Hewes reels

[rmolson]

I have been having problems loading my 120 reels lately , kinking etc. Finally dawned on me while Nikor equipment was good, nothing lasts nearly 40 years intact
So I ordered a Hewes 120 reel from Adorama.. It came today and frankly I am a little confused. I have never had a Hewes reel and it looks like the spring clip is on backwards. Other reels I have had the small lip faces the film being loaded and the film slides under the clip On the Hewes the small end of the clip faces away from the film ( for lack of a better explanation) Surely the film its not clipped under and then bend back 180 degrees to load on the reel. Am I missing something or do I actually have a faulty reel.

 

[Richard Wasserman]

I'm sure your reel is fine, you're just looking at it backwards. That "clip" is actually a spring to be pushed down with your thumb to allow the film to go under the wire on the other side of the post. I hope this makes sense! Once you figure it out Hewes reels are very quick and easy to load.

 

[rmolson]

Thanks I though it might be something like that My old reels it was configured the other way and never worked well.

 

[DWThomas]

As a recent convert, I like that feature of the Hewes reel as it allows releasing the clamp tension with the film end in place to make centering and alignment easier. The other style where you have to sort of push on the film to force it in frustrated me so badly I started leaving the end loose, keeping a bit of finger pressure on the back of the film for the first half turn or so.

 

[SuzanneR]

When I first got the Hewes 120 reels, I loaded them backwards, and the film simply would not get on the reel "right." it took me a few times to figure out I was inserting the film in the wrong direction. Once you know "which way to go" they are infinitely easier to load... and very quick. But they do seem "backwards" from other traditional (and cheaper) reels.

 

[Sirius Glass]

When I first got the Hewes 120 reels, I loaded them backwards, and the film simply would not get on the reel "right." it took me a few times to figure out I was inserting the film in the wrong direction. Once you know "which way to go" they are infinitely easier to load... and very quick. But they do seem "backwards" from other traditional (and cheaper) reels.

Practice in daylight with processed film or a sacrificed roll pays off for 120 or 135 with Hewes reels.

Steve