no true. Rather, the chance of landing butter down is proportional to the price of the carpet, and rises if it's jam instead of butter.

Mark Layne · Aug 9, 2005

Dave Miller said:
Imagine this: yesterday I had four 120 films to develop, two taken on Saturday during an unrepeatable trip to London. The other two were unimportant, and easily replicated test films. These were randomly loaded, two to a reel and the two reels put into a three reel Paterson tank. I used one litre of fluid to cover the two reels instead of one and a half litres that would have been required for three reels. Still with me? Unfortunately, as it transpired, I didnt push the second reel all the way to the bottom of the centre support tube; the result is a sort of high tide mark all along the edge of two of the films.
Can you guess which two films were ruined?

Dave
I've had this happen, caused by the reel sliding up the center column during inversion. Even with the retaining ring I now give the bottom of the tank a good whack on the palm of my hand before putting it down.

Mark Layne

JHannon · Aug 9, 2005

Donald Qualls said:
This is actually no true. Rather, the chance of landing butter down is proportional to the price of the carpet, and rises if it's jam instead of butter.

Sod's Law

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