Uneven Developer Distribution?

[Lruw]

Sorry if this has been asked before, but I didn't see a similar topic posted recently.

Anyhow, I've had some trouble getting all of my frames evenly developed.

I'm using an older Patterson Tank (4) for developing some black and white film. I have been using 10seconds of inversion every minute with Arista film and T-Max developer.

Some frames come out very nicely, but others are too dark and some come out completely black. I am fairly sure this is not a problem with the camera exposure, since it has occurred with two different cameras.

Speculation on the problem:
Are the Patterson reels too small for 36 exposures? It seems to fit pretty well, but could the film be overlapping?

Not inverting enough? But would this affect the frames that have been coming out well?

Thanks for any help. Please understand that I am fairly new at developing.

 

[Anscojohn]

Sounds like you might have a light leak in the tank. Check the plastic collar for a crack.

 

[Lruw]

I checked for leaks and tried another roll. Somehow they all came back blank. I didn't change the chemical mix or anything else. Does anybody have an idea of what is causing this?

 

[Anscojohn]

I checked for leaks and tried another roll. Somehow they all came back blank. I didn't change the chemical mix or anything else. Does anybody have an idea of what is causing this?

******
Perhaps you were a bit rattled and poured the fixer in first.

 

[trexx]

If one frame is good and another is not then it is the exposure in the camera. The developer cannot tell where one frame is compared to another. Hor are the frem numbers in the margin? Are they consistent? From your comments I would have to say the exposure in not correct in some frames. How did you meter? How was the exposure set?

As to the all blank, sounds like fixer first.

 

[Lruw]

I don't think the camera exposed frames incorrectly. I shot the entire roll at 1/50 f/8 or 1/125 f/2(or whatever it was exactly according to the light meter) consistently. 2 shots with the other settings came out fine.

I am going to more thoroughly light proof the bathroom that I load film onto the reel. I have a feeling that could help. It couldn't hurt.
As a sub question, should 36 exposures fit on the Patterson reel? It seems like my newer one is unable to.

I have a suspicion that I mixed in too much developer for the second roll or that the tank was cleaned properly.