Loose winding of 120-film

[SalveSlog]

The film in my Franka Solida comes out not properly winded on the spool. The pressure spring plate, or whatever it's called, is different on the takeup spool side. With the shape it has it's obvious that it can't press the first 1/3 of the film tigtly. The shape of the spring on the left side is proper. Anyone have the same problem and a solution?

 

[LimeyKeith]

Like my Solida it looks as though the spring in the take-up chamber has lost some of it's temper. You can try gently bending it outwards a little but that can be unsafe as it might cause other damage. What I do is to continue to wind on for perhaps 15 to 20 turns after the backing paper has cleared the film gate and this gently tightens the film on the spool. Try it with an old film if you have one and see if it works for you.

 

[railwayman3]

Take care if trying to bend a spring....I snapped a similar spring once, even though being very careful. ( Fortunately it was in a damaged box camera which was faulty anyway, but.....)

 

[AgX]

If you are not willing to rebend such spring, then just mount something approriate to it filling that gap.

 

[LimeyKeith]

The tightness of the film on the take-up spool is in effected by the drag from the feed spool and the film pressure plate, the take-up spool spring is simply to try to prevent it unwinding as the film leader clears the film gate. I only have the problem when I use Fomapan film which is the springiest film I have ever used and does tend to loosen on the spool when the leader clears the gate, the method I noted in my first post #1 works for me although I did forget to say that I open the back and gently rest my thumb on the spool as I do the extra winding-on to tighten it. Warning, it is not safe to try to pack out the spring as it can cause the film to jam as the spool diameter builds up.

 

[shutterfinger]

Take care if trying to bend a spring....I snapped a similar spring once, even though being very careful.

Bending will risk breakage, reforming works. Put pressure in the direction of the curvature of the spring NOT at the angular bend. Too sharp of a bend will break. A few thousands or tenth of a millimeter increase in curvature toward the film spool will cure most loose film winding problems.

 

[John Koehrer]

You can add pressure to it by using some thin foam without risk of breaking the spring.. Shutterfinger's reforming suggestion
will certainly work. Pay attention to his warning about where to bend it.


FWIW "reforming" in the repair business is a $15. word. Bending is $2