Help! Watson 100 Bulk Film Loader

[James Brady]

Hi,

I am new to the forum and was wondering if someone might help me.

I recently aquired a Watson 100 bulk film loader without instructions. The unit works perfectly including the counter.

My question is, How many total clicks on the counter for a true 36 exp roll of film. It obviously has to be more than 36 to account for the two tail ends. Does anyone know the exact # so as I can be as efficient as possible.

You can email me with answers at flyhunt69@yahoo.com or I will just go to forum. Thanks so much. Jim Brady

 

[Mike Wilde]

it all depends... here is how I go about it:
I bulk load, and usually load my camera in the darkroom, so I do not leave as long starting 'leader' as if I was going to be loading in the blazing sun every day. I also file my negative sleeves of 7 rows of 5 exposures long, so my aim in a casual project is to not shoot more than 35 exposures a roll.

With the watson loaders it is possible to fog more than 2 exposures of the film that is attached to the spool, when the cassette assembled and placed on the winding shaft. (Others just tape the bulk film to a non-opennable spool with the tape attached to the bit of film that is left of the original factory load.)

My practice is to attach to the spool with the film quite close to the light trap. I then turn out the lights, open the light trap, and by feel, load the cassette onto the winding spool, I momentarily close the trap to let the door to latch. Then I turn the lights on, and set the counter ticker to zero. I usually wind on 38 or 39 exposures. I tend not to look at the dial, but count the audible clicks. I use the dial as a back up if I get interrupted and loose count while winding.

I write the film type and exposures loaded with sharpie marker on the tongue of film that is left sticking out of the cassette.

 

[mgb74]

I have a scan of the instructions. PM me with your email and I'll send to you.

Keep in mind that once you have the film attached to a cassette spool (and the counter set to 0) you have compensated for the film required at the end of the roll.

 

[glbeas]

I usually counted 40 clicks and got by just fine.

 

[Vanishing Point Ent.]

!!! 42 Clicks !!!

It pays to be liberal here. One trick is to start counting just after the click & end just before the click.

And I found I needed 42 clicks. Also, don't get greedy when shooting.
You will have 35 - 36 unexposed shots.

The camera may continue to shoot, but unless you load all of the cassettes in a darkroom, or a changing bag, the remainder won't be there, ( exposed ).

 

[kraker]

And I found I needed 42 clicks. Also, don't get greedy when shooting.

Here's another vote for 42.

Well, it also depends on the camera you're using. For both my Canon EOS cameras, 42 clicks gives me 35 or 36 shots.
Mind you; the EOS initial "film forward" after putting in a roll of film is very liberal, and even if you would have more than 36 shots, they will rewind after shot 36 (at least mine do).

If I use the same roll of 42 clicks in a Rollei 35, I can get 40 shots at the best of times. 38 or 39 is more likely.

So... it depends, but I would say that with 42, you are on the safe side.

 

[elekm]

I've been using 40, as the dial on my loader has a small indicator (triangle) four frames before "0."

 

[tom_bw]

I add 5 and am OK. If you add less, make sure your last photos are not too valuable without trying first! You can probably get buy with less.

 

[srs5694]

I add 5, so that'd be 41 for a 36-exposure roll; however:

• As Mike Wilde says, it's possible to fog some film at the end of the roll with Watson (or other) bulk loaders. Personally, I try to minimize this by doing as much as possible in my darkroom with the lights out. If I use reusable cassettes, it's possible to attach the film to the spool in the dark, thus producing no fogged frames at the end. (Many types of tape stick to the film as the film is wound around the spool, though, which can damage the last frame or two, so you may still lose a shot or two.)
• It's possible -- indeed, it's even likely -- to get more than 36 exposures even on a commercial 36-exposure roll. With my motor-wind cameras, I usually get 37 exposures on such rolls, and I often get 38 exposures on my manual-wind cameras. I could get 39 or even 40 exposures if I were to load a manual-wind camera in the dark and start shooting sooner.

Thus, the question becomes: Do you want to equal the film length of a commercial 36-exposure roll (which might or might not result in fewer exposures), equal the number of usable exposures, or get precisely 36 exposures? The answer for how many clicks to use will vary depending on your goal, and perhaps also with how much fogging you get at the end of the roll because of your loading technique.

 

[Nick Zentena]

On the counter isn't there an area before 0?

 

[ath]

43. There is a reason why most films restart numbering after 43.
Gives reliably 36 exposures even with loading in the light (at least the casette...) and the rather long unexposed start section of the Canon EOS'.