Keeping film containers and spools

kevin_c · May 7, 2010

Blimey! 100 posts and counting :confused:

I keep a few of the plastic tubs that the 35mm films come in - Very occasionally I find a use for one...

lxdude · May 9, 2010

Mike Wilde said:
I recently noticed the recent Canadian penny was ferrous; it is copper plated, so it is not all copper if you smelt them.

The US pennies are no longer solid copper. They are now plated zinc.

lxdude · May 9, 2010

One use for the 35mm cans. To keep loose batteries safe from shorting and discharge. A Kodak can will take two AA's- three if you cram them-and still take the lid. It will take six AAA's or one 9 volt or C cell.

Worker 11811 · May 9, 2010

They are also good to keep premeasured charges of black powder in when you go hunting with your muzzle loader. Keeps your powder good and dry plus it makes follow-up shots go a lot quicker if you find yourself in need of one.

Terrence Brennan · May 10, 2010

Zinc pennies

lxdude said:
The US pennies are no longer solid copper. They are now plated zinc.

I can remember, about 1962, getting a 1944 U.S. penny in some change, and remarking to my father that it wasn't copper coloured, but almost black. He told me that as copper was a metal in very high demand, because of the increased munition production in WWII, and that the U.S. Mint made pennies out of zinc for several years.

lxdude · May 10, 2010

Terrence Brennan said:
I can remember, about 1962, getting a 1944 U.S. penny in some change, and remarking to my father that it wasn't copper coloured, but almost black. He told me that as copper was a metal in very high demand, because of the increased munition production in WWII, and that the U.S. Mint made pennies out of zinc for several years.

Hadn't heard of that, but I know there was a steel penny during the war.

Clay2 · May 10, 2010

Canada had 3 years of 'nickels' made from 'Tombac', a brass alloy with high copper content.
They had a 'V' that stood for 'Victory' and were called 'Victory Nickels'. Around the rim was Morse code
that read 'we win when we work willingly'.

Best regards,

/Clay

wclark5179 · May 10, 2010

The only film containers I keep are the ones I use for 35mm bulk film as I find they can be re-used.

The 120 empty spools I put into re-cycling as they are plastic.

Terrence Brennan · May 10, 2010

Zinc-or-steel pennies...

lxdude said:
Hadn't heard of that, but I know there was a steel penny during the war.

My mother used to refer to loose change as "silver" about the time I got that zinc-or-steel penny; until 1968 there actually WAS silver in Canadian coins.

As a teenager, I would refer to change as "tin," and my less reverent friends called it "iron."

jcorll · May 11, 2010

My dad has been collecting 35mm canisters for years and years. I was looking through the bag a couple days and at the bottom I found a couple of Steel canisters.
How long has it been since 35mm has been sold in steel or aluminum canisters?

RPippin · May 11, 2010

OK, I confess. I too save 120 spools, but as of yet I have not thought of saving the backing. I'll rethink that one. Black plastic bags that paper comes in also gets saved, although I have not found a use for them. I'll add one more thing, the stainless developing tanks for 35mm film make great shaving mug soap containers, and when you travel you can use the black caps to keep them from leaking soapy water.

hugopoon · May 12, 2010

The 35mm canisters can be used as lens caps (at least, Kodak ones (grey cap)) — cut off the inner “wall” of the grey cap and it'll cover the rear element of the Jupiter 8 (Kiev/Contax mount).

Apparently the “body”*of the canister fits the back of the Jupiter 12. Haven't tried that yet…

Can use them to store earphones/misc. wire/string…batteries…

Cats get curious when you put them in front of them too…makes for some entertainment.

cmacd123 · May 12, 2010

jcorll said:
My dad has been collecting 35mm canisters for years and years. I was looking through the bag a couple days and at the bottom I found a couple of Steel canisters.
How long has it been since 35mm has been sold in steel or aluminum canisters?

In the 1960's Kodak used screw cap aluminium containers. (steel cap, Al body) at that time they are almost always a yellow cap. I understand that the colour of the cap and can previously was a colour code for various films.

in the mid sevenrties Kodak used an Aluminum can with a plastic cap. The shape of the Kodak logo on the cap indicated the country the film was from (same code as the Kodak logo on super 8 cartridges)

The aluminium cans morphed into Gray plastic. then they went to black cans and Grey caps, them all black and now clear and grey.

Shadowtracker · May 12, 2010

Black plastic bags from paper are now getting used for 4x5" film holders. 120 spools (why DO I save those?) are great for putting string on so it can be carried in a backpack when camping and not get strung all over other stuff in the pack. Cut a slot in one edge and it will hold the end of the string pretty well most of the time. Paper backing from 120 - I was saving that and will probably save some now as an added assurance against light leaks at the edge of the Dark Room door; staple it on the outer edge on the hinge side and the inside edge on all 4 sides. Might be ugly, but I'm into 'effective and cheap' rather than 'pretty and useless'. 35mm canisters - useful for all kinds of things; scent bombs for deer hunting, lures for trapping, putting interesting things in that I find in the forest that I want to take with me and not crush, small fishing lures, etc. Oh, and they make an impressive conversation piece when someone not into photography sees a box full of them.

Keeping film containers and spools

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