400ft Roll Re-spooling
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I had 1000ft of Vision3 and I built a little stand that sandwiches the roll between two plastic planter bases. Then, in the dark, I just spooled it around cardboard cores by hand (wearing gloves). I estimated length by arm lengths. Breaking it into ~100ft spools is pretty easy, just a bit time consuming.
first time I borowed a square drive from an old 16mm projector and attached a 1 inch core form a previous roll of Bulk film to a "Kitchen Sink Cutout"- the part of a formaica countertop that a builder cuyts out to install a sink, one local lumber yard used to sell them as hobby project material.
the square shaft was driven by a knob that I could turn and I wound the film onto another 1 inch core with some masking tape on the formica to let me know when I had wound enogh that the roll would still fit in my bulk loader.
this was used in the dark. the film was suported by resting on the formica and the surfrace was smooth and so let the film turn easaly.
By the next time, I had been playing with a 16mm filmo camera and was using rewinds to spool down 200 ft short ends onto 16mm spools to fit the filmo. That method put the film on what is known as a split reel and you wind the film onto a 100ft spool, and then rewind the film onto another 100ft spool. (again all in the dark)
so when Presented with a 400ft roll of ORWO N74, I just acquired a 35mm 1000 ft split reel. I have one set of rewinds that have long shafts. I used a 35mm 100ft spool swandwitched between two 200 ft 16mm spools to wind 200ft (or so) film that would fit my ALDEN 200 loader. after I used THAT film, I could just stick the remaining 200ft in my alden 200, as I did not have to worry about the orientaion of the edge markings for stills. exact lenth was also not an issue as i was using it all for still use and I figured that I would get two random length rolls.as the last roll out of the loader.
the split reel and sutable rewinds really need more than ONE 400ft roll to justify them. I was tempted to fall back on my "film sinK device" but the rewinds are geared and so they are faster and easier on the wrist.
the square shaft was driven by a knob that I could turn and I wound the film onto another 1 inch core with some masking tape on the formica to let me know when I had wound enogh that the roll would still fit in my bulk loader.
this was used in the dark. the film was suported by resting on the formica and the surfrace was smooth and so let the film turn easaly.
By the next time, I had been playing with a 16mm filmo camera and was using rewinds to spool down 200 ft short ends onto 16mm spools to fit the filmo. That method put the film on what is known as a split reel and you wind the film onto a 100ft spool, and then rewind the film onto another 100ft spool. (again all in the dark)
so when Presented with a 400ft roll of ORWO N74, I just acquired a 35mm 1000 ft split reel. I have one set of rewinds that have long shafts. I used a 35mm 100ft spool swandwitched between two 200 ft 16mm spools to wind 200ft (or so) film that would fit my ALDEN 200 loader. after I used THAT film, I could just stick the remaining 200ft in my alden 200, as I did not have to worry about the orientaion of the edge markings for stills. exact lenth was also not an issue as i was using it all for still use and I figured that I would get two random length rolls.as the last roll out of the loader.
the split reel and sutable rewinds really need more than ONE 400ft roll to justify them. I was tempted to fall back on my "film sinK device" but the rewinds are geared and so they are faster and easier on the wrist.
if you know anyone at a movie film lab, they might be presuaded to split a 400ft roll up for you for not too much money, particlarly if you have cans and bags saved from your previous rolls of Bulk film for them to use..
For people living on flat plains, molehills look like mountains.
Would you trust a less rigid construction with 400' of raw film; cardboard perhaps?
Yes.
If you have a big enough 3D printer (my Ender 3 is around a centimeter too small bed area) there's at least one free file available to print your own 400 foot bulk loader. Download, slice, print, and assemble.
or if you want to get into the business, https://reflxlab.com/en-ca/products/pre-order-reflx-lab-auto-bulk-film-loader-free-shipping they will even sell one for 1000 ft rolls.
these folks also have what they consider one time use bulk cartridges. as well as reloaded Movie stock.
these folks also have what they consider one time use bulk cartridges. as well as reloaded Movie stock.
From what I researched before that one goes through felt. I am not a fan of felt bulk loaders. Scratches are going to happen. .
although the film goes through thefelt in the cassettes with any bulk loader. and any industrially loaded film except for Kodak who winds it on a spool and only then closes the Cartridge..
It does not happen often with cassettes. I have a lot of cassettes and dont reuse them as much.
I had a felt loader and it was scratching,
All loaders that don’t have felt have been scratch free.
I got my 400ft roll of 5222 the other day, and should be getting the Reflx respooling device later this week. Any DIY tips for storing 100ft rolls? I looked around and found some metal tins on Amazon Japan that were roughly the right size, but is there a standard name for the exact size of tin that fits a 100ft roll comfortably? I considered just taking out the big roll and loading into the Dayroll loader each time, but it might be slightly more convenient to break it up all at once.
Also, is it generally ok to store film in a metal tin without a black bag? No one else is around to accidentally open them.
Also, is it generally ok to store film in a metal tin without a black bag? No one else is around to accidentally open them.
1 roll in the original can. Buy 2 more cans and black bags. Tape the can.
Or just get 400’ bulk loader and don’t sweat it…
I'd advise against it. There will be moisture problems. And the extra layer of protection against a light leak also doesn't hurt.
Can't help you very well with the tins; I reuse ones I bought with film inside...
Ah, didn't realize moisture would be an issue. Anyone know the specs of the standard lightproof photo bags (material, thickness, etc)?
This is my first time bulk loading in 30 years of photography
.
The plastic bags that photo paper comes in. Alternatively, you could wrap it in aluminum foil (but do a good job). Or just in a can with the seam taped with electrical tape. Moisture doesn't get through that.
I found some 100mm diameter/40mm height metal cans that have a screw top, so I’m guessing that would be pretty airtight. I think they’re meant for making candles.
Not really; I suspect it's polypropylene at a thickness of 150-200um or so. Evidently with a truckload of black master batch mixed into it for opacity.
I don't expect they're airtight at all, really. Metal screw lids generally aren't. I'd still use a plastic bag, or as Don suggests, some kind of foil.
Neither do I. And I would make sure they're light-tight, too. They don't need to be either, since they're not film cans.
I'd definitely tape the seam.
That would create a good seal; sound advice. Electrical tape works nicely for this as it's rather flexible and can be pulled tightly along the seam. It also lasts quite well.
It’s starting to sound like I’d better just load 100ft at a time into the loader and save the rest in the 400ft can until the next batch. I was hoping to just break it up all at once, but it’s sounding potentially tedious.
If you can figure out some kind of way to store it light and air tight, it shouldn't be. And frankly, that sounds like a puzzle that shouldn't be too hard to solve. Surely you can cobble something together with pieces of cardboard, tinfoil, tape etc. OK, a kludge won't work if you need to do 50 rolls, but 4...
Keep in mind that the reason the metal cans + black plastic bags is because of overall efficiency in a volume/industrial setting. If you break down the requirements and find solutions for each of them, you may end up with something that works better in a DIY context. The outer box might just be cardboard. The lightproofing could be something like tinfoil. The air proofing could be as simple as a decent quality ziplock freezer bag. Etc.
Go ahead, reinvent the wheel! Them round wheels are for squares anyway!
Keep in mind that the reason the metal cans + black plastic bags is because of overall efficiency in a volume/industrial setting. If you break down the requirements and find solutions for each of them, you may end up with something that works better in a DIY context. The outer box might just be cardboard. The lightproofing could be something like tinfoil. The air proofing could be as simple as a decent quality ziplock freezer bag. Etc.
Go ahead, reinvent the wheel! Them round wheels are for squares anyway!
Yeah, I was hoping for a quick solution so I could just focus on the important things (shoot/develop/scan/repeat). But I’ll figure something out.
Opaque black bags that will fit in the can are difficult to source. LOL first time I did this I spooled out like 175' or 200' in a 35mm microfilm reel and of course it wouldn't fit in the black bag made for 100' spool without a reel. That went straight into a bulk loader. Second time I didn't use a reel and tried to get close to 100', that fit into a used bag and can nicely. You can fit 2 spooled rolls back in the original 400' bag/can and tape it back up.
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