Joining short rolls for development

[Vonder]

A while ago I asked what folks do when they have, say, a 36 exp roll, a 24 exp roll, and a 12 exp roll ready to process, but have only a two-reel tank. I'm not sure what replies there were but I eventually came up with my own solution that I've been using for a while now, and it works great. Staples!



The trick here is to leave the leaders out when you rewind, or extract them with a handy-dandy lead retrieval tool. This allows me to join a couple 12's or a 12 and a 24 and still have a spare reel for loading another roll. They wind fine onto my Patterson plastic reels; not sure how well this technique would work with steel reels.

 

[pentaxuser]

A neat idea but I can't recall the last time I saw a 12 frame roll and any combo not involving a 12 isn't possible in a 35mm reel as far as I know. Still good if you bulk load of course

pentaxuser

 

[Newt_on_Swings]

Tape works well too for 120. You should staple maybe after you have an end on a roll and in the center as the plastic reels have ball bearings for sprocket holes.

 

[Mike Wilde]

If you can talk a photo finisher into selling you a short roll of Blue Max film splicig tape you will be in heaven. My full roll cost $20, and it is several life times supplies. Its adhesive sticks well to film base, and to almost nothing else. It is waterproof, and stays in place thorough processing solutions too.

I addition to using it to load bulk load film to the cassette spool, I use it to join 120 films end to end to load on a Paterson reel when I am processing c-41 or E-6, and want to minimize the number of re-uses of the chems through the tank, where they get aerial oxidiation, while processing the rated numbers of films

 

[PhotoJim]

Not a bad idea if you shoot short rolls.

Since I shoot -36s when I shoot 35mm, I just got one of each Paterson tank - a 2-roll, 3-, 5- and 8-. That way I can get rid of a bunch of rolls in a hurry.

 

[awwsheeet]

i roll 24 slide rolls into dummy c-41 cans to get them cross processed.


you can fit 2-24 rolls into a single can if you trim off the leader. its tight but you can do it.

 

[Steve Smith]

I use it to join 120 films end to end

I use the tape which is already there holding the film to the paper.


Steve.