Developing fail :(

I developed my first roll of bulk rolled ilford 100. I ran into a couple of issues. First, I had a lot of problems getting the film onto the reel. I have a patterson style tank (the kind you twist and twist until it's on. I kept kinking on me so I grabbed my metal tank and rolled it onto the metal reel. I used my normal t-max developer for the normal 6 1/2 minutes, water rinse, ilford fixer (3 min fix 1, 3 min fix 2.) rinse, photoflo, etc. I ended up with clear film (except the start and tail...black as normal) but no images. I should also note that it appears the film "stuck" together in a number of places..pink blotches.

Questions 1. What failed? Is the t-max developer not compatible with the ilford film? I know the film was developed because I actually went into a dark room and checked that it was reeled as I didn't feel the normal tension.. Or could have I been fooled? Could the developer not reached the film due to bad winding?

Question 2. An tips with loading a "twist" reel? It often will kink up on me rather than go on smoothly as I twist.

Note there doesn't appear to have been a light leak as the fail appears no light or development rather than the black that light exposure would indicate.

Question 3: It was my first bulk roll. Could something had been messed up there? I don't believe so due to my "check" that there was film but if nothing else explains it but again, something may have gone wrong.
Thoughts?

Thanks!

Any markings on the film rebate? If not, you fixed first, if they are there then you didn't expose the film.
Are you sure you loaded the cassette the right way? I loaded my first bulk roll backwards(years ago), seems to be a common occurrance.
The only trick I know of for loading a Patterson style ratchet reel is to load a stainless reel. You need to practice this with scrap film until you can do it properly in the dark(not just with your eyes closed). Any moisture on a plastic reel will cause a jamb.Any chemical residue will cause same.

Thanks Rick! It looks like there are picture numbers on it if that's what you mean. It seems like the film indeed was never exposed...my poking around on the internet is consistent with it. It wouldn't surprise me if I loaded the cassette wrong...it was a bit confusing the instructions. Well, now at least I have practice film to work with...that will indeed be helpful. Thanks again!

Sorry to hear. Bulking, these two videos someone made re bulk loading are a must:

Video 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeLpio6IjTM

Video 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeLpio6IjTM


When the film is stuck together you have unfortunately rolled the film onto the reel and it slipped off the rails and stuck together. Practice a few times in light, just trash a roll, the with your eyes closed, then for real....

Wish you better luck next time...

I've clipped the corners on a 35mm to aid with loading as a last resort, when I've had problems loading. (I don't have a SS tank to swap out.)
I've also found, that if I guide the film over the ball-bearings before trying to load normally, it usually loads happily.

Moisture and chemical build-up are a killer; I clean my reels every couple of months with toothpaste and a toothbrush to get rid of any build-up that I mightn't have rinsed away when cleaning my gear after a developing session. Of course I then make sure to rinse it off totally, so as not to contaminate in the next session.

I agree with Rick on his statements about possibly fixing first (clear film, with nothing present, not even rebate information) vs. not loaded in the camera properly (clear film but rebate information present). Easily done - you're not alone on either account.

If you have numbers in the rebate, and "start and tail...black as normal" you developed an unexposed film.

And you wouldn't be the first!

cepwin said:

Question 2. An tips with loading a "twist" reel? It often will kink up on me rather than go on smoothly as I twist.

Thanks!

Click to expand...

As Oz said, clip the corners. Sharp edges can catch on something on the way around the reel. Before threading the lead end onto the Patterson reel, check the corners to make sure you haven't cut thought the sprocket holes. Be gentle with the "twisting" so you don't kink the film. When you feel resistance, tapping the reel on the table/counter, first one flat side, then the other may be enough to free up the film so you can continue. If not, take reel apart and start over again--assuming the film is still okay.

Better still, get yourself some Hewes reels.

+1 on the Hewes!

not sure what a rebate is, but bulk film is no different from every other kind of film, which all starts out as bulk film.

ditto, ilford film is perfectly compatible with all normal b/w developers.

Sounds to me as if you need to practice loading onto reels more -- take about a 2-foot length of film and do it with the lights on.

As to the paterson twist-type reel, I don't like them because they are too finicky and after you get most of a 36-shot roll on there is so much friction from pushing all that film around all those curves it can get hard.

One key thing -- the reel must be ABSOLUTELY dry, completely, and the film cannot have any oil or other gruddoo on it that will make it stick as it slides through that long channel. If there is any moisture, or any thing else, ur in trouble. This is why I prefer steel reels and have used nothing else for 40-plus years.

as to how to properly load bulk film, it always, and i do mean ALWAYS curves with the emulsion side inside the curve, and you want to load accordingly.

Thank you all for your responses. I watched the videos and it looks like t he film was probably loaded correctly into the cartridge but for some reason I think it didn't catch right and ended up being unexposed. At least now I have a check of the loading of the cartridge and we'll try again.

Thanks again!

With the Paterson style reels, once you put the film into the loading slot, grab the end and pull it 1/2 way around the reel. Be careful to keep the film in the slot. If the film jams while winding, pull the sides of the reel apart slightly while winding the film.

If you use a paterson type plastic reel, then a few tips:

Make sure you cut the leader to where it bends inwards (to the emulsion side), if your camera is one of those that winds it onto the camera spool the wrong way round. The inflexion in the film tip should follow the reel's bend. Sometimes that means having to rewind the film and letting it stand for a day or so until the reverse kink is straightened out.

Do not bevel the leading tips, as that will allow the film to slip out of the groove. It must be perfectly square, with sharp tips if it must. You can bevel the tips later before loading into the sleeves.

Make sure the spool is absolutely dry before loading film. Emulsion will instantly stick to a wet surface, and the spool will be impossible to load.

From the rest of the info you give, it seems you developed an unexposed film. When you cut a bulk film leader after loading into the cassette, use a "normal" leader as a template. If your camera is a manual one, then after loading the film in the camera, use the rewind lever to wind back until you feel that the film is tensed. (If it didn't tense, just be careful of winding it all the way back into the cassette, as it is an annoyance to retrieve.) Then when you wind the next frame, check that the lever turns as you wind - that would indicate a positive uptake. I can offer the consolation that it has happened to most of us, some more than once.

Regards

dorff said:

Do not bevel the leading tips, as that will allow the film to slip out of the groove. It must be perfectly square, with sharp tips if it must. You can bevel the tips later before loading into the sleeves.

Click to expand...

Try to cut the film straight across at a right angle to the length of film. Cut between the sprocket holes if you can. The little tips at the edges can catch on the reel if you don't.

It can be hard to do in the dark but you can learn to do it by feel.
Holding the film at the edges, between your finger and thumb, you can feel where the sprocket holes are. Put your fingers at a sprocket hole then use the scissors to cut flush with your fingers.
Once you get the hang of it, things become second nature.

This is one of those things that seems hard to explain but easy to do once you know how.

Of course, you can always trim the end of the film before turning off the lights. I prefer this method, and either load from the cassette or remove the film to load.

I actually load the film onto the reel, just over the ball-bearings, with the light on. Lights off, I then pop the top of the film can off and load the reel. Been a long time since I've had problems doing it this way, 120 naturally, is a whole new ballgame. . .