My Plans for Combiplan Developing Tanks

[Daniel Unkefer]

I'm building a little Combiplan Tank Wash Unit, using the original screw-in parts. Rubber hose and "Water Outlet Purifier Kit" 3 for $30 on Amazon. Should work perfectly, I've not be filtering, but this is a good time to start. Works on any online hose filters 5 microns. Will hook it in when I get 'em. May order extras for all my washers.

Going to start up some Replenished D23 in a liter brown glass bottle. Easy to replenish and gets me started with deep tanks. I have run C41 and E6 sink lines in the past. This is for black and white, for use with developers and films that don't like rotary.

[Daniel Unkefer]

Makiflex 150 Xenar F11 Octobox 50 Ortho Commercial 9x12cm by Nokton48, on Flickr

Plaubel Auto Makiflex with SK Grimes Graphic Back 150 f4.5 Auto Maki Xenar Yellow Filter Ilford Commercial Ortho 9x12cm Arca Swiss 9x12cm Graphic Back. Broncolor Octobox 150 1500J C200 Monolight One Pop F11. D23 Straight Replenished in 9x12cm Combiplan Tank. DipN'Dunk works great! Love it. New Background Low Key by Artist David Maheu. 4x6 Foamcore Fill off camera right. A successful first test of the Combiplan, I utilized red LED safelight Inspection 25 minutes Straight Replenished D23. Omega DII Laser Aligned 180mm Rodagon Omegalite Dektol 1:2. Copied with Sony Nex 7 on Minolta SRT Copy Stand, Zeiss Touit 2.8/50M at F8

[Daniel Unkefer]

SONY DSC by Nokton48, on Flickr

Testing this Combiplan Film Washer, it works great! After fixing into this modded tank it goes. Surgical tubing three feet ID half-inch, fits the screw-in plastic Combiplan insert. Gently tightened hose clamp tight seal, no leaks. Final embellishment will be to add Inline Filter, set of three plus six extra filters, $30 on Amazon. On it's way to me. This will wash any of the Combiplan Rack Configuration, Planfilm or Glass Plates, Imperial size or Metric size. Most excellent film washer.

[Daniel Unkefer]

SONY DSC by Nokton48, on Flickr

Got three of these Inline Filters 5 Microns, about $20 each including plumbing from Lowes, which was half the cost. Have six extra filters for future. From Amazon and Lowes. This is hooked to the Combiplan Wash Tank. I have two left for other uses. No leaks so far!

What I like about the Combiplan, is that it can be inverted when the room lights are on. I load the film rack, drop it into the filled tank, put the cover on, and it's lights on. I wash in the dark, then into the TF4 with more inversion. Trying to use the funnel and daylight caps is messy for me and takes forever. And this unit excels for Ortho process work, I use the Jason Lane ""Double Safelight" and no fog even after thirty minute development. So as safe as you can get. Happy Happy.

[Toyon]

I have used the Combiplan for thousands of sheets of film. They work better than any other system I have used. My only advice is to be extremely careful with the top clips. They break easily. So practice your pinching technique until you have a reliable, surgical approach to installing them. Note: they can be glued.

[Drew Wiley]

I use the inner film holding devices by themselves within a larger custom film washing tank after development, but gave up on the system itself for actual development long ago. I could never get consistent, streak-free results that way. Mine have curved slots on both sides. No way plates would fit in there. But mine is a newer system than the one being posted.

[Daniel Unkefer]

For rotary I have developed hundreds of times using the Unicolor 8x10 Undrum, I've always been pleased with the results, even with 8x10 film. Some developers don't like Unicolor rotary print tubes. I've just received two liters of Ansco 130, one liter for developer, and the other for replenishing. Should work good with dip n' dunk? Lasts a long time too? Legacy Microdol-X can also be replenished and i like it with Fuji HRU XRAY film. I also have about ten gallons of DK-50 and replenisher gallons around here.

[Daniel Unkefer]

I have used the Combiplan for thousands of sheets of film. They work better than any other system I have used. My only advice is to be extremely careful with the top clips. They break easily. So practice your pinching technique until you have a reliable, surgical approach to installing them. Note: they can be glued.

Well Thank You for that! I've had to JBWeld the "foot" on one that was broken. Seems very sturdy. All of mine will take Glass Dry Plates which is a current goal. A friend just sent me complete daylight tank with extra parts. I'll use that fourth tank for holding the film after loading, then into the filled developing tank the rack will go, in the dark. Then the lid can go on if I need it to. Perfecto.

[Bob Salomon]

I use the inner film holding devices by themselves within a larger custom film washing tank after development, but gave up on the system itself for actual development long ago. I could never get consistent, streak-free results that way. Mine have curved slots on both sides. No way plates would fit in there. But mine is a newer system than the one being posted.

No, one side of each end plate is curved on one side and straight on the other.

[Drew Wiley]

Bob - my own Combi holders have no straight slots whatsoever. Only flexible 4x5 film will fit in those.