Bonehead, I-can't-believe-I-did-that dummy mistake!

[digitalandfilm]

<p>I've always used stainless steel reels, and now that I got back into film I have the Patterson Tank and reels.<br>

The plastic stuff is nice, and easy enough load... so I walked around 50 city blocks shooting two rolls of Legacy Pro 100 B&W film.<br>

I got some great shots, so it's now time to process it.<br>

Get the two rolls of film on the reels no problem, and then put the reels in the tank and close it up- no problem, right?<br>

Wrong.<br>

I put the top on *like the hat on the "Tin Man" of the Wizard of Oz*.. totally UPSIDE DOWN and when I opened the changing bag- I quickly realized it... despite the fact that the "click" is made was misleading.<br>

Then I quickly put it back in the bag and fixed the problem... sort-of.<br>

End result was the top roll of film was ruined.. and the second roll had some "Holga-esque" exposures, but at least I saved SOME of the shots.<br>

When I get home later I will post a few shots I was able to save. <br>

Live and learn... =8^)</p>

<p> </p>

[john_shriver]

<p>Yeah. I always do a real careful "feeley check" and touch inventory of what's in the changing bag, and that everything is safe in the tank, before I pull my hands out of the bag.<br>

A Nikor stainless steel tank doesn't have any "almost" ways to put it together.</p>

[larrydressler]

<p>Shit Happens</p>

[lex_jenkins]

<p>I don't have enough fingers to count all the dumb stuff I've done in the darkroom. First time I used a plastic tank and reel system I forgot to use the spindle/axle doodad. Yup, light fogging along the top of the roll.</p>

[digitalandfilm]

<p>Here's what I salvaged.. forgot to mention my Ilfostop had what looked like tiny jellyfish floating in the container, but it seems to have worked anyway.. (gonna mix new batch for every session)<br>

Legacy Pro 100<br>

Ilford DD-X 6 minutes @ 73 degree's F<br>

<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3355/5705743411_364e471bd6_b.jpg" alt="" width="683" height="1024" /></p>

[digitalandfilm]

<p><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3160/5706292560_df6581e238_z.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="499" /></p>

[digitalandfilm]

<p><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2063/5706288940_9feda25b5a_z.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="519" /></p>

[digitalandfilm]

<p><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2005/5705726211_dbb4af9104_z.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="465" /></p>

[digitalandfilm]

<p><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2471/5706289474_14f3602625_z.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="497" /></p>

[larrydressler]

<p>I think we already have a thread on this.... I may have started it... but than again who cares.... I love most of my frigg ups. Like te time I used Dektok that I poured into the D-76 bottle and did not relabel. Or the time I mixed up Xtol in one gallon not 5 liters. Or the time I just decided that Diafine was GOD and decided it would work for every film from ISO 1-9Gazillion but never knew it hates T grain film.</p>

[digitalandfilm]

<p>My dopey mistake cost me 24+ exposures.. and wasted like a 50 city-block excursion (actually 1/2) but I will never repeat that error.</p>

 

[larrydressler]

<p><strong>Bob..... Never say never as it leads to the next great screw up.</strong></p>

[mihai_radulescu]

<p>Just when I was feeling a bit more self-confident in my darkroom technique, I started by pouring the fixer instead of the developer in the tank. I realized the mistake 30 seconds later, when I wanted to put the leader into the...... developer??? So I quickly poured the fixer out, poured the developer in, developed as usual, stopped, fixed, washed, wetted... The result was a 100% clear roll of polyester, quite decorative, but unfortunately absolutely no trace of an image :(</p>

[mjferron]

<p>Love that first shot. Great tones.</p>

[mlg28]

Hey, for a thread that started out with "I really screwed up," this one has some nice photos. I'll try to screw up my next

few rolls like that!

[randy_cooprider1]

<p>The plastic tank I used had a tiny ball that ratcheted the film in. It had to be absolutely dry to work. Guess how I found out. ;<)</p>

[digitalandfilm]

<p>Another problem I have is that the Kalt Changing Bag is too tight around my arms, so it's a PITA to get my arms in far enough.</p>

 

[bms]

<p>Love the shots..... seems like I do worse if I don't screw up! It's been a while that I was in NYC but this shot may seem familiar:</p><div></div>

[tallnbig68]

<p>Never liked the Nikkor stainles steel tanks. Drop the lid or the can and you'd never get a tight seal on the top. And the Nikkor tanks seemed to be made out of thin rice paper.<br>

I much preferred KIndermann stainless steel tanks which were a very heavy gauge of material and they also had a tight fitting rubber lid which if dropped would not get all bent out of shape.<br>

As to loading the film, try loading a roll of previously processed or dummy roll of film in the daylight and then keep trying until such time as you can do so with your eyes closed correctly every time. As you've noted your changing bag is too small get a large size winter coat, flip it inside out, place your exposed film and the process reel inside, seal the bottom edge (clothespins or large paper clips work great) and put your arms into the sleeves. Do the loading inside the large "body" cavity in the coat. You'll find it a whole lot easier.</p>

[Gary Naka]

<p>Such is the danger of going on "autopilot."<br>

I got a roll of clear negative back from the lab. The shop owner and I determined that I must have loaded the Hasselblad like I was loading a TLR. Only on the Hasselblad, I was exposing the backing paper...NOT the film :-(</p>

[hjoseph7]

<p>Regardless the pictures look great, nice street photography. Next time wait till the sun goes down, turn off all the lights and load the film in the bathroom. At least you can feel your way around in there. Personally, I hate changing bags, my hands start sweating heavily in there. I must have gone through 3 of them already and the first thing that goes is the elastic on the arms.</p>

[digitalandfilm]

<p>I just got a bag from overseas (e-bay) that is supposed to be much better made.<br>

<a href="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280667603447&ssPageName=ADME:X:AAQ:GB:1123">http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280667603447&ssPageName=ADME:X:AAQ:GB:1123</a><br>

I'll use the Kalt as a back-up.<br>

Here's one print where you can see the sprocket holes on the image:<br>

<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3022/5716142124_ae28e373a7_z.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="438" /></p>

<p> </p>