3D printed 400ft bulk loaders

henryyjjames · Jul 5, 2023

Trask said:
Just out of curiosity -- what is the general diameter of a 400 foot roll? I ask because I bought, a long time ago, a bulk loader that looks like a "normal" 100 loader on steroids. I'm wondering if I own a 400 foot bulk loader...

400 feet on a 2" core will be about 6.13887" to 6.33181" in diameter, assuming the film is between .14mm and .15mm thick.

snusmumriken · Jul 6, 2023

I looked into getting such a loader printed by a contact with a resin printer. But I was impatient to use my first 400ft roll of 5222 and re-spooled it by hand, using a couple of rods fixed into an old enlarger baseboard as spigots (x2) and roll-size gauge (x1), with a thin elastic band to avoid the larger roll spilling. I used a 3” length of square bar from a door handle to twiddle the smaller core. It was all surprisingly easy. Afterwards I wondered how many more times in my life I was likely to do have to do this. Probably fewer than 6 times - who can say? So I decided anything fancier was unnecessary, for me.

Donald Qualls · Jul 6, 2023

henryyjjames said:
400 feet on a 2" core will be about 6.13887" to 6.33181" in diameter, assuming the film is between .14mm and .15mm thick.

But then the other part of the question, what's the OD of the camera spool it comes on? Or don't these come on daylight loading spools any more?

Kino · Jul 6, 2023

Donald Qualls said:
But then the other part of the question, what's the OD of the camera spool it comes on? Or don't these come on daylight loading spools any more?

Daylight spool are special order on anything larger than 16mm x 100 ft loads. Pretty much everything is on 2 inch cores unless it is 1 or 2 K lab stock rolls, then it's a 3 inch core.

Donald Qualls · Jul 6, 2023

Kino said:
Pretty much everything is on 2 inch cores unless it is 1 or 2 K lab stock rolls

Cool!

diyformulas · Jul 6, 2023

Kinda unrelated but does anyone know how to buy those 100ft metal film cans for storage? I can't seem to find on Ebay

Joel_L · Jul 6, 2023

Here are some pics of doing the felt. This loader already had the felt in it, but I'll try to show how it's done.

Start by peeling back part of the backing paper and tape a paper leader to it. You will use this to pull the backing off when it's in the slot.
When felt is in the slot, stick the exposed felt to the inside. As you pull the backing off, follow it with a credit card or similar to press the felt onto the loader.

Save the backing paper and place it on the felt side of the second felt strip. This will help get it into the slot

repeat for the second felt strip

diyformulas · Jul 6, 2023

Joel_L said:
Hear are some pics of doing the felt. This loader already had the felt in it, but I'll try to show how it's done.

Start by peeling back part of the backing paper and tape a paper leader to it. You will use this to pull the backing off when it's in the slot.
When felt is in the slot, stick the exposed felt to the inside. As you pull the backing off, follow it with a credit card or similar to press the felt onto the loader.

Save the backing paper and place it on the felt side of the second felt strip. This will help get it into the slot

View attachment 343044 View attachment 343045 View attachment 343046 View attachment 343047 View attachment 343048 View attachment 343049

repeat for the second felt strip

Great explanation! It's very clear to me now. Thank you.

Kino · Jul 6, 2023

diyformulas said:
Kinda unrelated but does anyone know how to buy those 100ft metal film cans for storage? I can't seem to find on Ebay

They have become very rare. Most have been recycled or thrown away. Check with a local crafting store; sometimes they sell cans that are around this size, but can have screw lids and/or clear plastic inserts in the lid.

diyformulas · Jul 15, 2023

The Chinese are also selling 400 and 1000ft bulk loaders for reasonable prices ($125 and $140 respectively).

These look relatively felt free?

Flighter · Jul 15, 2023

My guesswork:
I think there is felt or velvet where indicated by the red arrows. The top part looks similar to the LPL 100ft loader and if so, then when the door is closed (green arrow) with the cassette in position C (brown), inserting the crank will move the lower part of the gate down (blue arrow) so that the bottom layer of felt no longer touches the emulsion side of the film.

Flighter · Jul 15, 2023

Any idea as to what the switch indicated by the yellow arrow does?

diyformulas · Jul 15, 2023

Flighter said:
Any idea as to what the switch indicated by the yellow arrow does?View attachment 343869

Here is a translated picture:

Flighter · Jul 15, 2023

diyformulas said:
Here is a translated picture:
View attachment 343872

Thanks for that, mystery solved!

Kino · Jul 15, 2023

diyformulas said:
The Chinese are also selling 400 and 1000ft bulk loaders for reasonable prices ($125 and $140 respectively).

View attachment 343852

These look relatively felt free?

Can you supply a link to these?

Flighter · Jul 15, 2023

The only links I have found are
400ft loader
https://www.taobao.com/list/item/685074633124.htm?spm=a21wu.12321156.recommend-tpp.5.2abf6edehnzdZf

1000ft loader

盘片胶卷分装器非AP...-Taobao

欢迎来到淘宝星光相机小铺，选购柯达电影分装器，好评率100%，8用户购后写下真实评论。快来查看更多买家秀和测评，让你放心淘到宝！

www.taobao.com

Kino · Jul 15, 2023

Flighter said:
The only links I have found are
400ft loader
https://www.taobao.com/list/item/685074633124.htm?spm=a21wu.12321156.recommend-tpp.5.2abf6edehnzdZf

1000ft loader

盘片胶卷分装器非AP...-Taobao

欢迎来到淘宝星光相机小铺，选购柯达电影分装器，好评率100%，8用户购后写下真实评论。快来查看更多买家秀和测评，让你放心淘到宝！

www.taobao.com

Thank you! Wow, that website is impossible to navigate...

MCB18 · Jul 16, 2023

diyformulas said:
Kinda unrelated but does anyone know how to buy those 100ft metal film cans for storage? I can't seem to find on Ebay

You need a can about 3.5” in diameter, and 1.5” tall. These work very well, I know someone who sells respooled E100D with them:

Lot of 24 Mimi Metal Tins - 10 Oz. Deep Round Screw Top Tin Containers - Silver | eBay

The slip covers are easy to take off yet fits securely, as well. You can use them for various herbs, candles, spices, or any other projects. These tins are all FDA compliant. Tin plate is constructed seamlessly.

www.ebay.com

Trask · Jul 16, 2023

I've figured out that my "large" bulk loader is an "Alden 200" Model #72 bulk film loader. I measured the internal diameter of the film chamber -- around 6 1/2 inches or 16.5 centimeters. henryyjames in post #26 above says a 400 foot roll is around 6 inches in diameter, so perhaps this thing would hold a 400 roll. While I might hope it would take a 400 foot load on a very small diameter core, it is in fact designed to handle...200 feet of film. Unsurprising, given the name of the device! I've attached a photo found online -- the wording on the box confirms its intended capacity. I can't say that I recall ever seeing a 200 ft/70 meter bulk load for sale. Why make a device that apparently can take a 400 roll and sell it as holding 200 feet? Was film that much thicker 50 years ago?

mshchem · Jul 16, 2023

Trask said:
I've figured out that my "large" bulk loader is an "Alden 200" Model #72 bulk film loader. I measured the internal diameter of the film chamber -- around 6 1/2 inches or 16.5 centimeters. henryyjames in post #26 above says a 400 foot roll is around 6 inches in diameter, so perhaps this thing would hold a 400 roll. While I might hope it would take a 400 foot load on a very small diameter core, it is in fact designed to handle...200 feet of film. Unsurprising, given the name of the device! I've attached a photo found online -- the wording on the box confirms its intended capacity. I can't say that I recall ever seeing a 200 ft/70 meter bulk load for sale. Why make a device that apparently can take a 400 roll and sell it as holding 200 feet? Was film that much thicker 50 years ago?

I think the European makers sold some longer rolls maybe over 100 feet?? Not sure. These loaders are older. I'm not sure.

xonefs · Sep 3, 2023

Flighter said:
The only links I have found are
400ft loader
https://www.taobao.com/list/item/685074633124.htm?spm=a21wu.12321156.recommend-tpp.5.2abf6edehnzdZf

1000ft loader

盘片胶卷分装器非AP...-Taobao

欢迎来到淘宝星光相机小铺，选购柯达电影分装器，好评率100%，8用户购后写下真实评论。快来查看更多买家秀和测评，让你放心淘到宝！

www.taobao.com

is there nothing on aliexpress for this?

would make ordering a lot more convenient but the search there is pretty bad

SodaAnt · Sep 6, 2023

Here's a company making a motorized bulk loader for 400' and 1000' reels.

Donald Qualls · Sep 7, 2023

SodaAnt said:
motorized bulk loader for 400' and 1000' reels.

Yeah. With what the hand crank ones cost, I don't even want to look at a motorized one. Probably a good investment if you have a side business rerolling cine film and reselling it on eBay, but not practical for someone like me for whom a 400 foot roll is a big purchase...

Blimeyo · Nov 9, 2023

diyformulas said:
The Chinese are also selling 400 and 1000ft bulk loaders for reasonable prices ($125 and $140 respectively).

View attachment 343852

View attachment 343853
View attachment 343854

These look relatively felt free?

Thread is a little old but thought I'd share my experience having used this for six to eight rolls now...

These loaders can be an absolute pain in the a** to use. Putting the film through the opening was such a difficult task that I can still take 30-45 minutes simply trying to get the film through the opening. Many tries of pushing the film through can lead to front of the film being creased and needing to be trimmed off. I figured by now that it's best to spend 10-20minutes just practising and pushing a developed negative through in brightness. This builds a recent muscle memory before struggling in the dark bag. The loader also has really sharp edges and parts that leave cuts and agony. My biggest annoyance is with its complicated loading mechanism that is designed for a silly frame counter that isn't even accurate. I resorted to jamming the counter because the inaccurate clicks were distracting my count of the number of turns. It would have been perfect if it was something like the 3D printed version/ lloyd style of bulk-loading in my opinion. The price is reasonable otherwise since the loader is made of wood.

chuckroast · Nov 9, 2023

Blimeyo said:
Thread is a little old but thought I'd share my experience having used this for six to eight rolls now...

These loaders can be an absolute pain in the a** to use. Putting the film through the opening was such a difficult task that I can still take 30-45 minutes simply trying to get the film through the opening. Many tries of pushing the film through can lead to front of the film being creased and needing to be trimmed off. I figured by now that it's best to spend 10-20minutes just practising and pushing a developed negative through in brightness. This builds a recent muscle memory before struggling in the dark bag. The loader also has really sharp edges and parts that leave cuts and agony. My biggest annoyance is with its complicated loading mechanism that is designed for a silly frame counter that isn't even accurate. I resorted to jamming the counter because the inaccurate clicks were distracting my count of the number of turns. It would have been perfect if it was something like the 3D printed version/ lloyd style of bulk-loading in my opinion. The price is reasonable otherwise since the loader is made of wood.

What is the feasibility of using a standard 100' loader and just loading that from the larger reel? Is there any convenient way to do this?

3D printed 400ft bulk loaders

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