Steel Reels, Steel Tanks VS. Plastic Reels, Tanks

DF · Jan 9, 2013

I've allways used plastic reels/tanks for developing film, and would like to try steel for the first time. Just by looking at steel reels, it would seem they'd be much more efficient than the plastic - more open space for the chemicals to flow through in and out/back & forth/up& down - whatever style you agitate by.
Is it they're more $$expensive? Are they so harder to load? I can allways practise...

Jeff Kubach · Jan 9, 2013

I use the Paterson reels only because I'm used to them, but one of these days I'm going to try the metal ones.

Jeff

Konical · Jan 9, 2013

Good Evening, DF,

Do an APUG search on the topic. It's one we've really beaten to death. Opinions, well-informed and otherwise, abound and should easily provide all the background you need for making a choice.

Konical

henry finley · Jan 9, 2013

It matters not, really. Just a tank that empties and fills fast. Paterson, Honeywell, whatever.

kbrede · Jan 9, 2013

I started out with plastic using 35mm. After being forced to use steel in a class, I found steel reels easier and faster. Granted it took three or four runs before I felt that way. We used hewes reels.

I've only used plastic for 120 but at some pint want to try steel.

In order to really know, I think a person just has to try both and decide for themselves.

Gerald C Koch · Jan 9, 2013

GEEZ, not again! Doesn't anyone think to look in the archives. This subject has been talked to death.

All you will learn is that those who use plastic like plastic and those who use SS like SS. Haven't really seen a definitive reason presented for using either one.

Harry Lime · Jan 9, 2013

Steel is the way to go, especially for 35mm. Far easier to load and they last forever (just don't drop them).

I have to admit that I find it easier to load 120 on to plastic. Maybe I just need more practice with the steel reels.

tkamiya · Jan 10, 2013

I use ONLY paper reels... (just kidding)

I use steel. Hewes 35mm reels costs more to buy but they are SO easy to load. It is well worth double the cost of ordinary ones.

MattKing · Jan 10, 2013

You could put this thread into the Ethics and Philosophy forum, because the question is essentially one of religion .

For me, I prefer SS for 35mm, and the wider flange plastic reels that fit in Paterson tanks for 120.

And for convenience, I use those wider flange plastic reels and Paterson reels for 35mm too.

Have you tried film aprons?

rhcgn · Jan 10, 2013

I use Jobo (plastic) drums and reels, which are particularly useful when you develop colour. The bleach/fix component releases gas and hence pressure and the Jobo lids have room for expansion build into the lid. Systems without expansion would most likely leak in that case. Also, plastic gives better insulation and thus keeps the process temperature more stable. I have not seen metal systems with that feature, but that does not mean they are not out there.. Apart from this, its all a matter of preference and what feels right to you.

AgX · Jan 10, 2013

In threads like this often one model out of a group is taken to form an opinion.
Seen the variety of models and the different applications (see above), it would need either a lot of experience or a reguled test to come some decent conclusion.

Futhermore there seems some bias simply due to spread of types in the local market.

damonff · Jan 10, 2013

For 120 and 220 I use plastic reels from Freestyle. For most 35mm I use Hewes. The cheap steel reels are terrible. After I bought Hewes reels I couldn't believe how easy they are to load.

You have to experiment and use what works for you.

fotch · Jan 10, 2013

"But worth thinking about particularly with cheaper, lower quality SS, or if chrome flakes off the reels - I've seen this happen."

SS does not flake off, chrome is not SS. Maybe made to look and or sold as SS?

albada · Jan 11, 2013

Michael R 1974, thanks for the excellent posting of pros and cons. I would add two more, and these are the two reasons I switched from Paterson to SS:

1. SS uses less chemistry. For one roll of 35mm, it's 210 ml versus 325 ml.
2. Paterson has more parts to clean and dry when you're done.

Regarding loading: After practicing a few times, SS has become just as easy for me to load as Paterson.

But plastic may be better for this: If you have a plastic 220 reel, then you can load two 120 rolls onto a single reel. Push the first roll as far into the spiral as possible, then load the second roll. OTOH, I haven't actually tried this and I don't know if my adjustable reels can handle the length of a 220.

Mark Overton

AgX · Jan 11, 2013

fotch said:
SS does not flake off, chrome is not SS. Maybe made to look and or sold as SS?

Chromed surfaces are more bluish, SS is more yellowish.

vysk · Jan 11, 2013

Steel

Fought with plastic when I learned developing, fought with plastic last week (after a decades long gap from darkroom)/

Took all my plastic reels and traded them for steel.

Steel reels forever, as far as I'm concerned.

....Vick

AgX · Jan 11, 2013

What plastic reels did you trade for what steel reels...?

see post #12

MattKing · Jan 11, 2013

albada said:
But plastic may be better for this: If you have a plastic 220 reel, then you can load two 120 rolls onto a single reel. Push the first roll as far into the spiral as possible, then load the second roll. OTOH, I haven't actually tried this and I don't know if my adjustable reels can handle the length of a 220.

Mark Overton

Mark:

This works fine with either Paterson or the Samigon/AP/Arista Premium reels and Kodak 120 films (I do it with Plus-X and TMax 400).

There is at least a bit of space between the end of the first roll and the beginning of the next.

I wouldn't suggest doing it with rotary processing - in my experience films are more likely to wander with rotary, and may end up overlapping.

Steel Reels, Steel Tanks VS. Plastic Reels, Tanks

DF

Jeff Kubach

Konical

henry finley

kbrede

Gerald C Koch

Harry Lime

tkamiya

MattKing

Moderator

rhcgn

AgX

damonff

fotch

albada

AgX

vysk

AgX

MattKing

Moderator

Steel Reels, Steel Tanks VS. Plastic Reels, Tanks

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