If this is the round tank with a sort of semi-spiral cage to hold
the film its agitated by inversion although you can also twist it. I
found that I got more uniform development by agitating ten seconds every
minute rather than five seconds every 30 seconds as with Nikor roll film
tanks.
When I first started using Nikor roll film tanks I was taught a
method of sort of twisting with a rolling motion, hard to describe.
Later I went to the inversion method which is what Nikor advises. Not
much difference. The sheet film tank produces quite uniform development
with some care.
A caution: its important when loading to make sure the sheets are
well into the slots and the spring keeper that runs around the center is
on in the right direction and is locked firmly. If the spring is
reversed so that the saw teeth face the wrong direction, the film can
slip out at the edges. If film is not loaded carefully the sheets can
stick together near their centers. Practice loading in the light with
developed negatives or old fogged film.
Also, since filling and draining takes some time your idea of
filling the tank and dropping the film is a good one. Actually, I do
this with Nikor roll film tanks too.
Presoaking with plain water may help result in more uniform initial
development when the tank is filled in the normal way. In general I
find these tanks about the most satisfactory way to process sheet film.
On 2/11/2017 2:09 PM, Richard Lahrson wrote:
I just got a Nikor 4x5 tank in stainless steel that
holds 12 negs. Checking the web history, results
seem to vary. Anyone here use one?
The secret seems to be correct loading and
agitation plan. I've got a lot of Panatomic-X aerial
to cut up and try for even development.
It would seem best to load up and drop the spiral
in the tank with developer. I'm going to use
Rodinal at high dilution. The tank doesn't leak so
the old inversion method works. Plus it's adjustable
for smaller size sheet film, even 2 1/4 x 3 1/4.
Thanks! Rich
