I REALLY Hate Loading 120 on Patterson Reels

[Maris]

I hate loading 120 film onto Paterson reels but it is all I've ever used since the 1970s. Provided the reel is dead dry and the little ball bearings move freely (check this!) the film will load on the first try or eventually.
Doing the right moves in a changing bag is so difficult and sweaty I won't attempt it . Better to wait until midnight and load the reels in the darkest corner of the darkest room in the house.
Even so there is still a sense of triumph in getting a film onto a reel, which I mark by throwing the torn off backing paper to the floor with some pleased satisfaction.

 

[BobD]

I found this trick helps a lot:

Lay a business card (long edge) across the entry points of the dry Paterson plastic reel. Then slide 120 film on top of the card and onto the reel and then continue as usual.

 

[MattKing]

It's usually the sharp corners that bind. As someone said, clip them. Here's a fool-proof inexpensive tool to quickly round them off in the dark: https://www.ebay.com/itm/273955105393

Or alternatively, use nail clippers.

 

[Auer]

Jobo works great. No issues for me personally.

Also, for some but not all 120 films a Lab-Box is a dead simple alternative with rotary processing.
It does not work well with PET backed films.

 

[NB23]

I hate loading 120 film onto Paterson reels but it is all I've ever used since the 1970s. Provided the reel is dead dry and the little ball bearings move freely (check this!) the film will load on the first try or eventually.
Doing the right moves in a changing bag is so difficult and sweaty I won't attempt it . Better to wait until midnight and load the reels in the darkest corner of the darkest room in the house.
Even so there is still a sense of triumph in getting a film onto a reel, which I mark by throwing the torn off backing paper to the floor with some pleased satisfaction.

Ahh there’s my guy! My triumph dance is to roll back the paper onto the spool until it squeaks from tightness. I just can’t throw away the paper, as if it was very valuable. And indeed it is valuable, it took Kodak more than a year to fix the paper issue they had.

Funny, I really like loading 120 film. It almost loads by itself onto the SS reels, by very slight movements of the fingers. Truly a breeze. SS reels do half the work.

 

[Pieter12]

It's usually the sharp corners that bind. As someone said, clip them. Here's a fool-proof inexpensive tool to quickly round them off in the dark: https://www.ebay.com/itm/273955105393

It's 5 bucks cheaper on Amazon.

 

[Lachlan Young]

If your reels are properly clean & dry (and your hands too), and you are holding on to the film sensibly, Paterson reels near enough instantly load themselves with 120 - stainless reels are fine (if they have a non rubbish clip) & Jobo 25xx mildly fiddly (mainly from the teeth - clipping the corners actually increases jamming in my experience). There are occasional problem Paterson reels (as there are stainless - and very, very rarely Jobo 25xx), but almost always it seems to relate to operator misuse.

 

[Chrismat]

I haven't had any trouble loading 120 on plastic reels, I have had trouble loading 35mm 36 exp. rolls on plastic reels. What does make it easier is to pull the plastic reel apart, run carbon from a pencil along both edges, then clip the front corners of the film. For some reason, 35mm has always been more trouble for me. Loading 120 on plastic or stainless steel has always been easier.

 

[neilt3]

I always use AP reels on 120 film in Paterson tanks. Loading curled 120 film (basically Kodak films) to Paterson reels is really PITA. I agree. But glad there are AP reels available. I really wonder why Paterson have not added such "leader" thing to their reels.

The AP reels make a massive difference to loading 120 , ever since I came across them all my 120/220 get loaded on them .
They remove all the effort , curled film or not . I highly recommend them .
The Patterson reels are just used for my 135 film .

The ones I've bought cost me about £10 each , you can see the difference between them and the standard Patterson ones .
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/292415462626

 

[mshchem]

I use a corner rounder to clip the corners, fingernail clippers sound like a great idea.

 

[Helge]

Supposedly, my stance on stand development, plastic reels and digital photography being art, makes me a troll, according to some. But I cannot care, and so I’ll say it again: plastic reels have no place in a darkroom.

Would you care to substantiate/elaborate on the above? Especially the plastic reel thing of course.

 

[Helge]

PET based film is a lot easier to load on reels, dry and handle in general.
And it’s a joy to handle, print and scan too.
Does anyone have any idea why this material isn’t universal?

 

[gone]

Funny, I never had trouble w/ 120, but 36 exp 35mm film used to cause me all manner of grief on that last 6" of the roll. Those little ball bearings can be a PITA too if they decide to stick. I finally popped mine out of the reels and threw them away.

That's not just the Paterson reels, I have a Beseler tank here that had the same issue. The Beseler reels are easier to load than the Paterson because they have a lil apron for the film to rest on as you push it onto the reel. But I don't have trouble loading plastic reels anymore as long as they're 100% fully dry.

 

[Hilo]

This system has got to be the most frustrating system to load when dealing with 120 film. Anyone else feel my frustration with this system and 120?

Yes! Long ago I worked in an university darkroom in Perth, had about 40 135mm films to develop and soon gave up on these tanks. Had some of my Combina tanks shipped from home in Europe. Everyone has their own system that works, some are fine with Patterson. I was used, with Combina, to attach the film to the center inside of the spool and load it towards the outside of the reel. Trying to do the opposite with the Patterson tank felt weird.
Now and then Combina tanks show up, their 2-reel 135 / 1-reel 120 version is a beauty. It should come with an orange loader that comes in two parts and obviously there are loaders for 135 and loaders for 120. I use the loaders, but I can also load film without them.

Having said that, there are also people who HATE the Combina system.

 

[radiant]

Funny, I never had trouble w/ 120, but 36 exp 35mm film used to cause me all manner of grief on that last 6" of the roll. Those little ball bearings can be a PITA too if they decide to stick. I finally popped mine out of the reels and threw them away.

That sounds like your reels are not dry or there is too much friction somehow (dirty spools?).

 

[Raghu Kuvempunagar]

I load 120 film on to Patterson reels in a dark bag. Initially I used to bungle, sweat and feel very miserable. I tried many suggestions that were given to me in a different forum and none of them worked for me unfortunately. Then I realised my mistake - I was removing the backing paper completely before loading. One day I tried something different which was to unwind just enough backing paper and load the film. Perhaps due to the additional weight of the paper, I had no difficulty feeding in the film into the reel and start loading. Once the film got securely into the reel, I unwound just enough backing paper and loaded the corresponding length of film. Repeat till the whole film is loaded. Remove the tape and complete the loading. Zero failure and frustration after this discovery even with the curliest films.

 

[radiant]

I load 120 film on to Patterson reels in a dark bag. Initially I used to bungle, sweat and feel very miserable. I tried many suggestions that were given to me in a different forum and none of them worked for me unfortunately. Then I realised my mistake - I was removing the backing paper completely before loading. One day I tried something different which was to unwind just enough backing paper and load the film. Perhaps due to the additional weight of the paper, I had no difficulty feeding in the film into the reel and start loading. Once the film got securely into the reel, I unwound just enough backing paper and loaded the corresponding length of film. Repeat till the whole film is loaded. Remove the tape and complete the loading. Zero failure and frustration after this discovery even with the curliest films.

As MattKing wrote previosuly - changing bag is your issue. Humid country + sweating inside the bag makes the plastic reel moist and can cause film to be stuck.

I load my reels in complete darkness and open the backing paper just enough to get the film on reeel. Then I let go of the roll and let the film + paper hang down and start loading the film, it works fine. I always load two 120 films on single reel too. A bit trickier to learn of course but works fine once you learn it.

 

[Raghu Kuvempunagar]

As MattKing wrote previosuly - changing bag is your issue. Humid country + sweating inside the bag makes the plastic reel moist and can cause film to be stuck.

Yes, of course, dark bag is the issue. I have had little problem loading in complete darkness.

 

[LimeyKeith]

I load 120 film on to Patterson reels in a dark bag. Initially I used to bungle, sweat and feel very miserable. I tried many suggestions that were given to me in a different forum and none of them worked for me unfortunately. Then I realised my mistake - I was removing the backing paper completely before loading. One day I tried something different which was to unwind just enough backing paper and load the film. Perhaps due to the additional weight of the paper, I had no difficulty feeding in the film into the reel and start loading. Once the film got securely into the reel, I unwound just enough backing paper and loaded the corresponding length of film. Repeat till the whole film is loaded. Remove the tape and complete the loading. Zero failure and frustration after this discovery even with the curliest films.

Been doing it this way for 50+ years, makes for easy loading and no scratches on the film. Used reels are gently scrubbed with a small natural hair brush and air dried. Have plenty of spare reels and store them in a warm place.

 

[R.Gould]

I run a pencil lead around the groves of Paterson reels, and I find the easiest way with 120 is to unroll to the strart of the film, then let it hang weighted by the paper, load it then tear or udoo the paper, keeps the film flat and and loses the curl, normally 30 secpnds and the film is loaded

 

[grain elevator]

The curling is a separate issue from sticking or binding, the issues that can be resolved with dryness, clipping corners etc. Against the curling, nothing much helps except things that actually resolve the curling, I've found. I have resorted to taping stiffer plastic foil to the beginning of the film at one time. Mostly just bending it the other way a few times is enough. Got to try the technique of creasing it that someone suggested.

 

[Helge]

Yes, of course, dark bag is the issue. I have had little problem loading in complete darkness.

If you get the hang of doing it in complete darkness, you will soon realize what the problems were in the dark bag.
Then going back to the dark bag, you can correct them.
As said above in other words, the main trick is to have the film go straight into the slots. Next time you can have gravity and your pinkies helping it do that.

If you prefer to take the film completely off the spool and remove the paper, and use the tape bending trick also mentioned here, a good idea is to make sure that the film as forming a natural tight roll/spiral, and insert your pinkies in that roll.
This will help you get the film straight into the slots.

If you prefer to have film and paper attached, to gain additional weight, which can be a good idea in a dark bag, it is a good idea to rip off the surplus backing paper at the start of the film roll, so it doesn’t interfere with insertion of the film.

 

[Ernst-Jan]

2 rolls of Tri-X 120[...]

Anyone else feel my frustration with this system and 120?

Actually only with Tri-X (have tried only 5 rolls), but not with for example Pan F+, Ortho+, FP4+, HP5+, Delta 100/400, Acros (original and the new one), APX100/400, Plus-X, Fomapan 100/200
Majority of this over 60 films were HP5+, FP4+ and the original Acros and I have them usually reeled in 15 seconds.

 

[Raghu Kuvempunagar]

If you get the hang of doing it in complete darkness, you will soon realize what the problems were in the dark bag.
Then going back to the dark bag, you can correct them.

I think you missed the point that I can now load effortlessly inside the darkbag with my technique that I described in an earlier post. I am not looking to make any corrections to a technique that works well for me.

As far as loading in complete darkness is concerned, there is ample space to work with the reel and the film and there's no sweating. All this makes loading very easy. When using a darkbag to load the film, space constraints and sweat create problems that don't exist when you're loading in complete darkness.

 

[Raghu Kuvempunagar]

I
If you prefer to have film and paper attached, to gain additional weight, which can be a good idea in a dark bag, it is a good idea to rip off the surplus baking paper at the start of the roll, so it doesn’t interfere with insertion of the film.

This is exactly what I do.

Been doing it this way for 50+ years, makes for easy loading and no scratches on the film.

Nice to know that this is a time tested technique.