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Tank Options for 35mm Hewes SS Reels

SodaAnt

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I want to order a couple of Hewes SS reels for 35mm but don’t know what tank to buy.

I want to develop two rolls at a time, so a tank that will accommodate two reels is what I’m looking for. Hewes makes several size 35mm reels to fit various tanks—which combination is best for hand agitation? SS tanks? Patterson tanks? Jobo tanks? Something else?

If SS tanks are best, what brand?
 
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Hewes, Paterson, and Jobo reels will not be interchangeable. IMO, if you're going to use stainless reels, and don't already have a tank, you might want to get a stainless tank.

I gave up stainless several years ago; I have too much trouble getting 120 onto stainless reels, and can't double load them like I do my Paterson reels. Further, I need separate reels for 35 mm, 127, and 120, and the 16 mm stainless reels are (for me) impossible to load, whereas a modified Paterson reel loads just like the wider sizes.
 
Arista or similar stainless tank with a plastic lid. Get a couple of extra lids in case one develops cracks or leaks. I been using two Hewes reels in a Arista tank for a while and it works well.
 
All the different brands of stainless steel tanks and reels I've used over the years were interchangeable. I think any standard 500ml tank should hold two 35mm reels or a single 120 reel.

I remember reading something about this at The Online Photographer a few months ago, which might be of interest.

Tanks and Reels for Film Developing

Well, that was interesting. Learn something new every day? Over the past couple of days I tried to write an article about my method of developing small-format film, a method I carefully built up over many years and through much...
theonlinephotographer.typepad.com

Mike Johnston claimed these Seki tanks are the best in stainless steel. I've never used them, but the lid looks nice. This one should hold two 35mm reels.

Universal Stainless Steel Developing Tank with Plastic Cap Lid | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Universal Stainless Steel Developing Tank with Plastic Cap Lid at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!
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I use Hewes SS reels in a Jobo tank and it works fine.
I’ve also used them in Paterson tanks, but the fit of the reel onto the center plastic rod is very tight, so much so that it peels off small flakes of plastic.
 
I've used Hewes and all other stainless steel reels in any number of ss tanks. Nikkor, Kinderman (which seem identical to the Seki), all manner of german, japanese or generic stainless steel tanks.
 
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Hewes makes/made SS reels in different versions, for different tanks. Generally speaking, you need to match the type of reel to the type of tank - in some cases there is more than one maker of compatible tanks. As an example, Paterson and Arista/AP/Samigon plastic tanks and reels are compatible.
In my experience, the most common form of SS reel - including the most common Hewes reels - are designed to fit in tanks without centre cores. At one time, there were many competing types of tanks designed for those reels.
On the used market, be cautious about identifying the relatively rare oversized tanks, designed for larger film formats, like 220, on larger reels.
 
infrar3d said:
I think any standard 500ml tank should hold two 35mm reels or a single 120 reel.
Click to expand...

The exception on interchangeability is the Nikor 4x5 tank (for which there were also 35 mm and 120/220 reels); it's larger diameter than the standard stainless tanks.
 

That is worth emphasizing. I know from experience!

I now have some Hewes 120 reels that fit in my Jobo 1500 tanks.
 
Can you use Hewes stainless steel reels with JOBO tanks in a JOBO processor, i.e. under constant rotation? The native JOBO reels are designed to rotate with the tank. Do Newes reels have the same property?
 
Nikkor tanks and the FreeStyle generic tanks work well with the Hewes 35mm reals. Use the tanks for one 120 reel will take two 35mm reels.
 
My Hewes 35mm reels fit in all of my stainless steel tanks, mostly old no-name brands. I have one of the new Seki tanks, and it works fine with Hewes reels. The Seki tank lid is a bit nicer than other lids, but not by leaps and bounds.
 
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