Drippy developing tanks

[mablo]

I place the plastic lid on first without the small top cap (Hewes tank). It seems to alleviate air pressure in the tank and eliminates larger leaks.

[Moopheus]

I also remembered reading that if you can't do inversions you can also agitate on a table top by doing figure 8s to swirls the liquids.

This is kind of what I do, while rolling my wrist without doing a full inversion. I'm just glad to know I'm not the only one who has this problem. My Jobo tank has been pretty good at not leaking, though.

[Thomas Bertilsson]

Is it really a problem?

Just use nitrile gloves when you process film, and any leaking chemicals do not get on your hands. No more problem.

I have used JoBo, Paterson, Adorama, and Nikor/generic stainless tanks with plastic and metal lids, JoBo print drums for sheet film... They all leaked at one point or another.

[dasBlute]

try teflon plumbers tape [plus nitrile gloves if your feel the need as others have suggested]

[R.Gould]

With my paterson tanks I follow patterson's own suggestion and lift the plastic top a bit once it is on the tank which releases the pressure and very rarely do I get a leak, saying that I prefer to use the twidle stick
Richard

[bdial]

As noted minor dribbles are common, even when the tank and lids are properly matched. Also, as noted, about the only sane thing to do is live with it. I generally use a water bath and do the agitation either over the water bath or sink, so any dribbles are harmless. I probably should wear gloves all the time, but generally only wear them when I'm processing in pyro. My hands do get rinsed however (or dipped in the print washer) any time they've caught any of the dribbles (with or without gloves!).

In theory, the stainless tanks, lids, and pouring lids are matched at manufacture, but easily become unmatched and mixed up in use. They are also prone to leaking if the tank or lid has been dropped and deformed slightly. If you have multiples, match what you have for best fit, mark them if necessary, and trade off the ones that leak excessively. Replace with new ones if necessary.
FWIW, my favorite tank is an Omega brand I bought new years ago. It leaks occasionally from the pouring lid, but not otherwise, and not at all if I press the lid on firmly enough. Sometimes the rotation angle between the two mating pieces matters, and a lid will leak in one position but not if it's rotated by some amount.
You could try twisting the lid on the tank until it binds. (this may make it difficult to remove too, as a warning).

[Nicholas Lindan]

The problem is most acute with fixer - which produces gas as it works and it is the gas pressure that forces the liquid out.

Someone had posted previously that he put a wrap of black electricians tape around the lid to stop leaks - but you may have to pop the cap between agitations when fixing.

I just put the tank in a large baggie when fixing and let it drip.

I have Nikor SS tanks, generic JapaneseSS tanks and German Kinderman SS tanks with plastic lids - they all leak.

[fotch]

I have several Nikkor SS tanks with little or no leaks. Must be lucky. I remember buying a new SS tank in the sixties (Kindermann?) and it came with a wide rubber band to seal the top to the bottom. Guess you could do that with any SS tank. I also used plastic tanks with the rotating spindle for the reels. No leak problems with them, just a PITA to get the film on the plastic reels.

[Greg Davis]

The only tank I have seen that doesn't leak is the one still in the box on the store's shelf.

[declark]

For my SS tanks and lids I wrap a loop or two with vinyl electrical tape for two reasons... one the leak issue and the other to keep me from accidentally opening and exposing the film.