Using Yankee developing tanks

[Ektagraphic]

Hello- I just bought one of the Yankee 4X5 utility tank....It didn't come with any instructions at all but I called Yankee and they are sending some my way. I have worked with black and white 35mm and 120 for a while now so I have developed film before, just not 4X5. I was wondering how you load the film. This is just a tank and a floating cover. Shouldn't there be clips or something so that the film does not float in the tank? Thanks for your help, Patrick

[Vick Vickery]

If I'm reading you right you have a dip-tank for which you will need some stainless 4x5 developing holders. These hold one sheet each and usually have holes along the sides to facilitate agitation and chemical flow; I think the Yankee tank wil hold 5 or 6 at a time.

[Vick Vickery]

By the way, with dip-tanks, you need three or four tanks, one each for developer, stop, and fix, and maybe one for a water rense and final washing if you don't have a specially made washing tank.

[Joanna Carter]

FMPOV, unless you want dip tanks, and can find a couple more for stop and fix, sell it to someone who needs it for that purpose. If you want a daylight developing tank, get a CombiPlan.

[EdWorkman]

The Yankee I had was a plastic thing with two inserts that allowed adjustment for film width 2.25 , 3.25 & 4. The sheets were slid into concentric slots and a loading tguide was advanced from slot to slot by feeling the bumps in the dark. Once the lid was on the lights could be turned on and solutions poured in and out. Unlike a Kombi-Plan it leaks greatly if inverted, sao one must work out a sidesloshtwist- and I recall some previous threads about successful schemes.
If tthis is the one you have you can also find many negative comments, account the non-inversion mostly. I used one in my callow youth and can't recall any mistakes I could blame on the tank

[ki6mf]

I sounds like you have the Yankee dip tank. The Yankee Daylight tank has a form fitting lid and on the lid has Yankee Adgitank inscribed on the top. For the dip tanks you need film holders and additional tanks for developer, stop bath, and developer. Some times the dip tanks have a floating lid. The dip tanks are for development only in the dark. The Adgitank is not for inversion and with 4x5 does loose liquid easily. I have two Adgitanks and now only use the HP Combi tanks!

[Gem Singer]

The OP purchased a Yankee Utility tank instead of a Yankee Developing tank. Utility tanks usually sell for around $15.

They are a two liter square black plastic tanks, with notches cut along two of the top sides, that are designed to hold 4x5 stainless steel film hangers.

The white plastic floating lid and the soft plastic cover are included to allow the solutions to remain in the tanks for a longer time, slowing oxidation and evaporation.

I formerly used three of these tanks, along with the film hangers from Combi Plan tanks, as a compact dip and dunk developing system for 4X5 film.

Yankee Utility tanks can hold two Combi Plan film hangers at the same time. Using two film hangers enabled me to develop twelve sheets of film at a time instead of six films in the Combi Plan tank.

[Ektagraphic]

I got it all now. Thanks! I think I am going to pick up the other Yankee Developing Tank. It seems like it will be a better fit for me. The B&H website didn't offer a great understanding of this before I bought it.........

[Joanna Carter]

I got it all now. Thanks! I think I am going to pick up the other Yankee Developing Tank. It seems like it will be a better fit for me. The B&H website didn't offer a great understanding of this before I bought it.........
Be warned, even "the other" Yankee tank is not very good for anything other than dip and dunk development. Whatever you do, don't try to invert it; agitiation can only be achieved by a restrained "sloshing" from side to side and is not reliable for removing air bubbles; I speak from bitter experience. Don't waste your money, go for a CombiPlan, it's a much better option.

[bgh]

Be warned, even "the other" Yankee tank is not very good for anything other than dip and dunk development. Whatever you do, don't try to invert it; agitiation can only be achieved by a restrained "sloshing" from side to side and is not reliable for removing air bubbles; I speak from bitter experience. Don't waste your money, go for a CombiPlan, it's a much better option.

I can't agree more, Joanna. I was a doubter of all of the negative comments regarding the Yankee tank, until earlier this year when two successive batches of negatives had horrible mottling along the edges. I tried to correct my agitation methods after ruining the first set; when the second set was just about as bad, I uttered a number of words that I really ought not to have, and went out and bought the Combi tank. My negatives have been consistent ever since, and I haven't looked back.

Bruce

[Colin Corneau]

Allow me to add my agreement to Bruce and Joanna - I learned the hard way that Yankee tanks just aren't good at properly developing 4x5 negs.

Unfortunately I learned that on negs from a trip to China! Now I have to go the digital route if I want prints off of them. Seriously...using a Jobo, or Combi tank, or Nikkor tanks, or anything, is much much more adviseable.

[Gem Singer]

IMHO, there is only one way to properly use a Yankee Daylight Developing Tank.

First remove the film hanger rack and discard it.

Do the same with the plastic cover.

Drill a drainage hole in the bottom of the tank.

Next, fill it with potting soil.

Finally, plant a suitable house plant in the soil. Care for it, and watch it grow.

After many tries with several Yankee Daylight Developing Tanks, I was never able to achieve evenly developed B&W 4x5 negatives with them.

[Joanna Carter]

IMHO, there is only one way to properly use a Yankee Daylight Developing Tank.

First remove the film hanger rack and discard it.

Do the same with the plastic cover.

Drill a drainage hole in the bottom of the tank.

Next, fill it with potting soil.

Finally, plant a suitable house plant in the soil. Care for it, and watch it grow.

After many tries with several Yankee Daylight Developing Tanks, I was never able to achieve evenly developed B&W 4x5 negatives with them.
ROFL!!! :D :o :rolleyes: :p

[eddie]

funny.

i use a "doran" daylight tank. it is made of hard plastic. it is similar to the yankee tank i think. anyway. i have had zero issues with mine. i bang it on the table as you do with the 120 developing tanks. i also agitate (slosh) it back and forth. and bang it again. it holds 1500ml and develops 12 sheets. you MUST BE SURE to get he "alignment" adapter with it if you buy it used. below is a quick digital snap of my extra Doran tank. please note there is NO alignment tool shown......

i have developed about a thousand sheets of 4x5 film with these tanks with no issues what so ever. YMMV.

eddie

[Gem Singer]

The Doran tank and the Yankee tank are both black plastic daylight developing tanks. That's where the similarity ends.

The Yankee has a removable variable width film holding rack that allows the 4x5 films to drop out if inverted or agitated too hard.

The Doran has the film holding slots built into the side walls of the tank instead of a separate removable rack can change it's width.

Both types of tanks fill and empty slowly, making it difficult to get even development when changing liquids in daylight.

Neither one allows for inversion agitation or lifting the films up and down, only sloshing back and forth which can lead to increased development at the edges of the films.