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2026-08-18 Fedco Developing Tank

    The Fedco tank was made in the USA back when brittle Bakelite plastic was the best plastic they had. The choice of flower pot colour is interesting as most darkroom tanks were made of black material.
    Opposite the “Fedco” label they printed “Developing Tank”. Below that there is a very small ridge with “POUR” printed above it.










    Once the top is rotated and lifted all you can see the ridges that make the tank’s lid joint lightproof. See that white stripe running along the outer ridge? That seems to be glue or some sort of mastic.


The same area shot upside down. Isn’t it neat the tank could have a chunk cracked off it and someone repaired it?


Same view of the repair, just slightly different lighting and angle. The white stuff is almost as hard as china.

    At the bottom of the tank there are these three semi-circular ridges to center the film spool’s shaft. I am amazed the tank is lightproof as the shaft is wide open at the top.













    This is the interior film spool—set for 35 mm—showing the six vents in the top that allow fluids to fill and drain. Really violent agitation would sometimes produce flow marks on the film’s borders.












    Close to the lens the film groove end has two rounded tabs projecting towards each other the film is slid under. When the film is completely wound on the film end drops behind the square end stops so the film is trapped on the spool. If there wasn’t this arrangement the film could wind itself off the spool.
Closer to the hub there is a metal tab sticking up. 







    On the outside of the spool there is the other end of the metal strip. That piece of metal has a projection in the middle facing in that catches on those holes—setting the film size.













    There are four holes that set the spool for different film widths.










    This is the metal strip with the dimple that clicks into the holes.















    The top of the film spool can be pulled off the shaft. The clearances between the parts is pretty amazing.










    The film spool can rest across the tank.
















    There is a bit of material chipped away on the rim of the film spool. Nothing that would make any difference to the process.










    The original spool agitator must have broken or got lost, so the owner whittled a new wooden one, The agitator fork fits into a bar in the bottom of the spool so the spool can be twisted back and forth to agitate the film in the liquid solutions.













This is the full agitator. 

    And this is the agitator in place inserted through the top.















    Returning to the pour lip previously mentioned, liquids are poured in down the middle of the tank lid and poured out here. 
Inside the tank there is a slot the liquids can be poured out through.












    Inside the top this is the light trap liquids are poured in through. It forms a light tight connection the the reel’s hub.










    The film spool can be separated to allow for drying the grooves.













Here are all the parts, except the agitator. 

ADDITIONAL DETAILS

The Fedco tank takes 30 sec to completely fill through the lid with 24 oz of liquid. It takes about the same time to empty through the lid.
    It takes 13 oz to cover the 35 mm setting.
    The maximum width of film that fits between the grooves is 2¾ inches.

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