Plastic or Metal or Does It Matters?

[bruce282]

When I used to develop film way back in the 70's metal tanks and spools were all there was, or all I was aware of. So since I'm retiring in 42 days, I want to start developing the B&W film I shoot. I've researched and found pros and cons on both sides. I do remember there was a learning curve loading the steel reels and I also remember a few rolls with blotches on them. So is plastic the way to go?

Open to all suggestions, and I'm sure I'll be back to talk chemicals later.

Thanks,


Bruce

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[ann]

It boils down to personal preference, I can and do use both depending on how many rolls I have to develop.

When I started darkroom work there was only one option (well not counting an apron). So I find steel easy, however, my students usually op for plastic as it is easier for beginners.

I have found for 120 steel is the best, 35, doesn't make a difference (for me).

It is rare for a loading mistake with plastic and until one gets the hang of steel it is common. I have a few students have an issue with plastic, but i can count on two fingers out of hundreds who did.

added thought, plastic is impossible to load if wet, not steel.

Drop steel and it bends and your out a lot of money to replace, drop plastic and it usually bounces, but doesn't bend, and generally doesn't break (generally being just that)

[compur]

I usually use plastic Paterson or AP reels. I find them easy to load and they are adjustable for 35mm-127-120 film.

As ann mentioned, plastic reels don't work well when wet. But they are cheap so I just have extra reels on hand if I need a dry one.

One caveat: if you use Diafine developer, the manufacturer has warned not to use plastic reels with it as it can affect the developer (though I haven't seen any problem with doing that myself using Paterson reels)

There is another type of reel that I use sometimes. It's the "lasagna reel." The old Kodak tanks came with these. It's a long flexible plastic strip that looks like Italian lasagna pasta. You just sort of wrap your film inside as you roll it up and the bumps along the edge keep the film away from the surface to allow development.

[ann]

Freestyle used to sell the apron device (lasagna pasta reference)

[bruce282]

So doing a little research on steel, it appears Hewes has a pretty good rep. I see where Freestyle has a SS tank, 2 Hewes reels and a pack of negative holders for $54.


Bruce

[ann]

Hewes are considered the best.

[Images]

I settled on the Jobo unitank years ago, I find it the easiest to load and work with.

[O|||||||O]

All I've ever used is plastic (Paterson). I haven't had an issue with it yet. I have heard that medium format is difficult with plastic reels though ... haven't gotten into that yet - I'll find out soon though.

[Derrel]

I love my ancient Honeywell Nikor (only one k in their Nikor!) stainless reels and vintage 2-reel and 4-reel tanks with all-steel lids. About the only real, significant difference between plastic and metal tanks is that stainless steel tanks conduct heat or cooling much faster than any plastic can, so if you need significant temperature correction using a water bath, the steel tanks really do transfer thermal energy well. One on the reason I like the old Nikor tanks and reels is that the reels themselves are slightly heavier-gauge, tougher wire than the cheap Japanese-made ones; drop one of those on the floor, and the wire will usually bend. Not so with the tougher, better-engineered Nikor reels, which are very hard to find any more. I used to have a Patterson auto-load plastic reel setup that worked pretty well. The kind of tanks I NEVER liked were steel bottoms with plastic lids...invariably, the lids would crack at the pour spout area...not a good thing. At a darkroom I used to tech at, we often had to soup 12,16, or even 20 rolls of 35mm film every afternoon, and for us, the old all-steel tanks were really useful for push-processing two or three tanks of E.I. 3,200 film in a 76 degree water bath for 15 full minutes using an ounce of HC-110 per tank...keeping the developer actually at 76 degrees helped quite a bit.

[compur]

All I've ever used is plastic (Paterson). I haven't had an issue with it yet. I have heard that medium format is difficult with plastic reels though ... haven't gotten into that yet - I'll find out soon though.

There's a trick for loading 120 on Paterson reels that seems to help. Take a business card, turn it sideways and slide the
long edge into the entry point of the reel. You can do this in the light, of course. Then when you load the film, just slide
it across the card and onto the reel. Once the film is started you can remove the card. Seems to speed things up for me.

[wwwphil]

I have always used paterson plastic, never had a problem.

[lajoiephoto]

I've been using Nikor metal reels for twenty-nine years without a hiccup. I'll will them to my grand kids. The Kodak "lasagna" gives very streaky development. In a drop-on-the-floor contest, Patersen plastic loses.

[JosephKubik]

I prefer plastic reels for 35mm (just easier to load IMO) and metal for 120/220. medium format just does NOT load well onto plastic... I just find plastic is cheaper, easier (and cheaper) to replace parts for, and doesn't bend out of shape.

[Images]

Another vote for Jobo UniTank, I have used them for years.
Steel reels went in the trash long ago.

[O|||||||O]

All I've ever used is plastic (Paterson). I haven't had an issue with it yet. I have heard that medium format is difficult with plastic reels though ... haven't gotten into that yet - I'll find out soon though.

There's a trick for loading 120 on Paterson reels that seems to help. Take a business card, turn it sideways and slide the
long edge into the entry point of the reel. You can do this in the light, of course. Then when you load the film, just slide
it across the card and onto the reel. Once the film is started you can remove the card. Seems to speed things up for me.

Just wanted to let you know that I tried this on my first time developing 120 film. It worked beautifully. I have since lost the little card I made (I used it for my first 3 or 4 rolls), and have gotten used to doing it without it. The first couple times would have surely been more difficult without it.