OK to use plastic reel in stainless steel tank?

[ron_miller5]

I have 2 stainless tanks and reels. I'm real new and would like to get the

plastic paterson "ratchet type" reels. Any reason I can't use them in the

stainless Adorama tanks? They should fit right? Does anyone know? The tanks

seal so well, I'd like to use them but I do have a problem with film hitting

and was hoping that the plastic ratchet reel would help resolve that until I

get better on the steel reels.

[rachelle_m.]

Hi Ron,

 

I believe there is difference in size between the steel reels and plastic reels, although you may be able to find some plastic reels meant for steel tanks (make sure). If you are having problems with the steel reels, it may be because they are cheap ones. I only say this because I had that problem! If you look very closely on the reels, you may see little solder points which is causing your film to buckle. No amount of practice will fix that. To see if that's the case, try loading film in daylight and the moment it buckles, check to see if it's hitting a solder point. That was my issue, and I realized it wasn't me. So now I have some nice new Hewes reels and I no longer have that problem. Yes, they're expensive, but for a reason (no more ruined rolls).

[Monophoto]

Nope - that results in permanent discoloration of the toes on your left foot.

 

 

Seriously, you can certainly use plastic reels in a stainless steel tank if you can find reels of the proper diameter. Most of the walk-in type reels (eg, Patterson, Yankee, etc) are larger than the typical stainless tanks. But Durst did make a line of plastic reels and tanks that were the same diameter as Nikor stainless tanks. I routinely use these Durst reels in my stainless tanks. They are similar to stainless reels in that the film loads from the center out (ie, tbey are not the ratchet design), but they are easier to load than stainless because the cross section of the material forming the spiral is rectangular. As a result, the film tends to stay in groove better than in stainless reels where the spiral is formed from a round wire.

[User_502260]

Apart from the lower volume of solution needed fore each roll there isn't a big advantage to using a stainless steel tank. Some people like to keep a stainless steel tank in a water bath to maintain a constant temperature. If your developing time isn't very long then the temperature will not change much in a plastic tank. If you are developing b&w film then the temperature of the chemicals which follow the developer is not as critical.

 

In the 1970s Yankee sold a line of black plastic developing tanks with stainless steel reels. This was the opposite of what you are talking about. I prefer stainless steel reels myself and the plastic Yankee tanks leak a lot less. I recently bought a NOS (new old stock) Yankee 16 oz. plastic tank with a stainless steel 120 size reel. I agree that cheap stainless steel reels can cause problems. In my collection I have older Nikor reels, newer Hewes reels and many other ones in between. Make sure your reels are not bent in any way. This can also cause problems. If you are comfortable loading and using Paterson type plastic reels then just use the plastic tank and you should be fine.

[john_shriver]

Throw out the junk made in China reel from Adorama, and buy a new made in England Hewes reel, or a vintage well-cared-for Nikor reel. Bent or ill-made stainless reels are worse than useless.

[ronald_moravec1]

They do not fit as the diameters are too big.

 

Vinatage Nikor reels and tanks or Hewes or Kinderman are the best. You will save a lot of

trouble for yourself if you use them.

[frank.schifano]

I've yet to see a plastic reel that fits into the typical SS tank. That doesn't mean one does not exist, just that I've never seen one. I've seen and used a lot of different darkroom equipment. Your chances of finding a plastic reel that fits into a SS tank at a reasonable price is not good.

 

There is nothing wrong with using a plastic tank. I use them all the time. I prefer to use dilute developers with long development times, and the extra volume of the larger tanks makes that easier to do.

 

Having said that, there are occasions when I prefer to use a SS tank and reel combo. They are very handy for processing 120 film, since I can process two at a time without wasting developer. They are very handy for maintaining critical temperature control when used in a tempered water bath. A unfilled stainless steel tank won't float like a plastic tank will, and the steel is a much better heat conductor than plastic.

 

Cheap reels are are the bane of the beginner's existence. They almost never load properly, and are the source of endless frustration. I wonder how many folks, thinking that they were doing something wrong, have given up on the hobby because they couldn't get a cheap SS reel loaded properly? If that sounds like somewhere you're at, don't despair. The inexpensive, and good, solution is to get yourself a two reel, generic, plastic tank and reel setup for less than $30 US. The more expensive solution, but a very good one, is to get yourself a couple of Hewes reels. These things are the cat's meow. They load right first time, every time. They are pricey, about $30US each, but will last a lifetime if you don't abuse them.

[blarg_.]

As an owner of both Paterson and steel tanks, I can tell you that a Paterson reel will NOT fit in a steel tank. One of the trade-offs to using Paterson reels/tanks is that they require more chemistry, and the math can be a little trickier. However, for me, being able to load a reel in seconds without having to touch the film, worry about fraying the edges, or buckling the film and having 2 frames touching is worth a little extra chemistry.

 

I used to use steel tanks and was quite happy...but then I got a Paterson tank at a good price and haven't used my steel tanks since. I'll probably be selling them soon.

 

You can usually pick up a 2-reel Paterson Super System 4 on ebay for under $20. The same reel will handle 35mm and 120.