Loading bulk film

Xmas · Dec 17, 2013

Well a dark room with table and comfy chair is best scissors and reloadable spools.

If you have plain plastic spools you will need to stick on the tape in daylight to spool with bulk reel still in can. This is a good party trick.

Forget 42 unless you are using PET and have the special Ilford 72 tank and manual counter on camera like a Leica M2 which keeps on counting past zero...

try for 36.

If you don't like losing three frames with a Watson or other tear drop you need a changing bag as well as loader.

snip film with 1 inch protruding from trap attach spool and cassette.

zip into cbag open trap of loader seat cassette push in winder close light trap and loader door unzip bag, open light trap wind on 41 or 42 frames.

This should protect the 36th frame or 37th even with a small camera, but it is best to stop at 35.

It does need concentration. Id not bother cept if you are using short ends or special film.

Gerald C Koch · Dec 17, 2013

The number of frames that you can get in a cassette depends on the thickness of the film. For cine film like Eastman 5222 this is 30 exposures. Trying to get more can results in the film binding particularly when rewinding. Still films will vary a bit but 36 exposures is used for a reason.

BTW, loading film requires the upmost in cleanliness on the loaders part. In addition cassettes do not last forever and need to be keep scrupulously clean. You can buy little brushes intended to clean between the teeth. They are excellent for cleaning the felt light traps in cassettes. They are made by Butler.

JW PHOTO · Dec 17, 2013

Gerald C Koch said:
The number of frames that you can get in a cassette depends on the thickness of the film. For cine film like Eastman 5222 this is 30 exposures. Trying to get more can results in the film binding particularly when rewinding. Still films will vary a bit but 36 exposures is used for a reason.

BTW, loading film requires the upmost in cleanliness on the loaders part. In addition cassettes do not last forever and need to be keep scrupulously clean. You can buy little brushes intended to clean between the teeth. They are excellent for cleaning the felt light traps in cassettes. They are made by Butler.

Good advice and anybody who shoots digital knows all to well about dust and dirt. That's one area where film blows digital away. With film you might have a dust speck on one frame, but when you advance for the next shot it's gone. Digital it's there for every shot until you remove it or retouch it. I still have some Ilford HP5 that was loaded at the factory with in 72exp cassettes. Now that's thin film! JohnW

newtorf · Dec 18, 2013

This is exactly the tip I would like to share.

I can get about 18.5 rolls of 39exp out of 100ft with this method - for a standard 36exp roll film I usually get 39exp out of it, so here I am seeking for equivalent in bulk loading. In this case, I stops when I hear 42 clicks with my Arden 74 bulk loader.

But later I realized this is not the best for archiving because the sleeve I use is 6 x 7. For 39 exp, it becomes 6 x 6 + 3. Half row of the sleeve is wasted.

So now I stop at 39 clicks when bulk loading. It gives me about 35-36 exp per roll. And I can get about 20 rolls out of 100ft.

Xmas said:
If you don't like losing three frames with a Watson or other tear drop you need a changing bag as well as loader.

snip film with 1 inch protruding from trap attach spool and cassette.

zip into cbag open trap of loader seat cassette push in winder close light trap and loader door unzip bag, open light trap wind on 41 or 42 frames.

Arctic amateur · Dec 18, 2013

JW PHOTO said:
Good advice and anybody who shoots digital knows all to well about dust and dirt. That's one area where film blows digital away. With film you might have a dust speck on one frame, but when you advance for the next shot it's gone.

Unless it's a stray hair stuck in the shutter gate.

Truzi · Dec 18, 2013

I'm not sure if this has already been mentioned, but you should probably consider how long a strip with fit on your developing reels. You want to make sure you can develop the film without problems.

JW PHOTO · Dec 18, 2013

Arctic amateur said:
Unless it's a stray hair stuck in the shutter gate.

Yes, I know exactly what you're talking about. That's why I'm keen about "NO MORE" cats after our last one bit the dust. Took me a while to figure out why I had that wavy line in my slides. I took them back to the processor and the first thing he ask was if I had the camera with me. Lesson learned! Need I say more? JohnW

cliveh · Dec 18, 2013

Because of the possibility of scratching I never use one. Why take the risk?

Nige · Dec 18, 2013

cliveh said:
Because of the possibility of scratching I never use one. Why take the risk?

When I used bulk 35mm film it used to work out under half price than factory loads. The saving from the 1st bulk roll paid for the bulk loader, 1/2 price from then on. Never scratched any film so didn't see a risk. And, while there's many post about how many frames you can jam on a roll, I liked rolling 30's as it fit a 8x10 proof sheet nicely.

fotch · Dec 19, 2013

cliveh said:
Because of the possibility of scratching I never use one. Why take the risk?

There are so many opportunities to scratch your film that learning how to prevent scratches is important. Bulk loading is no more of a problem than loading film in a tank, in a negative carrier, keeping the camera inside clean, etc. JMHO

Xmas · Dec 19, 2013

cliveh said:
Because of the possibility of scratching I never use one. Why take the risk?

There is no possibility of scratching with a Watson and velvet less cassette like a FILCA. That was how it was done before the 135/235/435 DIN. You would be unlucky but you can get scratches with a factory load velvet cassette.

Many camera suppliers offered velvet less cassettes, Zeiss, Canon, Leitz, Nikon, Nicca, FSU,...

There is a greater risk of dust.

You can use cine film which is cheaper.

Kawaiithulhu · Dec 19, 2013

To add another anecdotal data point (keep in mind the saying "anecdotes are not data"), I used a Watson and both plastic and metal cartridges all through high school without getting any scratches over several hundred feet.

I wasn't a super clean freak back then but did always blow out the cartridges and ruffled up the light traps before loading. I also never tried to overload, it just seems to be asking for trouble to force feed film into a tight package and not expect binding and extra pressure to take its toll.

And so in summary: I blew out before setting up the load and I never forced or spooled more film than was designed to fit in the dubious pursuit of "just that one more frame, c'mon!" Seriously, carry one extra roll and that makes up for up to eight cartridges crammed with more frames and the additional stresses that may or may not cause problems.

Felinik · Dec 19, 2013

cliveh said:
Because of the possibility of scratching I never use one. Why take the risk?

I'd rather see scratching as a risk than a possibility.. However, things done right, scratching is most unlikely to happen.

JF.

julio1fer · Dec 22, 2013

I have bulk loaded for 40+ years. I use a Jobo loader and have no experience with other types. IMHO it is easier than loading film in any type of spool, plastic or stainless.

I get 18, sometimes 19 rolls of 36-frame out of 100 ft. I'd recommend rolling your film to suit the sleeves you use for your negs, and your tank spools. Many tank spools will hold no more than 36-frame rolls, and then only if the leader is not too long.

With practice you will learn exactly how many turns it takes to roll the number of frames you want.

My loader has a felt light seal; I have never had any issues with dust. I keep the loader inside a plastic bag, and take it out of the bag just for loading.

smithdoor · Dec 22, 2013

I have use Watson for over 40 years saves a lot on film. The Watson works ok there my be a better one today, but mine is pay for is self 40 years ago.
Note the new camera uses a DX coding so if you some other than 100 ASA save the canister for the DX code they will work too. Some the new camera may not take over 36 shoots. I have Pentax, and it will only take 36 and you will finding a developing reel for over 36 shoots (note when I did I use a adj spool for 35Mm to 220 film)
The best new it does save a lot on film cost over the years around 30 to 40 rolls out a 100FT spool of film. I also like as I can make a 6 shoot roll.

Dave

anjo said:
I'm considering buying a bulk film loader from AP. I have two questions:

1) Is it idiot proof? I don't want to end up spending $100 on the loader and bulk film just to find out I can't manage to use it. I can load plastic reels with no problem, but I had "issues" with the stainless ones.

2) It would be pretty sweet to get 42 exposures on one roll (thus utilizing my negative preservers to the max). Is that possible?

fotch · Dec 23, 2013

smithdoor;1585922........................ I also like as I can make a 6 shoot roll. Dave[/QUOTE said:
That is a huge benefit, to be able to load short rolls. Raises the cost slightly, however, very convenient at times.

Trask · Dec 25, 2013

We all know the benefits of keeping our film in the fridge or freezer, which is fine when the bulk film is in the can. But once you've put the film in a bulk film loader and loaded up a couple of rolls, what are you all doing with the loader? Leaving it out at room temp? Putting the loader in a freezer bag and back into the freezer, condensation inside the loader be damned? Or do you load out the entire 100 feet and then freeze the loaded cassettes?

Photo-gear · Dec 25, 2013

it might sound crazy but I put my loader in a seal plastic bag (ziploc) and I do the same as with the gears in and out during winter time...

fotch · Dec 25, 2013

Remove the film from the loader, put back in the can, put that inside a ziplock, back into the freezer or fridge. Or, if not to much left, bulk load all that is left & freeze that.

Neal · Dec 26, 2013

Dear Trask,

I always load the entire roll into cassettes. I understand the boredom if you're in a completely dark room the entire time. I use a Photoflex "Changing Room" and set up in front of the television. Roughly one sit-com later (not including carefully cleaning all the cassettes and loader) the roll is done.

Neal Wydra

Xmas · Dec 26, 2013

Trask said:
We all know the benefits of keeping our film in the fridge or freezer, which is fine when the bulk film is in the can. But once you've put the film in a bulk film loader and loaded up a couple of rolls, what are you all doing with the loader? Leaving it out at room temp? Putting the loader in a freezer bag and back into the freezer, condensation inside the loader be damned? Or do you load out the entire 100 feet and then freeze the loaded cassettes?

Once it is loaded it stays loaded.

400 foot is only about 68 cassettes.

My room temps never go that high, we never get sunny side /16, don't you guys have air con 24/7?

Loading bulk film

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