Help for loading 120 roll film onto spirals

[Tom Stanworth]

In case you are not already doing this...In the dark snip off the corners (roughly 45 degrees) from the film before it is loaded on. It makes it easier by far to get the 'leader' past the ball bearings in plastic spirals and prevents the leading corners getting mangled- esp with thin based films such as apx100 and acros. Will make a big difference....which I am reminded of whenever I forget to do it....

Oh and avoid humid conditions and getting sweaty in changing bags as all help make the emulsion tacky and make it stick.


Tom

 

[argentic]

In case you are not already doing this...In the dark snip off the corners (roughly 45 degrees) from the film before it is loaded on.

I do this with a nailclipper. Makes it a lot easier in the dark.

Gilbert

 

[Dave Miller]

I do this with a nailclipper. Makes it a lot easier in the dark.

Gilbert

Sometimes someone comes up with a real gem, and makes life so much easier. Those who have spilled blood in a changing bag will know what I mean!

 

[ThomHarrop]

If you are using Patterson reels you will also find that if there is one drop of water anywhere on the reel the film will not go past it. Whenever I load anything on Patterson's I blow them with the hot setting on my hairdryer first to make sure they are bone dry.

 

[fingel]

Something I do to keep my changing bag free from humidity is put a couple of those little bags of silica that you get with electronic equipment in it. That way when you start to sweat in those bags, it absorbs the moisture.

 

[Jon Shiu]

Also, the two sides of the Patterson reel can get crooked to each other, making loading impossible. Just wiggle them a little and they become straight again.

 

[psvensson]

When I cut the corners off, it becomes harder to get the last part of the film onto the reel. I think this is because the leading end of the film is then free to curl inward, causing more friction against the groove.

I have no problem getting the uncut end of the film past the little balls - I just grab it by the leading edge and drag it in. There's no exposure there to be ruined by handling or mangling anyway.

 

[dr bob]

This is a personal thing, I know and preferences may differ, but I have a a collection of plastic reels, some Patterson, and ss reels. I much prefer the ss reels for both 35mm and 120 films. In either case, the reels must be dry. I have also had the best (easiest) results by clipping the leading edge corners.

In loading a ss reel, I find that giving the film a gentle tug after a couple of rotations helps center the film width-wise, which aids in alignment. Good center alignment is quite necessary for a correct load. I believe most loading difficulties with ss reels occur due to poor centering of the film at the start. Practice will help in all cases, plastic or ss.

 

[Stan. L-B]

Now for the other side. I have never found it necessary to cut the corners off the edges of the lead-in of film. I do however bend back, against the curl, the leading 1/4 inch of film. I use Jobo, Rodinax and Patterson reels and all are trouble fee if - DRY!

As stated, it pays to keep loading a dud film till you can do it, any which way, in the dark and standing on your head!

 

[Annemarieke]

Has any of you guys (or girls) ever tried loading two rollfilms onto one Patterson reel; one behind the other? Somebody taught me that trick, and I am still thankful! It means that you only use 50% of the developer that you would use for two separate reels, and also the tank is a lot less heavy, which in my case is a huge bonus.

Really, there is plenty of room on a reel to do that. Try it.

Anne Marieke

 

[Dave Miller]

Has any of you guys (or girls) ever tried loading two rollfilms onto one Patterson reel; one behind the other? Somebody taught me that trick, and I am still thankful! It means that you only use 50% of the developer that you would use for two separate reels, and also the tank is a lot less heavy, which in my case is a huge bonus.

Really, there is plenty of room on a reel to do that. Try it.

Anne Marieke

Another wonderful idea. I shall try it this weekend, just as soon as I've brought a pair of nail-clippers.

 

[Annemarieke]

Dave, no need to clip the corners. I never do, and still manage to get two on one Patterson reel. Like Stan, I bend back the leading few centimeters (sorry guys, we are metric in our country) of film, and then it feeds onto the reel without any problems.

A problem you might come across, is that the first film has to go all the way into the centre of the reel, and obviously will not be fed in anymore by the 'little balls', for want of a better word. You will have to push the first film along, till it stops going any further, and then feed in the second film.

It is a bit fiddly at first, but when you get the hang of it, it works just fine!

 

[David Ruby]

Ann-hey i like the sound of that. are you talking about 120 size film only? i guess i'm assuming that a 36ish exposure roll of 35mm would fill the roll.

Is there a trick to doing this besides being careful? I would think that the second roll could start to overlap the first if you aren't very careful. hmmmm.

 

[Annemarieke]

As far as I know you can only do it with a 120 roll, because they are a lot shorter than a 35mm roll.

Yes, you do have to be a bit careful, and have to make sure that the first roll is really totally in the centre of the reel, i.e. that it will not go in any further (you have to push it along, because it has gone past the feed-in system).

I have never had overlapping rolls (knock wood!) and all my films have come out perfectly OK.

 

[Ole]

I load two 120's on one reel by using the sticky tape thingy to tape the second to the first. That way they go in one after the other, with no danger of overlap or slipping.

 

[Annemarieke]

Ole, do you mean that sticky tape thingy that sticks the film onto the filmreel? Wouldn't that dissolve somehow in developer or fixer and cause damage to the film?

I do it without tape and have never had problems, but I do agree with you that there could be a risk of overlap.

It is a bit fiddly, but when you get the hang of it it is actually very easy and convenient because you can develop two rolls in the amount of developer for one roll.

Anne Marieke

 

[Ole]

Ole, do you mean that sticky tape thingy that sticks the film onto the filmreel?

Yes, that's what I mean. It's always handy, and I can't find the other tape in the dark

Wouldn't that dissolve somehow in developer or fixer and cause damage to the film?

No - or at least, that's never happened to me. In several hundred rolls in just about any chemistry conceivable, and then some, I have never seen any problems.

 

[Annemarieke]

Wow, do you live 'in' APUG? That's a very quick answer.

So the tape is a real option. I had never thought it wouldn't harm the film but you seem to have done a fair amount of testing to prove it doesn't.

Thanks.
Anne Marieke

 

[Ole]

Wow, do you live 'in' APUG? That's a very quick answer.

Who's talking?

I work nightshift, and have two days (nights) of waiting to look forward to...

 

[Annemarieke]

Who's talking?

I happened to be online, Ole. I'm not always that quick!