SP445 developing tank

Keith, the only thing I'd now add to my detailed post above concerns draining the tank. I've found that after the initial dump of the tank that it's not completely drained; at least, not to my satisfaction, anyway. ;) Now I dump, then quickly tip & dump the tank a couple of times.

Other than that, I've not really had any of the issues I've seen reported. I did, one time, think I may have noticed a very faint line from one of the holders (this is, most likely, the most common reported issue) so I straightened both and all has been fine so far.
 
If anyone's interested I just had an email from Tim at Stearman's and he tells me the shipping cost would be around $22 making a total of $109 - around £82 plus whatever UK taxes are imposed.
 
Just one more thing... :)

As I was using my SP-445 this morning, it occurred to me that my agitation routine is contrary to what Tim recommends. He says that the tank should not be agitated from the side due to fluid running through the baffles inside. His recommendation is to only agitate broadside. I do that, too, but here is my technique:

1. Agitate broadside for the initial agitation. I start with flipping the tank toward my body.

2. At 30 secs (or 1 min, depending on your own technique), I flip the tank with my left hand 3 - 4 times.

3. Next agitation cycle, I flip the tank broadside away from my body.

4. Last agitation cycle in this "set", I flip the tank with my right hand.

Following Tim's recommendation of only agitating the tank broadside, I've seen what may have been a very faint line or two on the negative from the film holder (same as what others have reported.) Doing it my way, I've yet to notice any issues. Therefore, I'm sticking with my routine until proven otherwise. :)

Anyway, just thought I'd mention it.
 
I have been using this tank and it is nice to use and there is little or no leaking. The recent portraits I posted were developed in this way. One think I have noticed is that some of the negatives have marks where the ribs in the film holder are in contact with the non emulsion side. The marks don't seem to show up in scanning and presumably wouldn't in darkroom printing. I did get one with uneven development at the top of the negative. Not sure what could have caused this but the other negatives developed at the same time were not affected. I havent' scanned this one but here is a phone photo of the negative.

Untitled by biotecbob, on Flickr
 
Rob, I have developed quite a few sheets of film in my SP-445 and never got any uneven development. What agitation method are you using? Inversion, yes, but how?
 
I was inverting the tank broadside 4 inversions per minute. It is odd that only one sheet was effected. The only thing I can think is that the chemicals were not properly mixed and this sheet happened to sit a bit higher in the holder. Didn't notice that when I took the sheet out though.


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Rob, contrary to Tim's recommendation to agitate only broadside I start boardside (toward my body), then right-hand, then broadside (away from my body), then left-hand, and so on... Once I tried agitating only broadside and I got a couple streaks on my negs. Never had any issues with my agitation technique. Do you pre-soak? I do...have for nearly 40 years of developing film. That may help, too. It's all experimentation, though...

Good luck!
 
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