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Metal Reels: Am I the only one who can't use them?

This thread is actually meaningless. It is all personal preferences. Each individual is used to what he/she is used. No one likes to change. Also each person'a situation is different. Then you have the crowd effect. You may see 1/2 of the APUG crowd goes with metal, 1/2 calls for plastic.

I'm just happy with what I've got. I'm not to add to this thread any more....
 
Sirius Glass said:
If you amortize the cost over all the film that you will process with the JOBO reels, the cost is really quite small. It is more than worth the investment.
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Even if you do get setup with a full kit for $500, would you rather not put that into films and chemicals? I would like such a system as it would save me time to do something else for those few minutes between dumping chemicals out and enable me to do color well at home without an aquarium warmer and large water bath, but $500 is still a lot of money. Maybe some people can justify the expense if it's higher volume for work but I can't. I mean people have gotten by for a hundred years without one right?
 

I disagree. I tired developing 4"x5" negatives in trays, a Yankee tank, hangers and dipping, and several other methods. I found that the money spend on the JOBO 3010 Expert Tank was not only worth the money in ease of processing and convenience, and much better consistency, but also it always me to process color film. Again, well worth the expense.

You are perfectly free to disagree with me but then you would be just plain wrong. Nothing personal, just plain wrong.
 

To each his own, I guess. I find tray processing easy and consistent if done slowly and carefully to avoid scratches in small batches of 4-6 sheets or less. Just practice and not shooting for a magic bullet brought on by GAS attacks.
 
Newt_on_Swings said:
To each his own, I guess. I find tray processing easy and consistent if done slowly and carefully to avoid scratches in small batches of 4-6 sheets or less. Just practice and not shooting for a magic bullet brought on by GAS attacks.
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And exactly how does that work for you for color processing?
 
Wow, six pages. And no, I didn't read them, just wanted to chime in with "no, you're certainly not the only one." I never mastered them either but find my Jobo reels incredibly easy to load. Just use what works for you.
 
All I have to offer is that back in the day (early 80's in college) we used plastic reels in the newspaper darkroom. Since going back to film and 120 format, I bought Hewes reels and after a bit of practice, I find them significantly easier to use than the plastic ones. Once I "got" how to do it, its like they practically load themselves.
 

I had a similar experience, except it was high school not college and the 60's instead of the 80's.
 
On SS reels (Practical info)

First of all, use what you like and gets the job done in the manner you want it done.

That said, the advantages I see to ss tanks/reels in order of importance: can load when wet, faster loading, easier tempering/preheating/prechilling, and less chemical volume than most plastic tanks.

Here is the technique I use:


1. Open the cassette and trim off the leader (or unwrap for roll film).
2. Locate the clip or hooks on the spindle and use them to determine the direction to wrap the film.
3. DO NOT attach the film to the hooks or clip as that will likely cause the film to skew and wrap crookedly.
4. Assuming you are right-handed, hold the reel in your left hand, gripping it between your thumb and ring finger.
5. Use your left index finger to hold the end of the roll against the spindle.
6. Start the film onto the reel by rotating the reel to the left with your left hand while gently beginning to wrap the film with your right hand which should be bowing the film slightly across it's width so that it fits between the top and bottom of the reel as you feed it.
7. You should feel the film click into place. Continue the above action to load the entire roll onto the reel, using your left index and middle fingers to feel the backing side of the film as you load it monitoring the tension and orientation of the film. You will easily feel if the film buckles, creases, or snaps into the wrong channel. If it does, back up past the trouble spot and continue. If the problem persists, you may have a bent reel.
8. When you get to the end of the roll, tear the tape off or cut the end.
9. Put the loaded reel into your tank. Repeat process as necessary.

When I first began using SS reels, the learning to abandon the clip made all the difference.
 
1. Well yeah, but I just buy more plastic reels. I have plenty. Loading wet is never really a factor.
2. Nope. I can load a plastic reel faster than I can do the cussing I'll do with a SS never mind actually loading the thing.
3. Yes and no. Steel responds more quickly to temperature changes in a tempering bath or the like, but it also responds more quickly to excursions and mistakes making it less forgiving. I used to develop color in a plastic tank but put my solutions into aluminum drink cans (just for the processing, I didn't store them in cans that can't be sealed!) in a tempering bath. Worked fine.
4. No argument, you usually do need less solution volume. But my Jobo uses even less.
 
Again, there is more than one way to skin a cat. I have processed many frames in plastic tanks and still have several of them on the shelf (although it's been years since I used them). Both types of equipment get the job done and there are numerous other process choices to be made that actually have an effect on the finished product. Those are the choices worth worrying about. I merely wanted to through out the basis for my preference and describe my technique for the benefit of those wishing to learn or improve theirs.
 
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