How to load Jobo bulk film reel?

I've bought a Jobo bulk film drum in order to be able to develop films shot with my Nikon MF-4 250exp back, without cutting them into pieces.

My problem is now that I don't know how to load the film into this beast. There is a clip at the spindle in the middle which suggests that I should attach the film there and load it from the inside out. But this doesn't seem to work, I've tried with an old roll of film at daylight.

Does anyone know how it is supposed to work?

Or does anyone have a link to a manual? The drum doesn't have a number on it like the other Jobo drums I've got, so I don't know for what I could google to find one.

Thanks for any help!

Here's my previous take on the subject:

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

So the single reel tank is 3033, and I believe the tank you have there is the 3035 or 3066 (can handle 70mm reels, or two 35mm like you have in it.) The 35mm reel is 3073, and I believe the 70mm reel is 3075. I thought I had scans of an instruction sheet showing the crazy loader but I must be imagining that. If I run across it someday I'll post it to both of these threads.

I was only hand loading 100 exposures, not 250 like you, but I got pretty good at it so I don't see why you couldn't do 250, other than it being tedious and nerve-wracking.

Duncan

It is next to impossible to load 8m reels without the special loader.

CatLABS said:

It is next to impossible to load 8m reels without the special loader.

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Do you have any for sale? Or even a picture of one? Or even the instructions showing how it's used?

Thanks,
Duncan

Maybe if the Jobo 5123 loader is unavailable, one could adapt the Hewes long reel loader to work. I discussed that fine piece of equipment here:

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

That thread reminds me: on an 8m reel you aren't going to be able to fit 250 exposures (a shade over 10m). You're going to need to run no more than 200 exposure loads to use the Jobo reel.

Duncan

I have a photo of the 35mm as well, it is pretty much the same, and you can get the idea of how it works.
I have none for sale, and in fact, have only seen 2 of these, ever, one was not for sale...

CatLABS said:

View attachment 99067
I have a photo of the 35mm as well, it is pretty much the same, and you can get the idea of how it works.
I have none for sale, and in fact, have only seen 2 of these, ever, one was not for sale...

Click to expand...

Aha, OK. So you take the one side of the reel off just so you can reach the middle to get the film attached, but then you reassemble it before winding. That makes a lot more sense than what I thought! And the crank handle is a nice touch, I was picturing having to grasp the knurled knob while turning it a million times. The Nikor long reel (100') reels have a peg style handle permanently attached to them, which forces the tanks to be taller than they would otherwise need to be. Thanks for posting that!

Well if Jobo isn't making/selling those any more, it seems relatively straightforward to cobble something together. The whole key is the film guide - it has to bow the film just so, while not scratching the image area on either side. The Nikor one is basically just a thin stainless trough with lips on the edges. Heck I might even be able to adapt my Nikor loader to work with the Jobo reels directly.

...but like I said, I had no real issues loading 108-exposures lengths by hand just like you would with a normal stainless reel. Getting the end punched and clipped is tricky, but then loading it is the same as ever, just tedious since there's 15 feet of film instead of 5.

Duncan

Found this is a Jobo catalog online; Jobo had too many different numbers to keep track of! These numbers are for the kit, not the components in the kit.

Duncan

Hi Chris,

I don't know if it helps, but Hewes can custom make both tanks and reels to your specifications. Send them an email at info@hewes.co.uk (with as much information as possible) and you'll certainly get a friendly reply.

Bests,

Ashfaque

Ashfaque said:

Hi Chris,

I don't know if it helps, but Hewes can custom make both tanks and reels to your specifications. Send them an email at info@hewes.co.uk (with as much information as possible) and you'll certainly get a friendly reply.

Bests,

Ashfaque

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Is there any indication that Hewes makes tanks? When I ordered their long-roll 35mm reels and a loader, they said they didn't make tanks for them. I have the very nice reels, still looking for a tank I can use with them. The Nikor long roll 70mm tanks aren't *quite* big enough. No doubt because Hewes uses thicker wire.

Duncan

frobozz said:

Is there any indication that Hewes makes tanks? When I ordered their long-roll 35mm reels and a loader, they said they didn't make tanks for them. I have the very nice reels, still looking for a tank I can use with them. The Nikor long roll 70mm tanks aren't *quite* big enough. No doubt because Hewes uses thicker wire.

Duncan

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Hi Duncan,

Sorry for the late reply. I honestly don't know. I assumed that they do since they do custom-spiral. But it is worth asking, just in case they do it now. Sorry for creating any possible confusion.

Bests,

Ashfaque

I think I have a version of that loader pictured, plus two of the reels and processing tubs. Did jobo ever mark there reels with numbers somewhere? I can't seem to find any markings other than "jobo"