Just ruined a roll of film

[cerber0s]

I don't use photoflow. I just rinse after the fixation bath.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Always take the film off the reel and put into a container with the PhotoFlo solution.

 

[grat]

Be sure to read on the Lab Box website about "PET" based films, because they'll drive you 'round the bend. They will not, however, drive 'round the lab box reel.

The one thing I'd add, although it probably wasn't the issue here, was make sure the ball bearings are moving freely before you load the film.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Be careful removing the ball bearings to clean them, you would not want to lose your marbles.

 

[Brendan Quirk]

For what it is worth, I have never had the film getting stuck while loading problem, but I am not saying it doesn't happen, just not to me. My purpose is to endorse four "tricks":

1. Cut the leading corners on 120 film, as stated. This really helps me get stated on the reel.
2. Cut a piece of cardboard, or old print paper, the same width as the film, and a couple of inches long. Place in the reel under the teeth but not through the ball bearings while the light is on. This helps greatly in getting the film lined up properly in the dark, as you just place the film on the cardboard and slide it into and under the teeth. It acts as a tactile loading guide.
3. My discovery - if you meet with too much resistance when the film reaches the ball bearings, reach from the other side and PULL the film through, rather than try to push it through, and buckling the film. Pull or push the film well past the balls before switching to the cranking of the reel sides.
4. While cranking, place your extra fingers over the reel sides and gently onto the base (outside) side of the film. Using alternate pressure of the fingers, prevent the film from traveling backwards when you crank the side of the reel back. The balls, of course, are supposed to prevent backward travel but as the reels get used and a bit gummy, they don't always work properly. This can prevent you from cranking forever, and getting nowhere. If the reels are clean enough, of course, this should not be needed, but eventually photoflo on reels does get gummy.

 

[MattKing]

Don't put the reels into photo-flo. Take the film off the reels and put the film into an appropriate container holding the photo-flo.
Gelatin residue plus surfactant (photo-flo) is harder to clean than gelatin residue only.
Use hot water to clean the reels.

 

[Horatio]

Be sure to read on the Lab Box website about "PET" based films, because they'll drive you 'round the bend. They will not, however, drive 'round the lab box reel.

Thanks for the tip!

Edit: Wow. That's quite a list for 120 films: all Rollei, Arista and Foma, plus Catlabs! Guess I'll stick to Ilford and Kodak. Wonder what it is about the PET base that's at fault.

 

[grainyvision]

I had the exact same problem. I tried scrubbing the reels with a toothbrush, lubricating with pencil lead, loading in a darkroom, rather than dark bag, and lots of other things. The only way I solved it was switching to stainless steel reels (Hewes specifically) and I haven't had an issue loading film since

 

[MattKing]

Wonder what it is about the PET base that's at fault.

It is too tough/impervious to tearing - the film cutter in the LabBox "can't cut it" .

 

[BrianShaw]

3. My discovery - if you meet with too much resistance when the film reaches the ball bearings, reach from the other side and PULL the film through, rather than try to push it through, and buckling the film. Pull or push the film well past the balls before switching to the cranking of the reel sides.

*** THIS ***

 

[grat]

It is too tough/impervious to tearing - the film cutter in the LabBox "can't cut it" .

As I recall, it gets jammed up on the wheel, and doesn't "pull" smoothly. That list of films was why I ultimately went with Paterson, and then switched out the reels for the "deluxe" reels with the wider tabs (very useful for 120 film-- probably not so much for 135).

 

[russell_w_b]

I put my Paterson plastic reel-halves through the dishwasher on the top shelf from time-to-time, usually after the 35mm film starts to stick a little, and I keep the ball bearings coated with soft pencil lead. Hitherto I've just done my final rinse with Ilfotol added in the developing tank: might revise this procedure now though.

I usually wash the reels, split into two, in hot water with the jugs and tank after I'm done developing, and let them dry naturally on the window sill.

 

[R.Gould]

So you have been using it for about 15 years now

pentaxuser

More like 60 years,
Richard

 

[Horatio]

As I recall, it gets jammed up on the wheel, and doesn't "pull" smoothly. That list of films was why I ultimately went with Paterson, and then switched out the reels for the "deluxe" reels with the wider tabs (very useful for 120 film-- probably not so much for 135).

Thanks. Good to know. Guess I’ll hang onto my old tanks and reels for awhile.

 

[pentaxuser]

More like 60 years,
Richard

Once you reach for the pencil and reel are you tempted to sing the old 1892 musical hall song "My Old Dutch" with whom only 40 years had been achieved. It has to be sung in a cockney accent

pentaxuser

 

[BradS]

Always take the film off the reel and put into a container with the PhotoFlo solution.

+1

 

[BradS]

Be careful removing the ball bearings to clean them, you would not want to lose your marbles.

Remember when desktop rodents had an actual ball inside. One had to take similar precautions when cleaning the mouse balls.

 

[grat]

Although given the size differential, more difficult to misplace the mouse ball. I do not miss having to clean lint off the rollers in a ball mouse.

 

[Hatchetman]

I don't use photoflow. I just rinse after the fixation bath.

Did you buy them new or used?

 

[R.Gould]

Once you reach for the pencil and reel are you tempted to sing the old 1892 musical hall song "My Old Dutch" with whom only 40 years had been achieved. It has to be sung in a cockney accent

pentaxuser[/QUOTEe

Not quite that old, tend to sing Beautiful Jersey, in Jerrais of course
Richard

 

[cerber0s]

Did you buy them new or used?

The Paterson tank? That was used, years ago.

 

[MattKing]

I put my Paterson plastic reel-halves through the dishwasher on the top shelf from time-to-time,

This works best if you don't have rinse aid in your dishwasher at the time.

 

[bluechromis]

Using some some scrap film it would not hurt to practice loading that on the reel repeatedly until you feel confident it will go smoothly before risking real film.

 

[russell_w_b]

This works best if you don't have rinse aid in your dishwasher at the time.

Thanks for that Matt. Probably fighting fire with fire!

 

[R.Gould]

I have used Patterson tanks and reels since they first cam out, I have never washed the reel's after developing a film, I develop, stop, fix, wash the film, rinse in wetting agent, take theb films out, hang them up to dry, put the reels aside to dry, next time I use them I run a soft pencil lead around the groves, and load the film, 35mm or 120, I can't remember the last time I had a film stick in a plastic reel, in 50 years, that is all I do, I read about washing the reels, trimming the end of the 35mm film,never do it, as my films are always wound back into the cassettes and so are opened in the dark, cant tell if I am cutting between the sprockets, load the film however it is with the leader cut off, never ever have any films stick, I can't for the life of me see why all this fuss
Richard