Kodak Snap Caps Cassettes

madNbad · Dec 9, 2021

Any advice on using snapping the cap back on? Fortunately, when the Alden loader arrived it had almost a full roll of mystery film that had been exposed to light and was worthless as useable film but great to use for practice my loading skills. I found a box of NOS Kodak Snap Caps and thought I give them a try. I've tried squeezing the cassette a bit to aid in replacing the cap and that works occasionally. I've also tried leveraging the cap on starting at the felt opening. I've had some success with that but most of the time I have a cap that is mostly on and would allow light to leak in. I have a bag of plastic ones as a backup and know they will work when I start loading.

AgX · Dec 9, 2021

madNbad said:
I found a box of NOS Kodak Snap Caps

Kodak once offered sole caps for their cassettes?

bdial · Dec 9, 2021

AgX said:
Kodak once offered sole caps for their cassettes?

they are complete cassettes with a lid that is not crimped, sold for bulk loading.

madNbad · Dec 9, 2021

Just to clarify, it’s the entire cartridge with one end that snaps in place to secure the spool and make the cassette light tight.

AgX · Dec 9, 2021

And the other end cap was crimped on?

Sirius Glass · Dec 9, 2021

madNbad said:
Just to clarify, it’s the entire cartridge with one end that snaps in place to secure the spool and make the cassette light tight.

I used them. After a while the film processors refused to return them.

mshchem · Dec 9, 2021

I always hated the Kodak Snap Cap cartridge, (these are 1960s-70s reloadable metal cassettes sold by EKCo) I got rid of most everything several years ago, now I kinda wish I would have kept the nice plastic cassettes. I still have Snap Caps

madNbad · Dec 9, 2021

AgX said:
And the other end cap was crimped on?

Yes, one end is crimped and the other snaps in place. I have found by starting the cap where the opening is, then pressing down while squeezing the cassette, the cap will snap into place. I’ll keep working at it and try to get to the point the cap snaps in every time.

131802 · Dec 10, 2021

madNbad said:
Yes, one end is crimped and the other snaps in place. I have found by starting the cap where the opening is, then pressing down while squeezing the cassette, the cap will snap into place. I’ll keep working at it and try to get to the point the cap snaps in every time.

What he said. I've had good luck with Kodak snap caps.

BAC1967 · Dec 10, 2021

I leave a tab of film sticking out and tape to it. The snap isn’t very snappy.

Nitroplait · Dec 10, 2021

BAC1967 said:
I leave a tab of film sticking out and tape to it. The snap isn’t very snappy.

Me too. Much easier and works with any standard cassette.

AgX · Dec 10, 2021

I always used plastic reloadable cassettes, so I cannot tell. But does this thread indicate that those metal reloadable cassettes from Kodak where substandard to the no-name ones?

tokam · Dec 10, 2021

The cassettes that Ilford sold their retail films in in the 80's, (and maybe a bit longer), are strong and reliable. The end caps came off of both ends and the cassette is straightforward to assemble during bulk loading.

I still have around 30 or so in use along with a pile of twist top plastic cassettes from the early 90's.

The modern metal cassettes from Kalt and others have very thin walls on the cassette and are prone to buckling and folding when attempting to fix on the end caps. I'm hoping to offload a bunch of unused Kalt cassettes very soon.

AgX · Dec 10, 2021

Thank you. So, over the years we got here more and more morsels of information on the various reloadable cassettes.

abruzzi · Dec 10, 2021

I bought some of the Kodak cassettes. They are much nicer than the Kalt metal reloadble casettes, but I wouldn't call them thick walled. You do have to be careful not to bend the corners. I attach the caps by squeezing the felt trap shut, then pressing on the cap starting at the point 180 degrees from the felt trap, then sliding my finger around in a circular motion until it pops on. Overall the plastic ones are easiest to recap because it just screws on a quarter turn. In fact the only thing I don't like about the plastic casettes is the felt is is not on very well (these are the current new plastic caps on the market.) I find I have to carefully apply pressure to the felt to get it to stick in place.

madNbad · Dec 10, 2021

abruzzi said:
I bought some of the Kodak cassettes. They are much nicer than the Kalt metal reloadble casettes, but I wouldn't call them thick walled. You do have to be careful not to bend the corners. I attach the caps by squeezing the felt trap shut, then pressing on the cap starting at the point 180 degrees from the felt trap, then sliding my finger around in a circular motion until it pops on. Overall the plastic ones are easiest to recap because it just screws on a quarter turn. In fact the only thing I don't like about the plastic casettes is the felt is is not on very well (these are the current new plastic caps on the market.) I find I have to carefully apply pressure to the felt to get it to stick in place.

Thanks for the suggestion. Once I stopped squeezing the cassette too hard, the cap snaps on securely.

AgX · Dec 10, 2021

The issue with metal cassettes is that the metal must be sturdy enogh to enable pressing together the pod to tighten the velour without misforming its cylindrical shape.

Sirius Glass · Dec 10, 2021

131802 said:
What he said. I've had good luck with Kodak snap caps.

Nitroplait said:
Me too. Much easier and works with any standard cassette.

I never had problems with scratched film nor light leaks with the snap caps.

AnselMortensen · Dec 13, 2021

Having worked in a commercial lab for 10 years, 1989-1999, making dupes, internegs, copy slides, etc...
The best reloadable cassettes were the Ilford ones from FP4, HP5, etc. The caps had a concave groove that matched a groove in the ends of the housings.
The second best were the Kodak Snap-Caps.
Third best were the generic metal ones from off-brand color neg films, and in DISTANT last place were the plastic ones.

Bill Burk · Dec 13, 2021

Andrew Eaton on FB Old and Rare Camera Collector Page posted some pictures of a lot of things including these...

madNbad · Dec 13, 2021

After figuring out how to use them, I've collected enough for 18 rolls. Thanks for the help.

AgX · Dec 14, 2021

AnselMortensen said:
Having worked in a commercial lab for 10 years, 1989-1999, making dupes, internegs, copy slides, etc...
The best reloadable cassettes were the Ilford ones.... and in DISTANT last place were the plastic ones.

What was so bad with the plastic ones?

In contrast to all other cassettes you do not name brands for the plastic ones.

Sirius Glass · Dec 14, 2021

AgX said:
What was so bad with the plastic ones?

In contrast to all other cassettes you do not name brands for the plastic ones.

The plastic ones are less durable.

AnselMortensen · Dec 14, 2021

Sirius Glass said:
The plastic ones are less durable.

This.
The plastic ones were fiddly and prone to popping open, also.
I don't know the brand names, sorry.

AgX · Dec 14, 2021

I have not yet had a plastic one open accidentially. But if so on could secure the cap against untwisting by a little piece of tape.
Neither did I experience them as fiddly. In contrast to for instance old Iford metal ones.

Kodak Snap Caps Cassettes

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