Stainless Steel Home Developing Tanks for 35mm and 120 film

nightwolf75 · 27th January 2006

harlo! does anyone know where i can find this in singapore? my plastic reels are starting to get very dirty (even tho subjected to washing and scrubbing) and are starting to scratch my negatives.

read on other forum boards dat stainless steel tanks are more lasting. however, i'm not too keen to order from US and am hoping to find them in singapore. my current tank was bought from ruby.

TIA!

kex · 27th January 2006

u can try seng cheong at ICB house ..

nightwolf75 · 27th January 2006

Originally Posted by kex

u can try seng cheong at ICB house ..

thanks, kex! guess i'll pay them a visit after CNY.

fyi - for those interested to know where they are in the future.

Seng Cheong Co (Pte) Ltd
Middle Rd #04-01/02 I C B Enterprise Hse Singapore 188972
Telephone : 6336 3244
Fax : 6339 5875

CaeSiuM · 27th January 2006

Actually you can't just change the reels and re-use the developing tank with the stainless steel reels. You'll need to use the tank that comes with the reels too. I had the same misconception too until I was told about it.

Actually stainless steel reels are MUCH more difficult to load compared to plastic ones IMHO. Textbook knowledge states that the first quarter turn is critical, personal experience, it's more like the first full turn is.

Plastic reels are fine but you need to remember to clean them up especially after you've use some form of wetting agent because these are the cause of the gunk that deposits itself within the gaps of the reels. Just pump and dump the reels in water and then leave it to soak for a while in lukewarm water before drying.

nightwolf75 · 27th January 2006

Originally Posted by CaeSiuM

Actually you can't just change the reels and re-use the developing tank with the stainless steel reels. You'll need to use the tank that comes with the reels too. I had the same misconception too until I was told about it.

Actually stainless steel reels are MUCH more difficult to load compared to plastic ones IMHO. Textbook knowledge states that the first quarter turn is critical, personal experience, it's more like the first full turn is.

Plastic reels are fine but you need to remember to clean them up especially after you've use some form of wetting agent because these are the cause of the gunk that deposits itself within the gaps of the reels. Just pump and dump the reels in water and then leave it to soak for a while in lukewarm water before drying.

yeah. so i've read too.

unfortunately, my plastic reels look like they have gone beyond the point of redemption. dats why looking to change to stainless steel setup... haiz...

student · 27th January 2006

Sam, I have been using my plasic reels for more than 5 years.

Some of the reels are stained, but they work fine. I am not obssessed with ultra clean cleaning even with the reels in wetting agent. Just a rinse in running water, and they are ready to be used again the next day.

nightwolf75 · 28th January 2006

Originally Posted by student

Sam, I have been using my plasic reels for more than 5 years.

Some of the reels are stained, but they work fine. I am not obssessed with ultra clean cleaning even with the reels in wetting agent. Just a rinse in running water, and they are ready to be used again the next day.

hi, doc!

sigh... dunno wats wrong with mine... nowadays, the ball bearings dun seem to catch hold of the negative properly and the reels dun turn as smoothly as b4. in fact, in my last roll, it gave one loooooonnnnnggggg scratch right down the middle of the roll... i checked with christopher over at CP, and he was the one who told me abt the importance of cleaning my plastic reels properly or else its a gonner. haiz...

student · 28th January 2006

Originally Posted by nightwolf75

hi, doc!

sigh... dunno wats wrong with mine... nowadays, the ball bearings dun seem to catch hold of the negative properly and the reels dun turn as smoothly as b4. in fact, in my last roll, it gave one loooooonnnnnggggg scratch right down the middle of the roll... i checked with christopher over at CP, and he was the one who told me abt the importance of cleaning my plastic reels properly or else its a gonner. haiz...

Don't get rid of your reels yet. Let me take a look at them, and I will run some of my films through them and see if it a matter of techniques. For example. I do not understand how the long scratch was made. I had occasions, through sheer carelessness and impatience, trued to load films before waiting for the reels to dry. Needless to say, the films jammed. But the resulting problems were never a long scratch. Buckling of the films, yes.

The only time I created a long scratch was using squeezee. Never use these things anymore!

nightwolf75 · 28th January 2006

Originally Posted by student

Don't get rid of your reels yet. Let me take a look at them, and I will run some of my films through them and see if it a matter of techniques. For example. I do not understand how the long scratch was made. I had occasions, through sheer carelessness and impatience, trued to load films before waiting for the reels to dry. Needless to say, the films jammed. But the resulting problems were never a long scratch. Buckling of the films, yes.

The only time I created a long scratch was using squeezee. Never use these things anymore!

thanks, doc! i'm going to try again using some discarded film in the open to see wats wrong. if really got problems, mebbe will join u and the rest at the next COL gathering to show u?

eawtan · 28th January 2006

Originally Posted by nightwolf75

harlo! does anyone know where i can find this in singapore? my plastic reels are starting to get very dirty (even tho subjected to washing and scrubbing) and are starting to scratch my negatives.

read on other forum boards dat stainless steel tanks are more lasting. however, i'm not too keen to order from US and am hoping to find them in singapore. my current tank was bought from ruby.

TIA!

Japan has lots of SS reels and tanks.

nightwolf75 · 28th January 2006

Originally Posted by eawtan

Japan has lots of SS reels and tanks.

hey, eawtan!

hehe... yeah. and guess who i contacted last nite?

hondasleeper · 29th January 2006

I never use a squeegee on my film, I usually just wet my fingers and use them as a squeegee. Then use Kem wipes to dry them.

You shouldn't scrub your reels, just rinsing them is fine. I had my reels for over 8 years and never had problems with them.

You can go to steel reels, they are however harder to roll but once you get used to them they'll be very easy to use, but the thing is practice practice practice. And never ever drop them, once you drop them, that's it, you can pretty much toss them.

Just to ask is the scratch on the emulsion side? One suggestion, when you remove the film from the canister, do you pull the leader out or do you remove the canister and pull the film out? One thing is that, sometimes there is dust on the felt where the film is coming out of the canister. That could be the cause of the scratch. Or even check your camera, just in case. You might want to blow your camera out, carefull not to blast the shutters.

Hope this helps. Just my suggestion.

27th January 2006	#1
nightwolf75 Moderator Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: in bet MORE diaper changes... Posts: 14,588	Stainless Steel Home Developing Tanks for 35mm and 120 film harlo! does anyone know where i can find this in singapore? my plastic reels are starting to get very dirty (even tho subjected to washing and scrubbing) and are starting to scratch my negatives. read on other forum boards dat stainless steel tanks are more lasting. however, i'm not too keen to order from US and am hoping to find them in singapore. my current tank was bought from ruby. TIA! __________________ When did ignorance become a point of view? - Dilbert budget AD/ROM shooter, anyone?

27th January 2006	#2
kex Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: beebox Posts: 2,101	Re: Stainless Steel Home Developing Tanks for 35mm and 120 film u can try seng cheong at ICB house ..

27th January 2006	#4
CaeSiuM Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Singapore, Bedok Posts: 660	Re: Stainless Steel Home Developing Tanks for 35mm and 120 film Actually you can't just change the reels and re-use the developing tank with the stainless steel reels. You'll need to use the tank that comes with the reels too. I had the same misconception too until I was told about it. Actually stainless steel reels are MUCH more difficult to load compared to plastic ones IMHO. Textbook knowledge states that the first quarter turn is critical, personal experience, it's more like the first full turn is. Plastic reels are fine but you need to remember to clean them up especially after you've use some form of wetting agent because these are the cause of the gunk that deposits itself within the gaps of the reels. Just pump and dump the reels in water and then leave it to soak for a while in lukewarm water before drying.

27th January 2006	#6
student Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 3,091	Re: Stainless Steel Home Developing Tanks for 35mm and 120 film Sam, I have been using my plasic reels for more than 5 years. Some of the reels are stained, but they work fine. I am not obssessed with ultra clean cleaning even with the reels in wetting agent. Just a rinse in running water, and they are ready to be used again the next day.

29th January 2006	#12
hondasleeper Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 334	Re: Stainless Steel Home Developing Tanks for 35mm and 120 film I never use a squeegee on my film, I usually just wet my fingers and use them as a squeegee. Then use Kem wipes to dry them. You shouldn't scrub your reels, just rinsing them is fine. I had my reels for over 8 years and never had problems with them. You can go to steel reels, they are however harder to roll but once you get used to them they'll be very easy to use, but the thing is practice practice practice. And never ever drop them, once you drop them, that's it, you can pretty much toss them. Just to ask is the scratch on the emulsion side? One suggestion, when you remove the film from the canister, do you pull the leader out or do you remove the canister and pull the film out? One thing is that, sometimes there is dust on the felt where the film is coming out of the canister. That could be the cause of the scratch. Or even check your camera, just in case. You might want to blow your camera out, carefull not to blast the shutters. Hope this helps. Just my suggestion.