Tried the Taco method. It didn't go well. What's the best 3x4 dev tank (that doesn't use 1+ liters of chems)?

[MCB18]

So, I tried the taco method. It failed spectacularly.

I was super worried that it was going to be a complete disaster, but thankfully, it turned out alright:

Anyway, I’m looking for an actual 3x4 tank so that I can develop sheets without fear that this mess will happen again. Any suggestions?

FYI, actual film dimensions are 81x106mm if that helps.

 

[Kino]

Old 3x4 sheet film hangers can be had cheaply on Ebay, but you'd have to find/fabricate at least 3 tanks and process in the dark.

3 1/4 x 4 1/4 sheet film and plate developing hangers, 12 Available | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 3 1/4 x 4 1/4 sheet film and plate developing hangers, 12 Available at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

Just be sure the tanks hold the minimum required developer amount, which I think is around 250-300 ML per sheet and use them one-shot.

 

[btaylor]

Of course the Yankee tank is adjustable for 3 1/4 x 4 1/4, but as you noted it uses a lot of chemistry. Two options there are HC110 or L110 at 1:63 which is pretty economical or a replenished developer - I have used both approaches. I know there is little love for the Yankee tank, but I have used it off and on for more than 50 years. Originally got it in the ‘60’s because I needed a daylight tank for my Baby Speed Graphic’s 2 1/4 x 3 1/4 sheets. I think new they are $40 or so.
More economical with developer is the Combi Plan tank. I got one in a darkroom lot and quite like it for 4x5, I noticed it is adjustable for your quarter plate film as well. I see them on the used market for $80 or so, they stopped producing them awhile ago.

 

[BAC1967]

The Nikkor sheet film tank uses less chemistry than the Yankee Agitank. But it takes some funky movements to avoid agitation marks. I find the Yankee tank gives the best development. I usually use Rodinal 1:50 so the chemistry volume isn’t a big deal.

 

[wiltw]

Shooting 4x5 sheet film in an old Speed Graphic 55 years ago, on the high school newspaper photography staff I learned the easy use of tray processing of sheet film...you merely need to use the minimum quantity of fluid with processing capacity for the number of sheets in the tray, working in the dark.

 

[MCB18]

More economical with developer is the Combi Plan tank. I got one in a darkroom lot and quite like it for 4x5, I noticed it is adjustable for your quarter plate film as well. I see them on the used market for $80 or so, they stopped producing them awhile ago.

I like this tank, seems like it is just what I need! Unfortunately the only one I can find for sale right now is broken, and being sold by CatLabs, so even if it was fully working I wouldn’t buy it from them.

Shooting 4x5 sheet film in an old Speed Graphic 55 years ago, on the high school newspaper photography staff I learned the easy use of tray processing of sheet film...you merely need to use the minimum quantity of fluid with processing capacity for the number of sheets in the tray, working in the dark.

Thought about this, and I do have a darkroom, so I could do that. I would just be extremely nervous about working with chemicals in complete darkness. It’s one thing to work with dry film in the dark, it’s very much another to work with large amounts of liquids. Maybe if nothing else works out, I’ll give that a shot.

 

[250swb]

A Paterson Orbital Colour Print processing tray would work. I've used it for processing 4x5 film at the kitchen sink and it uses very little chemistry. Make some dividers to go inside to keep your film apart.

https://www.rogerandfrances.com/processing-sheet-film-orbital/

https://www.film-and-darkroom-user.org.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=119

 

[reddesert]

I don't know the 3x4 tank answer - I think Nikor 4x5 reels are adjustable for height. Smaller/tighter hairbands might help with the taco method. Also, it looks like your film clips are clamping the film well inside the image area when hanging. Try clipping on a corner with the perfs, and just kissing the corner of the film.

 

[P C Headland]

A Paterson Orbital Colour Print processing tray would work. I've used it for processing 4x5 film at the kitchen sink and it uses very little chemistry. Make some dividers to go inside to keep your film apart.

https://www.rogerandfrances.com/processing-sheet-film-orbital/

https://www.film-and-darkroom-user.org.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=119

I'd suggest this too, but would note that they are easier to find in the UK / Europe than in the US.

I use mine for 4x5"and 9x12cm sheet film. I laid down some thin lines of epoxy to stop the film sticking to the base. I generally use 150ml of solution, though have tried with less when developing a single sheet.

 

[250swb]

I'd suggest this too, but would note that they are easier to find in the UK / Europe than in the US.

I use mine for 4x5"and 9x12cm sheet film. I laid down some thin lines of epoxy to stop the film sticking to the base. I generally use 150ml of solution, though have tried with less when developing a single sheet.

Good point. There was something nagging at the back of my mind about something else I'd seen and came up with this

https://www.freestylephoto.com/4458...ing-Tray-for-8x10,-5x7,-4x10,-4x5,-and-9x12cm

which is available in the USA. It depends if it can be adapted for the size of film, but my guess would be it can, just putting the film into the 4x5 spaces. But Stearman should be able to confirm this.

 

[Kino]

Stearman also makes the 445 and 645 tanks with removable film holders that can be modified for 9x12 cm (as per their instructions). I don't see why they can't be modified for 3.25 x 4.25 film as well...

Processing 9x12 Film in the SP-445/SP-645

Believe it or not, people are still shooting 9 cm x12 cm film. And they're still asking if they can processes it our film tanks. In fact, they started asking before the first SP-445 even shipped! While an injection molded 9x12 film holder would be the perfect solution, the market just isn't...

shop.stearmanpress.com

 

[grahamp]

I have a 3D printed reel that does 2x3. I scaled it down from a Thingiverse design to run in a Jobo 1520 tank. There are issues doing this, as the 2x3 film does not like bending, and there seems to be some over development on the edges. My test film is old, so I need to try it with fresher film. Even rotary, that is 6 sheets in the same chemicals as two 8 frame rolls of 120 on a 120 reel. But shooting 2x3 is not cheap unless you are cutting down 4x5.

Still a work in progress.

 

[Patrick Robert James]

You could give btzs tubes a try.

 

[Doremus Scudder]

Thought about this, and I do have a darkroom, so I could do that. I would just be extremely nervous about working with chemicals in complete darkness. It’s one thing to work with dry film in the dark, it’s very much another to work with large amounts of liquids. Maybe if nothing else works out, I’ll give that a shot.

You don't need lots of liquid volume. I process 4x5 film, up to six at a time, in trays using 500ml of solution in each tray. After the film has been in the fixer for half the fixing time, you can turn on the lights.

There is a bit of a learning curve to tray processing, but once mastered, it's really the most flexible and economical of all the methods I know.

You need to realize that you will slop some chemistry out of the tray. The processing trays need to be in larger trays or a sink (or both). That said, I tray-processed on the countertop of my Vienna bathroom for years. I covered the countertop with a plastic bag over which I spread a few overlapping kitchen towels (used only for the darkroom since they got stained with pyro). Worked just fine.

I'd recommend practicing shuffling scrap sheets (you can use old negatives you don't want to print) in a tray of water with the lights on to start with. Then practice with eyes closed, then with the lights out.

There's a lot of info here and over at the LF forums about tray processing techniques. Do a search or two.

Best,

Doremus

 

[wiltw]

Thought about this, and I do have a darkroom, so I could do that. I would just be extremely nervous about working with chemicals in complete darkness. It’s one thing to work with dry film in the dark, it’s very much another to work with large amounts of liquids. Maybe if nothing else works out, I’ll give that a shot.

Pour the processing solutions into trays in the light.
Practice with dummy sheetfilm (even already-processed films) in the light, using only water in the trays

1. sliding films quickly one after another into the tray,
2. pulling sheet from bottom and placing back on top of the stack by sliding back into the solution,
3. feeling where the tray edge is for the next tray a
4. nd tranferring films from one tray to the other

...once you do that, it becomes ingrained in muscle memory and easy to do in the dark. You then add an audible timer that you start after all films are immersed in developer, and wait for it to ring and mark when you transfer sheet by sheet to the next solution.

Remember to keep in mind not scratching the wet emulsions with the base layer!

 

[Sirius Glass]

Of course the Yankee tank is adjustable for 3 1/4 x 4 1/4, but as you noted it uses a lot of chemistry. Two options there are HC110 or L110 at 1:63 which is pretty economical or a replenished developer - I have used both approaches. I know there is little love for the Yankee tank, but I have used it off and on for more than 50 years. Originally got it in the ‘60’s because I needed a daylight tank for my Baby Speed Graphic’s 2 1/4 x 3 1/4 sheets. I think new they are $40 or so.
More economical with developer is the Combi Plan tank. I got one in a darkroom lot and quite like it for 4x5, I noticed it is adjustable for your quarter plate film as well. I see them on the used market for $80 or so, they stopped producing them awhile ago.

I found that the Yankee tanks splashed a lot of the chemicals out. Other tanks are better. I have no recommendation for 3 1/4" x 4 1/4" tanks, only 4"x5" tanks.

 

[btaylor]

I found that the Yankee tanks splashed a lot of the chemicals out. Other tanks are better. I have no recommendation for 3 1/4" x 4 1/4" tanks, only 4"x5" tanks.

I have often read that the Yankee tank splashes chemistry. I have never experienced that problem. I guess I am just more gentle in my agitation than many others. I have not had issues with uneven development. Donald Qualls seems to like his as well.
Hey, to each his own!

 

[BAC1967]

I have often read that the Yankee tank splashes chemistry. I have never experienced that problem. I guess I am just more gentle in my agitation than many others. I have not had issues with uneven development. Donald Qualls seems to like his as well.
Hey, to each his own!

If you follow the instructions you won’t splash, I’m guessing that you did read the instructions.

 

[Roger Thoms]

You could give btzs tubes a try.

That was my thought, 4x5 tubes should work fine with 3x4. The View Camera Store has some good videos on YouTube on how to use them. You can buy tubes or make them. Very economical on chemistry.

Roger

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

My vote is for a Jobo 2500 series tank and the sheet film reel - you can do 6 sheets per reel, and use a very minimal amount of chemistry if you use a rotary base (to keep it cheap, Jobo makes an adjustable length roller base for manual processing, or you could make your own with a set of furniture wheels and a piece of plywood). I LOATHE the Yankee Tank- I have never been able to get good results out of one - I always get developer surge along the edges of the negative where the rack holds the film.

 

[Sirius Glass]

My vote is for a Jobo 2500 series tank and the sheet film reel - you can do 6 sheets per reel, and use a very minimal amount of chemistry if you use a rotary base (to keep it cheap, Jobo makes an adjustable length roller base for manual processing, or you could make your own with a set of furniture wheels and a piece of plywood). I LOATHE the Yankee Tank- I have never been able to get good results out of one - I always get developer surge along the edges of the negative where the rack holds the film.

Jobo Expert Drums provide flexibility with reliable consistent processing.

 

[MCB18]

That was my thought, 4x5 tubes should work fine with 3x4. The View Camera Store has some good videos on YouTube on how to use them. You can buy tubes or make them. Very economical on chemistry.

Roger

Can I make them from PVC pipes from the hardware store? Or do they need to be made in a special way?

Jobo Expert Drums provide flexibility with reliable consistent processing.

Unfortunately, they also blow up my wallet.

 

[Roger Thoms]

Can I make them from PVC pipes from the hardware store? Or do they need to be made in a special way?



Unfortunately, they also blow up my wallet.

I used grey pvc electrical conduit and abs couplers and caps for the 5x7 tubes I made. I’m traveling, but will post a few photos when I get home on Thursday.

Roger

Lol, have photos on my phone already.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Unfortunately, they also blow up my wallet.

But over time, having consistently good sheet film development will spread the cost. Besides your photographs are worth it and you deserve to have every sheet of film developed correctly.

 

[MCB18]

At the moment I’m saving up to buy a 90mm for my RB, but maybe my next big purchase will be a JOBO tank.