Negative damage using the Taco method

[StoneNYC]

What the heck is wrong with tray processing. I'm fumble-fingered and unable to type three words without correcting twice yet I manage to tray process up to 50 sheets a day sometimes without mishap. Sure, there's a learning curve, but what's a few hours and a few sacrificed sheets of film to learn the technique compared to the simplicity, flexibility and evenness of good tray processing (not to mention economy...).

Go back to trays.

Or, if you avoided trays to do taco, then get some trays and figure it out. It's easy once you figure out how not to scratch negatives when shuffling, which you should do with scrap film anyway.

Best,

Doremus

Not everyone has a darkroom...

[Peakbagger]

Hey thanks for the suggestions everyone. I initially wanted to do tray but the lure of daylight processing was too much. I also don't have much room for all those trays. BTZS is not strictly daylight is it? You still have to pour the developer in the dark, I think. Anyways, I'd like to make this daylight taco thing work since a lot of people have had success with it, so why not I?

So, I was encouraged when I looked at this set: https://www.flickr.com/photos/digi-f...7627864733730/
He has the same size tank that I do. I think.
I also encouraged by this video, same size tank as me: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEzD8EGRPbU

One thing that just dawned on me is that they do not have screw top lids. They have the newer tanks with the snap on lids. I wonder if this is what I am running up against.

I'll try again, maybe BTZS is the way to go for me. Those JOBOS are waaaay out of my league. I can just hear it now from my wife "You spent HOW MUCH? On WHAT?!"

[Stephen Collector]

Hi, As for tray processing 2 questions to avoid irregularity. How long do you presoak the negs in water? When you shuffle the film are you doing so very slowly? I process up to 5 sheets per time and got some streaking in sky areas.

[Kirk Gittings]

Hey thanks for the suggestions everyone. I initially wanted to do tray but the lure of daylight processing was too much. I also don't have much room for all those trays. BTZS is not strictly daylight is it? You still have to pour the developer in the dark, I think. Anyways, I'd like to make this daylight taco thing work since a lot of people have had success with it, so why not I?

So, I was encouraged when I looked at this set: https://www.flickr.com/photos/digi-f...7627864733730/
He has the same size tank that I do. I think.
I also encouraged by this video, same size tank as me: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEzD8EGRPbU

One thing that just dawned on me is that they do not have screw top lids. They have the newer tanks with the snap on lids. I wonder if this is what I am running up against.

I'll try again, maybe BTZS is the way to go for me. Those JOBOS are waaaay out of my league. I can just hear it now from my wife "You spent HOW MUCH? On WHAT?!"

As per BTZS tubes. No development system is completely in the dark-in all you at least have to load the film into something in the dark and so it is BTZS tubes also. The simplest way with these is fill the caps and put them in the BTZS tray slots to temper them. Then in the dark load each tube and screw them into the cap. Once all 6 are done the lights can go back on for the rest of the processing.

I do it another way slightly. I bought an extra set of caps and as I load the tubes I set them aside with a spare cap. Then I turn the lights on briefly and check to se if everything is kosher and then flick the lights off, transfer the tube to the filed caps and turn the lights back on for the remainder. I have been using these things for a very long time and have made some personal adaptions to the workflow and equipment. NONE of these are necessary but make the process more comfortable for me. These include:

1) extra set of caps
2) DIY "caddy" to place the tubes in once I load them-makes for less fumbling around in the dark (made from 1 1/2" PVC couplings).
3) drilled holes in the tray behind the tube slots to lower the water level and make the tempered water exit by flowing around the caps.
4) glued glow in the dark "dots" on lip of tray behind each of the slots so as I remove each filed cap to screw it into the tube and put it back in the caddy I can see how many I have done-again less fumbling around (also put dots on the front of the caddy too).

To make such a "caddy" see this thread:http://www.largeformatphotography.in...for-BTZS-tubes

[Chauncey Walden]

And here is the original taco tank for Kodak film packs.

[Peakbagger]

As per BTZS tubes. No development system is completely in the dark-in all you at least have to load the film into something in the dark and so it is BTZS tubes also. The simplest way with these is fill the caps and put them in the BTZS tray slots to temper them. Then in the dark load each tube and screw them into the cap. Once all 6 are done the lights can go back on for the rest of the processing.

Thanks for that, I guess it is not so bad. Put the film in, put on the filled cap. Agitate in the light. I'll check it out! By the way, how much developer do you used for a 4x5 tube?

[Peakbagger]

And here is the original taco tank for Kodak film packs.

Chauncey I've seen mention of those even looked them up on Ebay. I can't figure out how they are used.

[Kirk Gittings]

Thanks for that, I guess it is not so bad. Put the film in, put on the filled cap. Agitate in the light. I'll check it out! By the way, how much developer do you used for a 4x5 tube?

2 ounces. Actually a hair less than the recommended 2 ounces-more like 1 7/8 ounce.

[Chauncey Walden]

Peakbagger, they are loaded with the 12 sheets just like it looks like they would be; folded emulsion side in and slid into the slots ends toward the center. Under the lid is a removable hook that fins into a small hole in the center to lower the filmholder into the tank which I assume was first filled with developer. Then the watertight lid was screwed on (bayonet mount) and everything agitated. The lid opened and the developer poured off and stop added then closed and agitated. Repeat for fix. So not a pure daylight tank, just during agitation. Or maybe they used multiple tanks. I have a second tank with no guts. I have some film packs in the freezer so I'll have to shoot one and give it a try.

[Nigel Smith]

I do rubber band tacos (better be specific now that I've seen that Kodak taco tank!) in a Paterson System 4 tank (snap on lid). I use 900ml of developer.

Now that you have some dud pieces of film (assuming the creased ones are truly stuffed, otherwise sacrifice a new sheet) use them to work out if it's possible to do the taco in your tank. Place them in (short side up) and work out where they sit and where the lid screws down to. Maybe you put them in the wrong orientation (unlikely but worth mentioning?). If you think you might have and the film will fit, fill the tank with water to the level needed to cover the film and measure how much you need.