Bulk Loading Question

It seems so obvious, but I better hint at it: one may test the manner of taping on a short strip of film.

I apologize for the late post. I roll from bulk inside a changing tent and avoid losing the last frames and use Scotch Magic Tape to attach the film to the spool. It can be done while watching a half hour television show which makes it seem to go faster.

Ariston said:

I just loaded another roll using electrical tape on both sides of the film. We'll see if that works.

Matt, I will try that dikution next. I'm not sure where Ultrafine falls in the times he gave, though. I'll just start in the middle and work from there.

It occurs to me that there was no date on the film Ultrafine sent me. It'd better not be a bum roll of 100 feet.

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Electric tape sounds funny to me. I always used 3M Scotch tm tape around and both sides. I would love to have a roll of Kodak green tape... anyone know what that is?

Electric tape is just stickier. Since my first one came off, I am probably ginng overboard. The scotch tape I have is very weak, but it would probably work if I taped it on both sides like I should have to begin with.

Bill Burk said:

I would love to have a roll of Kodak green tape... anyone know what that is?

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Is that what they used to pre-splice customers' Kodachrome rolls together on the big reels?

I use a 2-3 inch strip of gaffer's tape, about 1.5 inch at the end of the film and then wrapping securely around the center spindle. If you want to be extra safe, the suggestion of wrapping tape all the way around to the emulsion side is good. However, I've found wrapping around the spindle to be sufficient (I don't use any motor drives), and it makes it easier to pull off when developing. That said, the center spindle on my bulk cassettes are solid without a slit, so perhaps more surface area to adhere to.

As far as Ultrafine Xtreme 400, I only have experience with it in 120 format. I've settled on using LegacyPro L110 (a HC-110 clone) at 1:31 (same as HC-110 Dilution B) for 5.5 minutes. Using that recipe, I get sufficient contrast for my tastes, which I can adjust in post-processing if needed. Contrast-wise I would rank Ultrafine Xtreme 400 < Ilford HP5+ < Kodak 400TX, at least in 120 format. Anyway, the proof is in the pudding, and I have an album of Ultrafine Xtreme 400 samples in my Flickr.

I use the good beige masking tape, not the stuff from the big box stores. The stuff I use is approximately 3/4 inches wide and I buy a roll per year from a place that sells automotive paint. https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/company...ive-Masking-Tape/?N=5002385+3293193993&rt=rud

3M™ Automotive Masking Tape 18mm

I pass the tape around the spool and tape both sides of the film. If you load carefully you only loose about an inch of film at the spool end. I prefer the newer Watson 100 style loader to the older types with the removable door and the bakelite body.

mshchem said:

Pretty much impossible to save money bulk loading Kodak, bulk film is about same as 36 exposure cassettes. .

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For me, bulk loading isn't just about saving money, though I use Ilford film and there is a small saving to be had especially when coupled with the convenience of being able to load the number of exposures you require. I like to have 25 +/- one or two on a roll. Buying a 36 exp cassette off the shelf isn't cheaper if I end up not using the last 10 - 12 or just burning through them to finish the film. Buying 24 exp rolls is proportionally much more expensive. Occasionally it's useful to have just a few exposures to test a camera. I've never used any kind of loader as with a little practice (or about 50 years in my case!) spooling off from a bulk roll and loading into a cassette by touch alone becomes second nature.
Steve

Steve Roberts said:

For me, bulk loading isn't just about saving money, though I use Ilford film and there is a small saving to be had especially when coupled with the convenience of being able to load the number of exposures you require. I like to have 25 +/- one or two on a roll. Buying a 36 exp cassette off the shelf isn't cheaper if I end up not using the last 10 - 12 or just burning through them to finish the film. Buying 24 exp rolls is proportionally much more expensive. Occasionally it's useful to have just a few exposures to test a camera. I've never used any kind of loader as with a little practice (or about 50 years in my case!) spooling off from a bulk roll and loading into a cassette by touch alone becomes second nature.
Steve

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I've loaded plenty of cassettes in my day. More than a couple times I've shot part of a roll, wound it back into the cassette, leaving the leader out. Then put it back in, advanced a frame past the stopping point, and shot the rest of the roll. Color slide film seems to always be too long. I love 120, because I get 4, 8, 10,12, or 15 shots per roll. I rarely used 220.
With 35mm slides, my current practice is to auto bracket 1/3 to 1/2 stop. Saved my butt more than once. I long for the good old days when it was 20 or 36 exposure rolls. I despise the 24 the 27 exposure rolls.
I still have my bulk loaders and a boat load of cassettes, maybe I will start making 20 exposure rolls again.