Re: ATM Advice on Film Developing Tanks

[Bob Bunge <bbunge@ladyandtramp.com>]

t obrien wrote:

>Dave, Bob and all,
>
>1.) Learn how to use the standard Nikor reels. It does take practice, but remember, you can use your finger on the film to guide it as it is on the back of the plastic film, not on the emulsion side. The other reasons for using Nikor type reels is they do not accumulate contamination from fix like the plastic ones do, and the flow of developer is much more even with the metal Nikor reels.
>
Nice advise.  Actually, I didn't ask for the advice.  But that's ok :-) 
 Spent five years in the Navy as a photographer and worked my way 
through college processing B&W film, copy shooting, color printing, you 
name it - I've likely to have shoved 20-30 thousand rolls of film onto 
Nikor reels (35mm and 120) over the course of 10 years.  Two or three of 
us used to have contests in the dark room to see who could load the most 
reels the fastest when we had 30 or 40 rolls to process.  All that said, 
I last loaded film on a Nikor reel in 1988.  

If you keep your fingers completely dry, you can indeed handle the film 
alot, including gently touching the base side of the film.  You can 
touch the emulsion side, but you can scratch the emulsion very, very 
easily.  As someone mentioned in an earlier post, practice with a fogged 
roll of film in the light.  Practice at your work area in the light, 
watching what you are doing.  After a few practice runs, close your 
eyes.  Then turn out the lights.  Set everything up the same way every 
time.  However, beware that different films will feel different when you 
go to reel them (2415 Tech, for example is thinner and more flexible 
then Tri-x or Ektachrome).

My primary reason to use Nikor reels?  Better chemical flow past the 
film and it's a no brainer to get the Nikor's clean, clean clean.  Do 
handle the chemicals carefully (yes, I learned this the hard way. 
 Anyone ever hear of silver poisoning?) and wash your hands with soap often.

Now back to our regular ATM programing... :-)

Bob Bunge
Bowie, MD

>2.) If you still decide to use the Patterson Sytem, clean thoroughly after each use and trim the edges of the film  (kind of a katycorner cut on each side of the film, not into the image area and not through a sprocket hole) that feed into the reel's slots so the film doesn't jamb.
>The Patterson reels MUST be completely dry.
>
>best of luck, and please p-mail with any questions about film and development.
>
>tim o'brien
>san jose, ca
>