Richard Boulware
2-Feb-2006, 15:08
Thought I had seen it all....until today.
About an hour ago, my dear friend I have known for 30 years rang my doorbell to return a movie he had borrowed, and he had a large plastic Safeway bag. He handed me my movie and then reached in to his bag and produced two HUGE Nikor stainless steel developing tanks. I mean they were HUGE. They looked like typical Nikor developing tanks that would hold a single #120 reel, all complete with small cap for draining solution, and light tight, etc.
Having been in professional photography for a long, looong time, I thought I had seen most of what was out there and used most of it too.
My friend is about eight years my senior and in his twilight years he is happy as a master woodworker turning out woodworking 'art' (and I DO mean art) in his 2000 sq'ft wood shop.
He keeps finding photographic stuff to help me baptize my new 1000 sq.ft' darkroom, gallery and teaching facility.
My friend was manager of professional services for Honeywell in Denver. At that time they handled Pentax, Rollei, Nikor and a whole bunch of stuff, and I did most of the advertising and product photography for all these brands. A FINE client.
My friend explained, as he opened the first of these huge Nikor tanks, that these were made for developing 4X5 film, or any other odd size sheet film. I was stunned, as I had never before seen these Nikor tanks, although I know that some other manufacturers tried this in plastic with horrible results. I had never seen or shot this product. Amazing.
The core of the tank is a complex of stainless steel ribs and slots that could be described as metal workers art. I have already counted over 150 spot weld slots. The tank will hold 12 sheets of 4X5 curled inward like a 'Nautilus' shell. They slide in on grooves of stainless steel that are about 1/4" wide, and about 1/32" thick. The top of the slide assembly is adjustable so you could process any weird size film, like 3X5", 2X5" or whatever. This assembly slides up or down and has four tiny little stainless steel twist screws to secure the position. The film slides in on the horizontal axis.
The tanks are 4.5" wide, and 5.0" tall with light tight lids with small caps to drain.
It must has cost a fortune to make these tanks, and I would welcome any information for old-timers like me, about what they might have cost.
I used some old out-of-date film to load the tank, and it is a breeze, seeming to be even better and faster than loading the 60 Kodak SS film hanger I regularly use.
In today's market, the manufacturing cost, even with computerized manufacture, would be most expensive.
I'm measuring the capacity and calculating amount of developer agent and volume of the tank right now. Perhaps I will have to load only six, instead of the twelve slots, to make it work with diluted Rodinal....but hell, the convenience would be incredible. I have measured and each piece of film is separated from the other by a full 1/4".
Yeah....I know. I'm an old 'geezer, and had my fifth or sixth Leica M when most of you were but a lusty gleam in your fathers eye...but so what. Maybe there are some other ole' fart's out there who know about this item.
Even if it doesn't work out, the unit is pretty enough to be used as darkroom 'art' on a pedestal!
Anxious to hear any information on this very unusual Nikor reel for 4X5.
Fresh Eyes..........
About an hour ago, my dear friend I have known for 30 years rang my doorbell to return a movie he had borrowed, and he had a large plastic Safeway bag. He handed me my movie and then reached in to his bag and produced two HUGE Nikor stainless steel developing tanks. I mean they were HUGE. They looked like typical Nikor developing tanks that would hold a single #120 reel, all complete with small cap for draining solution, and light tight, etc.
Having been in professional photography for a long, looong time, I thought I had seen most of what was out there and used most of it too.
My friend is about eight years my senior and in his twilight years he is happy as a master woodworker turning out woodworking 'art' (and I DO mean art) in his 2000 sq'ft wood shop.
He keeps finding photographic stuff to help me baptize my new 1000 sq.ft' darkroom, gallery and teaching facility.
My friend was manager of professional services for Honeywell in Denver. At that time they handled Pentax, Rollei, Nikor and a whole bunch of stuff, and I did most of the advertising and product photography for all these brands. A FINE client.
My friend explained, as he opened the first of these huge Nikor tanks, that these were made for developing 4X5 film, or any other odd size sheet film. I was stunned, as I had never before seen these Nikor tanks, although I know that some other manufacturers tried this in plastic with horrible results. I had never seen or shot this product. Amazing.
The core of the tank is a complex of stainless steel ribs and slots that could be described as metal workers art. I have already counted over 150 spot weld slots. The tank will hold 12 sheets of 4X5 curled inward like a 'Nautilus' shell. They slide in on grooves of stainless steel that are about 1/4" wide, and about 1/32" thick. The top of the slide assembly is adjustable so you could process any weird size film, like 3X5", 2X5" or whatever. This assembly slides up or down and has four tiny little stainless steel twist screws to secure the position. The film slides in on the horizontal axis.
The tanks are 4.5" wide, and 5.0" tall with light tight lids with small caps to drain.
It must has cost a fortune to make these tanks, and I would welcome any information for old-timers like me, about what they might have cost.
I used some old out-of-date film to load the tank, and it is a breeze, seeming to be even better and faster than loading the 60 Kodak SS film hanger I regularly use.
In today's market, the manufacturing cost, even with computerized manufacture, would be most expensive.
I'm measuring the capacity and calculating amount of developer agent and volume of the tank right now. Perhaps I will have to load only six, instead of the twelve slots, to make it work with diluted Rodinal....but hell, the convenience would be incredible. I have measured and each piece of film is separated from the other by a full 1/4".
Yeah....I know. I'm an old 'geezer, and had my fifth or sixth Leica M when most of you were but a lusty gleam in your fathers eye...but so what. Maybe there are some other ole' fart's out there who know about this item.
Even if it doesn't work out, the unit is pretty enough to be used as darkroom 'art' on a pedestal!
Anxious to hear any information on this very unusual Nikor reel for 4X5.
Fresh Eyes..........