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Photo Forum / Film Photography / Darkroom / March 2005Problems with my Combi-Plan tank
Over a period of time I have on more then one occasion had very negative things to say about the Combi-Plan tank. The source of my problem turned out to be that one of my cats found that the funnel to fill the tank made a good chew toy and put holes in it. Despite my best attempts to "fix" it with Silicon and electrical tape my attempts to fill the tank always resulted in me making a mess. This was made worse by liquids getting caught in a channel in the air vent and "spraying" out from the air escaping from the tank. I first discovered the problem late last summer and Bob suggested I call them to get the funnel and film loading guide (which I had lost after years of non-use). Since I use my Jobo processor to process my film I had no reason to use the tank and never took Bob up on his offer. That changed a couple of weeks ago when a situation arose<SP?> in which I could make good use of the thank. I called the number Bob gave me for HP Marketing with credit card in hand to buy the needed parts. I was pleasantly surprised when I was told that the parts would be shipped at no cost to me. The parts have since arrived and last night I processed six sheets of film with the tank and had no leakage, spillage or any of the other messes that I always ended up with when I tried to use the tank. Since I made my criticisms of the tank in public I think that it's only right that I now retract them in public as well as publicly apologize for my mis-characterizations of the tank. I would also like to commend Bob and HP Marketing for all their help.  SignatureKeep working millions on welfare depend on you ------------------- fwp@deepthought.com So can you recommend it? I'm still looking for a low-cost way of developing. I get scratches with trays...even if I follow the directions in the Steve Simmons book. BTZS tubes are sort of a pain...I really don't like spinning the tubes non-stop. Using an 8x10 drum with my uniroller is really appealing but when I tried it, the negative came up from the wall resulting in no development. So I'm now considering either this HP Combi-Plan, tanks/hangers, or spending money on a JOBO 2500-series or similar and using it with my uniroller. > Over a period of time I have on more then one occasion had very negative > things to say about the Combi-Plan tank. The source of my problem turned out [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > mis-characterizations of the tank. I would also like to commend Bob and HP > Marketing for all their help. : So can you recommend it? I don't think I'd replace my Jobo CPE with it, but it does a good job. The problem I have with it is the chemistry consumption. I use developer one shot and 36oz for six sheets of film is a lot. : I'm still looking for a low-cost way of developing. I get scratches with : trays...even if I follow the directions in the Steve Simmons book. BTZS : tubes are sort of a pain...I really don't like spinning the tubes : non-stop. Using an 8x10 drum with my uniroller is really appealing but : when I tried it, the negative came up from the wall resulting in no : development. I took a LF class a couple of summers ago. Being able use a LF camera and process your own film was a prereq. to the class. In the class a couple of woman used a technique the learned at a workshop they went to. What the did was set up two trays with developer. They would put all the film into one tank and instead of shuffling the film they would move one sheet of film at a time to the other tank. They would go back and forth like that throughout the development. This eliminated sliding one sheet of film past another and eliminated their scrathing problems. I've never tried it because I don't like standing in the dark for extended periods of time. I do think about it from time to time though. : So I'm now considering either this HP Combi-Plan, tanks/hangers, or : spending money on a JOBO 2500-series or similar and using it with my : uniroller. The only issue that you're going to have with the 2500 series tanks is that to the best of my figuring it needs near constant rotation. The tanks are meant to be used on their side half full of chemistry. Without being able to spin the tank only half the film is in the developer. If you can deal with the cost of the Jobo tank and reel I would go with that. : > Over a period of time I have on more then one occasion had very negative : > things to say about the Combi-Plan tank. The source of my problem turned out [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] : > mis-characterizations of the tank. I would also like to commend Bob and HP : > Marketing for all their help. SignatureKeep working millions on welfare depend on you ------------------- fwp@deepthought.com You should be able to rig a print drum roller to do the job or make some rollers and turn the drum manually (perhaps from an old skate board?). > : So can you recommend it? > [quoted text clipped - 55 lines] > : > mis-characterizations of the tank. I would also like to commend Bob and HP > : > Marketing for all their help. >So I'm now considering either this HP Combi-Plan, tanks/hangers, or >spending money on a JOBO 2500-series or similar and using it with my >uniroller. I use the Combi-Plan in the dark without the lid. I just raise & lower the film rack much like stainless hangers. Works fine, very even development. I use a second tank with a hose connected to the bottom spigot as a running water stop bath and wash tank. Fixer is in another container - whatever you can find that will hold the film rack & be deep enough to cover it. I thought about the 2500 series tanks, and may switch, if only to process more sheets at a time (12 vs 6). I've got a Beseler motor base if I decide to go that way. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Dave Starr, Senior Shop Rat Emeritus: 14,647 days in a GM plant. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - > if only to process more sheets at a time (12 vs 6) If you are doing black and white the Combi can do 12 sheets at a time, back to back. With color you can only do 6 sheets. But you can always buy a 2nd or 3rd film carrier for the Combi so when one carrier comes out of the first tank a second one can begin processing. SignatureTo reply no_ HPMarketing Corp. >> if only to process more sheets at a time (12 vs 6) > [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] >one carrier comes out of the first tank a second one can begin >processing. Are individual components available through HP, or through dealers? - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Dave Starr, Senior Shop Rat Emeritus: 14,647 days in a GM plant. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - > >> if only to process more sheets at a time (12 vs 6) > > [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > Dave Starr, Senior Shop Rat Emeritus: 14,647 days in a GM plant. > - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Either way. Each part has a number stamped on it. Refer to that number and a dealer can order it for you. If you want to buy a complete assembly - like the film carrier - then you would use its number - 459812 4X5" film carrier consisting of: 1 EA. 459413, 459414, 459416, 459417 AND 2 EA. 459412, 459415. SignatureTo reply no_ HPMarketing Corp. .. > Since I made my criticisms of the tank in public I think that it's only right > that I now retract them in public as well as publicly apologize for my > mis-characterizations of the tank. I would also like to commend Bob and HP > Marketing for all their help. That is good news. I have just purchased one, and perhaps you could help me in assembling it. My question concerns the two blue washers. The diagrams appear to show them going inside the plates, although it is not 100% clear. The assembley instructions don't even mention them. Perhaps this is not crucial. Steve > .. > > [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > > Steve Throw away the blue washers, they are only required for processing 2.25 x 3.25" sheet films and we no longer supply the part that was required to convert the tank to do 12 sheets of 2.25 x 3.25". The blue washers are no longer needed and will not be included on future production runs. However we currently have a year's inventory in stock so the blue washers will be included through this year. SignatureTo reply no_ HPMarketing Corp. ... > Throw away the blue washers, they are only required for processing 2.25 > x 3.25" sheet films and we no longer supply the part that was required > to convert the tank to do 12 sheets of 2.25 x 3.25". The blue washers > are no longer needed and will not be included on future production runs. > However we currently have a year's inventory in stock so the blue > washers will be included through this year. Thanks Bob. Steve Frank Pittel wrote: > Since I made my criticisms of the tank in public I think that it's only > right > that I now retract them in public as well [...] I hope I made it clear that my criticism was only with the material used for the tank's exterior. Certainly, if it were stainless steel the price would be so high that there would be no Combi-plan! But just don't err like I have and rap the tank (to remove bubbles) near the bottom spigot. :) I broke it clean off that way. > I broke it > clean off that way. If you had told us and returned it to us we would have replaced it at N/C. SignatureTo reply no_ HPMarketing Corp. >> I broke it >> clean off that way. > > If you had told us and returned it to us we would have replaced it at > N/C. That's good to know, Bob. If I break the new one I'll take you up on it. : Frank Pittel wrote: : > Since I made my criticisms of the tank in public I think that it's only : > right : > that I now retract them in public as well [...] : I hope I made it clear that my criticism was only with the material used for : the tank's exterior. Certainly, if it were stainless steel the price would : be so high that there would be no Combi-plan! But just don't err like I have : and rap the tank (to remove bubbles) near the bottom spigot. :) I broke it : clean off that way. While the plastic seems like it might be a bit brittle you must have given it a hard rap to break the bottom spigot off. Then again I tend to give a gentle rap after agitation. SignatureKeep working millions on welfare depend on you ------------------- fwp@deepthought.com |
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