Loading 35mm on Jobo reels

darkroommike · Nov 14, 2017

Photoflo, stabilizer, etc. is just detergent. Water soluble. I just rinse my reels off with warm tap water and let them air dry before the next time I process. I have lots of reels so I feel no need to blast off the water or towel dry or any of that. Folks starting out are under the impression that Paterson and Jobo reels are somehow easier to load than good stainless steel reels, they are not. I have loaded a lot of reels in my time and all are about the same. Avoid cheap metal reels and the knock off Paterson clones and you will be fine no matter what reels you choose to use.

Billy Axeman · Nov 14, 2017

darkroommike said:
Send all your trash Jobo reels to me! Especially calcium caked units. Thanks.

Forget it Mike. I have only swapped my reels once and the old ones are my backup

Sirius Glass · Nov 14, 2017

MattKing said:
Nail clippers are great for trimming corners.

The word on the street is that scissors will work too.

Sirius Glass · Nov 14, 2017

I wash all reels and tanks in hot water.

Dinesh · Nov 14, 2017

Craig said:
....I know I have a leader retriever - somewhere! .

Check the back of the Jag!

Patrick Robert James · Nov 14, 2017

I've been using JOBO now for over 20 years. Same reels. I put them in household bleach (clorox) from time to time to clean them. Just let them soak then of course rinse them well. It even helps with pyro stains...

A long time ago I had issues, but not any more. My method is to just push the film on straight out of the cassette. the trick is to stagger the scalloped part of the reel. If the film catches, it is always at that part. A little pinch or jiggle at the scallop and it goes again. Pushing the film on is incredibly fast as well, probably two to three times faster than twisting. I don't clip the edges either since there is no need. Hold the reel lightly as well. If you are squeezing it, you can cause the film to catch.

Hope that helps.

Billy Axeman · Nov 14, 2017

Patrick Robert James said:
..... My method is to just push the film on straight out of the cassette. the trick is to stagger the scalloped part of the reel. If the film catches, it is always at that part. A little pinch or jiggle at the scallop and it goes again. Pushing the film on is incredibly fast as well, probably two to three times faster than twisting. I don't clip the edges either since there is no need. Hold the reel lightly as well. If you are squeezing it, you can cause the film to catch.
Hope that helps.

Patrick, what is the scalloped part of the reel. It's an unknown word for me. Is that the thin part of the spiral between two radial spokes just after the entry?

mshchem · Nov 14, 2017

ITD said:
I trim the corners in daylight - use a film retriever to pull the end out, trim then wind it back in.

Excellent idea!!! I use the IR goggles, still a pain in the butt. My IR goggles are a toy, not the Navy Seal version. No stereo vision so no depth preception. Still they come in damn handy.

AgX · Nov 15, 2017

Patrick Robert James said:
I've been using JOBO now for over 20 years. Same reels. I put them in household bleach (clorox) from time to time to clean them. Just let them soak then of course rinse them well. It even helps with pyro stains...

There are two models of Jobo reels (at least for those of smaller diameter), the older and the newer one:

https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/jobo-reels-old-style-versus-new-style.103951/

R.Gould · Nov 15, 2017

I don't even put any of my plastic reels,Jobo or Paterson, in bleach or do anything else other than use the pencil trick, teke the film out of the reel after the rinse aid wash, put my wet reels on top of the upside down tank to dry, and hang my film up I don't need to do anything else, film loads first time every time

darkosaric · Nov 15, 2017

Craig said:
I'm having trouble loading 35mm film onto Jobo reels for the 2500 series tanks. I seem to be able to get the film to about frame 18 or so and not any further. I tried using a scrap roll with the lights on and didn't get much further. Yes, I read the instruction sheet and am using my fingers to hold the film while oscillating, but it seems to jam and buckle after about 18 frames. So far I have put major creases in the film and even torn it once, so I'm obviously doing something wrong. Or I have to stick to 12 exp rolls!

I've used a Patterson reel thousands of times and I can load a 36 exp in under 30 seconds, first time, every time; but the Jobo's have me stumped. Is there a trick I'm missing?

+1 for Paterson.

Paterson are the best. I have trashed my Jobo set long time ago.

See also here:
https://shootfilmridesteel.com/reel/
and here
http://400tx.blogspot.de/2006/06/fool-proof-samigon-reel.html

rpavich · Nov 16, 2017

Man, I feel your pain. I've had a HELL of a time with plastic Jobo or otherwise reels. I've cut the corners, I've done the pencil trick, the dishwasher trick, the cleaning, everything.
The ONLY thing that's ever worked for me is to use reels that have NEVER been in photo-flo. Jobo specifically says to NOT immerse them in photoo-flo as this will cause sticking so I stopped doing that, got new reels, and haven't had a problem since. I also put them in the oven at 100 degrees for an hour to make sure that there is NO moisture on them at all.

I realize that others have other things that worked but for me, that's it.

Sirius Glass · Nov 16, 2017

rpavich said:
Man, I feel your pain. I've had a HELL of a time with plastic Jobo or otherwise reels. I've cut the corners, I've done the pencil trick, the dishwasher trick, the cleaning, everything.
The ONLY thing that's ever worked for me is to use reels that have NEVER been in photo-flo. Jobo specifically says to NOT immerse them in photoo-flo as this will cause sticking so I stopped doing that, got new reels, and haven't had a problem since. I also put them in the oven at 100 degrees for an hour to make sure that there is NO moisture on them at all.

I realize that others have other things that worked but for me, that's it.

I remove the film from all reels including the Jobo reels and put the film in PhotoFlo in a a plastic tub.

rpavich · Nov 16, 2017

Sirius Glass said:
I remove the film from all reels including the Jobo reels and put the film in PhotoFlo in a a plastic tub.

I use a film dryer that dries the film on the reels so I do that (put the film in a bowl with photoflo) and then put it on metal reels and dry it. But yeah...I would never put my plastic reels in photoflo or even let them touch it anymore. It doesn't appear to do anything negative to metal reels.

Sirius Glass · Nov 16, 2017

I do not put metal reels in PhotoFlo either.

Patrick Robert James · Nov 16, 2017

Billy Axeman said:
Patrick, what is the scalloped part of the reel. It's an unknown word for me. Is that the thin part of the spiral between two radial spokes just after the entry?

The scalloped part is the indented part, or the thinner cut away part. You can feel the edge of the film at that location which is probably why they put it there. You can load film by pulling it on with your fingers at that part of the reel too, but it is slower.

Patrick Robert James · Nov 16, 2017

AgX said:
There are two models of Jobo reels (at least for those of smaller diameter), the older and the newer one:

https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/jobo-reels-old-style-versus-new-style.103951/

I have been shooting a lot of 120 lately and that can be difficult to get started on the newer type JOBO reels. In the funny world of the internet, by reading that thread I actually reminded myself that the older reels are easier to load 120 on. Cracks me up that I passed a tip onto myself.

pentaxuser · Nov 16, 2017

rpavich said:
I also put them in the oven at 100 degrees for an hour to make sure that there is NO moisture on them at all.I realize that others have other things that worked but for me, that's it.

Is this 100 degrees F or C? I ask because the U.S. uses Fahrenheit rather than C. Thanks

pentaxuser

rpavich · Nov 17, 2017

pentaxuser said:
Is this 100 degrees F or C? I ask because the U.S. uses Fahrenheit rather than C. Thanks

pentaxuser

This is F.

Just hot enough to dry the reels. I found that if I don't do that, microscopic amounts of moisture cling to the nooks and crannies of the reels and they will "seem" dry when they are not.

pentaxuser · Nov 17, 2017

rpavich, thanks for the reply

pentaxuser

Kawaiithulhu · Nov 22, 2017

Anon Ymous said:
put your index fingers and guide

I've done this for years, thumbs on the top to advance the film and fingers on the side to keep the roll centered and add additional push. I don't even think about it, so easy once you've done it once.

Loading 35mm on Jobo reels

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