Lloyds bulk loader

[brofkand]

Has anyone used this loader? I'm thinking of getting one, since it's available new on Freestyle for $25. Any opinions?

 

[BillBingham2]

I was looking at one too a my old bulk loader needs a real darkroom. Have not had my hands on one.

Any one have one our one of the others out there?

I did figure that I could buy new TriX cheaper than I could load it for the first role. PlusX is another thing altogether.

B2

 

[walbergb]

My first bulk loader was a Lloyds. I still have it, but I find the Alden 74 to be easier to use and more accurate. I got my Aldens on eBay for approx. $15 plus shipping.

 

[George Nova Scotia]

They're about as basic as they come. If you can count and follow simple instructions you're all set. You load the 100ft roll in the the darkroom or changing bag after that you can work in the light. Just don't get any grit in the felt light trap. I don't think the design has changed much in the 50 years.

 

[Roger Cole]

They're about as basic as they come. If you can count and follow simple instructions you're all set. You load the 100ft roll in the the darkroom or changing bag after that you can work in the light. Just don't get any grit in the felt light trap. I don't think the design has changed much in the 50 years.

+1.

I use one. I prefer it because it's simple, foolproof, and wastes less film leader than most designs. But as someone said it is not as precise as far as the frame count. You just count number of turns on the crank and use a chart on the loader that shows so many frames per turn. As you wind film on the spool of film in the cartridge gets thicker so each turn winds more frames than the earlier turns, so it isn't a simple ratio.

Given the price of bulk rolls now though, I'm not sure there's a lot of point in it. I bought a 100' roll of Freestyle rebranded Tri-X before the price went up so I got some cheap Tri-X, but given they sell it in their own cartridges for barely more I'm not sure it's worth the hassle. It was in the old days though, and more so with color. As far as I know there are no color films available in bulk anymore, other than cine films that some people buy.

 

[Newt_on_Swings]

I roll my film in the bathroom, at night, in the dark. I pull out a little more than both my arms outstreched, snip, and tape it to the mini leader from photolab discards and roll it back in. Maximizes your film as your end isnt exposed. I get ~36 exposures a roll, give or take a frame. Loaders are handy, but I have had one where the side popped open, or the little door slid open by accident while open. =[

I roll 1000ft, 400ft, and 100ft rolls of film this way.

 

[removed account4]

My first bulk loader was a Lloyds. I still have it, but I find the Alden 74 to be easier to use and more accurate. I got my Aldens on eBay for approx. $15 plus shipping.

i have one too
never had problems with it
basic and works well ..
just done loose the crank

 

[Roger Cole]

I roll my film in the bathroom, at night, in the dark. I pull out a little more than both my arms outstreched, snip, and tape it to the mini leader from photolab discards and roll it back in. Maximizes your film as your end isnt exposed. I get ~36 exposures a roll, give or take a frame. Loaders are handy, but I have had one where the side popped open, or the little door slid open by accident while open. =[

I roll 1000ft, 400ft, and 100ft rolls of film this way.

The "little door" on a Llyod's can pop open, is in fact opened in room light. The side is held on with that big red piece, essentially a giant nut. It's pretty foolproof and simple. Just keep the felt clean and as said above, don't lose the crank.

 

[frobozz]

i have one too
never had problems with it
basic and works well ..
just done loose the crank

Even losing the crank is no problem - a new one is only $4!

http://www.freestylephoto.biz/12121001-Lloyd-35mm-Bulk-Film-Loader-Handle-only?cat_id=703

Duncan

 

[narsuitus]

I have used the Lloyd bulk film loader and I have used the Burke & James Watson model 100 bulk film loader. Both have advantages and disadvantages.

Lloyd pros:
Smaller size than Watson
Does not wastes film by producing a long leader
Does not waste film by producing a long trailer
Harder to accidentally expose 100-feet of film

Lloyd cons:
No frame counter; must count winder rotations for frame count
Uses felt for light trap; felt may trap particles that scratch film
Cannot load Nikon AM-1 film cassettes for Nikon F2 camera

Watson pros:
Has frame counter
Does not use felt for light trap; therefore, film is less susceptible to scratching
Can load Nikon AM-1 film cassettes for Nikon F2 camera

Watson cons:
Larger size than Lloyd
Wastes film by producing a long leader
Wastes film by producing a long trailer
Easier to accidentally expose 100-feet of film (I have done this once)


http://www.flickr.com/photos/11336821@N00/6080915144/

 

[Roger Cole]

Even losing the crank is no problem - a new one is only $4!

http://www.freestylephoto.biz/12121001-Lloyd-35mm-Bulk-Film-Loader-Handle-only?cat_id=703

Duncan

I did not know that but it is good to know!

I keep the crank in the little bin where the film cartridge being loaded goes. Take it out when loading, back in when done. So far so good but it's good to know another is four bucks (on the next Freestyle order, given shipping and minimums) away.

In spite of all the comments now and in the past about the felt light trap, it is under the little cover and stays covered except briefly when loading. I think you'd just about have to TRY to get it dirty and scratch film. I've loaded several 100' spools worth and never ever seen a film scratch from it.

 

[moki]

I like the Lloyd... I will probably buy another one some time to be able to load two different films easily. I don't have mine for very long yet (loaded about 15 films), but so far it's great.
Losing the crank may be a problem, but since I usually don't load film in the middle of the forest, it's not that hard to find it again
It's built very solidly (there's nothing that could break in this thing) and not having a frame counter is no problem at all for me. I only load rolls of 24 frames (24 turns) and keep a list of how much I took from the current roll. There are about 30 loads from one 30,5m bulk roll, so I know when it's about time to get a new one.

The only problem, I see is attaching the film to the spool. If you pull it out far enough to be easily attached, you may pre-expose part of the last frame. You've got to be careful with that, but I guess other film loaders haven't solved this problem either.

 

[brofkand]

Got it in today - rolled a 36 exp roll of Kentmere 400 to try. Two new experiments: a new film and a new way of getting film into my camera. Hopefully it'll work out!

 

[laser]

Try a changing bag.

 

[Roger Cole]

Try a changing bag.

For what? Surely you're not suggesting winding film from a bulk roll on to 35mm cartridges manually in a changing bag as a viable alternative to a bulk loader?

 

[frobozz]

I sure wouldn't manually bulk load carts in a changing bag!

But if you're really worried about that light-struck last little bit of film near the spool, you could always do your bulk loading in a changing bag using a bulk loader, and never open the little door in the light...

Duncan

 

[Nicholas Lindan]

I've had moths attack the Lloyd's light trap felt - might want to keep it in a plastic bag with a few moth balls if you aren't going to be using it for a year or more. But when I was using them heavily I never had any scratching problem with the Loyd's felt causing scratching.

I now have an Alden, but as I have several bulk rolls of specialty films that I use infrequently I just unspool a few feet and wind it by hand in to a Nikon AM1 or tape it to the stub of a used Kodak cassette.

I might order a handle, though, as it would make loading onto a Kodak cassette a bit easier on the fingers.

 

[leicarfcam]

I would get either the Alden 74 or Watson 100. The Lloyd's uses a felt light trap that collects dust and will scratch your film..

 

[Roger Cole]

I would get either the Alden 74 or Watson 100. The Lloyd's uses a felt light trap that collects dust and will scratch your film..

Bullc...er, patties.

Yes, it uses a felt light trap. Does the felt on your factory 35mm cartridges scratch your film? I've NEVER seen a scratch from the felt.

EDIT: In case it isn't clear, I'm not denying that it theoretically COULD (flaming monkeys could also fly out...) I'm just disagreeing strongly with the statement that it WILL. Used one a lot, never had a problem. Others here have the same experience.

 

[Roger Cole]

I sure wouldn't manually bulk load carts in a changing bag!

But if you're really worried about that light-struck last little bit of film near the spool, you could always do your bulk loading in a changing bag using a bulk loader, and never open the little door in the light...

Duncan

Ah, I guess that's what the other poster meant. Sure wasn't clear to me from the terse post, though.