Loading the Russian Lomo UPB-1A Film Developing Tank: Plus So Much More!! 

Thanks for watching and it really is rewarding to see the results of your own processing.

Thanks Carson, enjoy your tank, but be careful...they're addicting!

Thank you, I appreciate it!!

AWESOME!! I love hearing that, congratulations!!

That's awesome, thanks!! I've heard of a lot of interesting developers, including beer, just never tried any myself (except the classic, coffee). Best of luck with it!!

That's really odd, as I'd think you'd be able to tell if the top 2 layers didn't seat flat. Almost seems like another issue but I have no idea what it could be. I'd load 2 lengths of old, practice film a few times in the light to see if I could diagnose it. Best of luck!

@@Filmboy24I too will try loading 2 layers of "trial" 16mm film in full light. Many thanks.

Hi Frank, I have heard of people drying their film while still wound on the reel, however I haven't done it personally. Always seemed like it would take forever that way but I don't see why it wouldn't work. Just shake as much water out as possible and maybe a low speed hair dryer on cool setting. I hang mine to dry on my makeshift drying clips on my bathroom tub rod. You can see exactly what I do if you forward to the 16:00 mark on my Kodachrome video: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-YmaxgBU57Ak.html As far as inverting the tank, I do not do it. It would take some modifying and sealing for that to work (at least on the 3 that I have). It would be a real "clunky" inversion, as there's a lot of liquid in there and I also feel that you would greatly risk popping the film seating from it's spiral grooves. At the advice of the master, Martin Baumgarten, I do now tape (6 pieces of gaffer's tape) the edge of the spiral, to help prevent that very thing from happening. Hope that helps a little.

Hi Chloe, Thank you!! The little black adapter is only used for 35mm film OR when you're using the bottom spiral and the top cap (non-spiral). It has to be used in conjunction with the 2-piece center rod (that you spin with) so that the top and bottom will tighten and secure the film. It's kind of hard to explain but if you don't have the black adapter and you want to process a single 50' roll of super 8 or 16mm film, you have to use the bottom spiral and the other spiral as your top. The top cover's (with no spiral) center hole is to wide and the center post has nothing to stop it when threading into the bottom spiral. I hope that makes sense. Let me know if you need more explanation. By the way, you can order just the black spacer on Ebay.

Thanks, Ryan! I have not personally had any issues with light leaks at all when using one or both of the spirals. I did make a small foam cover for the top just for added insurance. I take it off briefly each time to fill the tank, then pop it right back on. It was very easy to make and just gives me a little more piece of mind. You can see it in my last video if you're interested. It's at the 4:45 mark, here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Gyl97n6-tuc.html

@@Filmboy24 thank you so much! I figured out my issue. I was missing the spacers that allow the reel to sit high enough for single reel processing and i found something suitable. I processed my first super 8 this weekend and I am so stoked! I've been experimenting with digital transfer via projector and the results have been fun! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-NTrxZI_V2Gw.html

@@ryanrudolph9431 That's awesome!! Let me tell you, your first roll in the Lomo came out way better than my first roll. Bravo! Be careful though, it's addicting 😜

These things really are finicky. I loaded 2 rolls of film on one yesterday and the bottom roll hung up for about the last 10'. Unfortunately, I didn't catch it during loading and viola, the last (or first) 10' of the bottom roll was all crumpled & ruined :(

🤣🤣

Yep, that's a great point Petko, and it certainly does stain them over time. Thanks!

Thank you, Roger!! I love the way you think, I'll probably be ordering another UPB-1A from Ukraine soon. If you haven't seen it, take a look at how I dry my film in this video (start at the 16:00 mark): ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-YmaxgBU57Ak.html I also use bent paperclips on a thin rope (like a clothesline), where they hang like Christmas tree bulb hooks, with a "V" shape on the bottom. The film sits the same way as it does in my video, with only the edges touching.

Hey Frank, That's interesting because I'm wondering if your tank is like my other one (my first one). Tight fitting lid and the center opening on the lid has the little black spacer/adapter pressed into it. It's the spacer that's used for 35mm film and I didn't realize it was there for a long time. It causes the liquid pour to be slowed significantly, unlike my other (second) tank, which does not have the spacer pressed in. I've never tried pressing it out because by the time I realized that's what it was, I had already gotten my other tank. I wonder if that's the issue with yours.

@@Filmboy24 I think you're right. I might have been a little too quick with the spiral assembly. Thanks!

Actually, the tank is useless. When I assembled everything correctly and placed the lid on lightly, the water flowed into the tank without backing up. When I placed the lid on tightly, the water began backing up again. There is no center spacer on my lid to press out; it's all one piece. Clearly the lid is the culprit.

@@OskarFilms, well that stinks! One last thing you might check is the little hole in the "cupped" center post. Could that be blocked? I think mine actually has that hold bored out a little bigger than factory. Might help with suction issues. Other than that, I wish I knew.

@@Filmboy24 The little hole is clear, but maybe boring it out a little might help.

Hey Frank, yes, I have 2 of the UPB-1A tanks and they are night and day different from each other. The first one I bought has the exact same issue you described, and the reels are a little finicky as well. It wasn't until I bought my second tank that I realized the lids don't all fit the same. My new(er) one is quite loose. I did use the tight lid one for quite a while but it has since been remanded to the back of the shelf. What I found most odd was the fact that the lids on my 2 tanks are not really that interchangeable. They just seem a little bit different. These old tanks really are hit and miss.

@@Filmboy24 I'm wondering if I should return it or if the lid will loosen over time. I'm also concerned about light leak if the lid isn't on just right.

@@OskarFilms Well, I can only say that mine never loosened over time, however I always felt safe knowing it'd never twist and "unlock" itself. The one I use now is very loose, so much so that I use gaffer's tape to ensure that that very thing doesn't happen. You might try it a time or two first. It can also be tricky to get a perfect set of spirals (both of them in my current one work perfectly), so I'd spool up a couple rolls and see if the film seats properly first. That might give you your answer for sure. I wouldn't worry too much about light leaks. As long as the lid is physically seated in the groove (doesn't really even have to be turned and locked), it's supposed to be light tight. Neither of mine ever had light issues.

Hey Nasser, hmmm, don’t think so. I carefully measured a whole 100’ roll of 16mm practice film once and it was a tiny bit over 106’. I was able to spool it on with no overlap but also no more room.

@@Filmboy24 Thanx Mike!

Lomo didn't actually make a 100' tank (as I had though early on). They were made by another company but I don't know the name of them. I have 2 of the 100' tanks and they're a little different in design from each other, so not sure if maybe there was more than one maker or they just evolved. Here's the video I made a couple years ago of the 100' tank, when I thought it was called a Lomo: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-7lJatWXpFe4.html&si=EnSIkaIECMiOmarE

@@Filmboy24 I did fond your video of the large tank. I have three Morse G3 tanks, but that large one of yours looks like it would do a better job.

@@flyingo I tend to agree that the results are better in the large 100' tanks than the Morse. I have a Morse tank and figuring out the correct time can be tough, a lot of trial and error and very labor intensive.

So, looking at the system I have, it came with an English language manual and is in fact designed for one spiral reel only, with the “spacer” built in to the top part of the spiral so it can be flipped over for 16mm. Mine uses two hoses - one for filling the liquids and the other for draining. Other than those aspects, it’s pretty much identical. Maybe there was a UPB1 and a UPB1A? Anyway, I no longer feel cheated out of a second spiral. I still hope to 3D print another spiral platter for it as two spiral platters would definitely fit inside the tank (but I would need a different center threaded column rod, which I think I can also 3D print). The one I have is demonstrated by the guy who has the “Zero Budget Film School” channel. Thanks for this video!

I've done a couple videos using my Morse G3 tank, talk about labor!! 🤣

@@Filmboy24 Ah ha I see. I'll give them a watch. I'm just trying to 3D print a mini Morse for doing 25ft of Double 8 in about 500ml of solution. I've tried 3D printing one of the Lomo style models out there but the spirals just won't work on my printer and even if they did I think they would be unusable. A Morse style tank seems more doable. And for 25ft it isn't so much to wind. If it doesn't work I'll have had fun trying.

@@RogerHyam Good Luck! I thought about tinkering with making a larger, aluminum spiral that would hold 200 or 400' of film, using a CNC machine. Would be quite an undertaking, so I've also toyed with the thought of making a semi-automatic machine feed processor. So many ideas, so little time. By the way, there are smaller Lomo tanks out there that only hold 33' of film and take much less chemicals. I don't have one but have thought of grabbing one.

​@@Filmboy24 Alas I'm in Scotland so UK eBay is a much smaller market and getting things shipped from US and import duty + VAT (even from the EU now) can really up the costs. Maybe I'll see one at the right price. I'm kicking myself for missing one recently but then I've no idea what the other guy would have gone up to ...