Jobo 3006 weeping / leaking

I use a secondhand Jobo 3006 drum to develop 5x7 and 5x4, and find it excellent, producing consistently good results.

It does leak ('weep' might be a better description) around the join where the top meets the body. Not a huge amount but enough to be annoying.

I use a homemade rotary device (windshield wiper motor driving skateboard wheels), and do rotate the drum 'dry' first to try to get the top as well adjusted as possible. Today I actually measured it at four points around the drum and got it as even as possible but it still leaked (less than the previous time though).

The most liquid I put in is 600ml (developer), I stick to the official 450ml guidline for stop and fix, and use 500ml water per wash. Judging by other threads those volumes aren't excessive. When I first noticed it leaking it seemed to be the fix that did - odd that!

I've searched this forum for '3006' and read the various threads, with suggestions such as using vaseline or vegetable oil (neither a good idea), or a dry silicone spray around the lip etc.

There will be a lot of 3006 drums out there that are getting rather long in the tooth - how is yours performing? If yours 'weeps' have you found any good solutions?

The drums are so good that it is a shame that someone can't come up with a retro fit 'o' ring solution (a replacement lid maybe? I don't need any fancy 'lift' or cog drive), or even a complete modern, properly sealed incarnation along the same design concept.

(No prize for the first person to say 'buy a new one, you cheapskate!').

I once had the same problem with a large JOBO tank and lid. "Not a huge amount but enough to be annoying" says it all. I thought the top had just worn. Turned out to be a hairline crack in the top rim of the tank that was invisible unless you pressed on the rim to deform it. Easily fixed with the slightest bit of glue.

To the OP, if Greg's experience and suggestion is not your answer, and you need to add some sort of film or layer between the top of the drum and the inside of the lid, I agree that liquids or gels like vaseline, silicone spray, etc. don't sound like good ideas to me (as a loyal 3010 drum user). However, perhaps a narrow strip of the thinnest clear Scotch tape (or something similar) to the top perimeter of the drum might work and help, so long as you can still get the lid on and off. Or if not a tape with an adhesive side, perhaps you could cut a strip of something like the thinnest Saran Wrap (or other similar kitchen wrap), that lacks the adhesive surface, could be used? 'Just a couple of thoughts....

Thanks both for the replies and suggestions.

I checked for any hairline cracks but found none. There are plenty of small scratches though around the inside of the lid, I guess capillary action being what it is once the liquid finds a way out it will simply keep going.

Last batch of negs I processed were 5x4 so I only used 500ml of developer - it still leaked but much less so. I will just keep the blue roll handy. :)

I have always taken it that tanks leak. It is the nature of tanks.

When processing I keep a small tray under the lid end of the Jobo tank to catch the drips. I use a Unicolor reversing base with a pair of bricks to keep the drum from walking off the base.

Fixer seems to generate gas as it works, pressurizing the tank slightly. I keep the lid popped on stainless tanks when fixing to let the gas out, otherwise there is the inevitable puddle of fixer on the top of the tank.

Unless the leak is pretty bad, I probably wouldn't worry about it too much. One option would be to run some electrical tape (or similar) around the outside, as I know some do with the steel tanks. Or I'd be looking at maybe an inch or so of tire inner tube instead of tape. Figuring out which size tube would give enough stretch to seal the lid would be the hard part.

I would think taping the top of the drum would make for a mess when you put the lid on as it's a very snug fit to begin with.

good luck and let us know what you find works best, as there are lots of Expert drum users here (me included).

I have a 3006 that someone fixed with glue. Works great, no leaks at all but obviously it had the same kind of leak in the past.