Nervous about setting Paterson reels to 120

jay moussy · Jun 11, 2020

I opened up my new Paterson plastic reels to the 120 size a few times, and It made me very nervous.

Any history of breakage?

I was contemplating getting another set of reels and dedicate these to 120.

I was gifted a Kindermann vintage steel reel, but my dry-run practice was not very pleasant...

Lachlan Young · Jun 11, 2020

If you manage to break a Paterson reel, you are doing something very wrong indeed. They're really pretty tough & flexible.

Donald Qualls · Jun 11, 2020

I've switched mine (bought used, in 2003) from 35mm to 120 (with occasional stops at 127) hundreds of times, sometimes just to be sure they were clean and working right. The core may flex a little when you latch and unlatch, but they'll be fine if you don't step on them.

koraks · Jun 11, 2020

I know exactly what you mean But no, I haven't experienced any issues in that department. I do have a jobo reel that has a broken spiral, but it's unrelated to this.

warden · Jun 11, 2020

I've been using mine regularly since '08, constantly switching formats, with no issues. They do sound terrible when you do it though. ;-)

jimjm · Jun 11, 2020

Yep, the Paterson reels are very durable. Just try to keep them clean and you shouldn't have any issues.
They can be more difficult to load if even slightly damp, so it might be a good idea to have a spare set of reels when you are developing lots of film.

Jeremy Mudd · Jun 11, 2020

I've never broken one.

How are you cleaning them and drying them if you aren't opening them up into two pieces anyway? Don't you open them when you remove your film after developing? I always crack mine open, its easier to remove film that way.

That's no different than going back and forth between film sizes.

Jeremy

abruzzi · Jun 11, 2020

In addition to switching from 135 to 120 many times, I also fully split the reel apart after every reel developed to pull the film out, then I wash the reel halves, and dry them separately.

Donald Qualls · Jun 11, 2020

While you have them apart, for cleaning it doesn't hurt anything to give them a good brushing down in the film grooves with an old, clean toothbrush (no toothpaste, please).

pentaxuser · Jun 11, 2020

Donald Qualls said:
While you have them apart, for cleaning it doesn't hurt anything to give them a good brushing down in the film grooves with an old, clean toothbrush (no toothpaste, please).

You may say this but I haven't had to take my reels to a dentist in years

pentaxuser

BrianShaw · Jun 11, 2020

The first time I took one apart to change size I vowed to never do that again. But now I take them apart after every use to ensure they are completely cleaned and dried. There is a bit of PTSD every time, or is it just regular neurosis?

I, too, thought about another reel or two. But since having clean reels is more important therapy in the remedy of my neurosis I haven’t yet.

cmacd123 · Jun 12, 2020

have not had a problem, and my earlist one must be from about 1975.

braxus · Oct 1, 2020

I just picked up some used Paterson reels. I just figured out how to split the reels apart by reading the brochure on the Paterson website.

PhotoJim · Oct 1, 2020

One of my reels dates back to about 1979 (before the System 4 tanks, even; the reels didn't change). It's noticeably yellower than all the other reels. It's been apart hundreds of times and adjusted between 35mm and 120 many times (I think it's even done a few rolls of 127). It still feels the same as my newer, less-broken-in reels - it takes some force to get the halves unlocked, and they relock very surely at the new setting, just the way they're designed.

If you hurl them at the floor sometimes, you might break one, or if you let direct sunlight shine on them, they'll probably become brittle (few plastics tolerate that well) but they really are very, very hard to break.

braxus · Oct 1, 2020

Question. I have this part that looks like it fits in the funnel section of the Paterson tank. What is it used or needed for?

BradS · Oct 1, 2020

abruzzi said:
..... I also fully split the reel apart after every reel developed to pull the film out, then I wash the reel halves, and dry them separately.

Me too...everytime...for over thirty years on this set of reels.

BradS · Oct 1, 2020

braxus said:
Question. I have this part that looks like it fits in the funnel section of the Paterson tank. What is it used or needed for?

Yes. it goes into the funnel and engages the reel. It's for agitation. You spin it gently.

braxus · Oct 1, 2020

I supposed that is only when you dont want to invert the tank with the cover on? What procedures would be needed to spin instead of invert?

BradS · Oct 1, 2020

braxus said:
I supposed that is only when you don't want to invert the tank with the cover on?

I don't invert the Patterson tanks but you certainly can. I don't even use the swizzle stick very much. I usually just pick the tank up and make a kinda wobbly figure 8 motion.

BrianShaw · Oct 1, 2020

BradS said:
Yes. it goes into the funnel and engages the reel. It's for agitation. You spin it gently.

Bringing up a related topic... I stopped inversion and started using “spin-gently” agitation. Two back-and-girth’s (about 5 seconds) every minute. I get good results in all processing scenarios: single 120, single 135, and double 135... and no leakage, drips or spills.

BrianShaw · Oct 1, 2020

BradS said:
I don't invert the Patterson tanks but you certainly can. I don't even use the swizzle stick very much. I usually just pick the tank up and make a kinda wobbly figure 8 motion.

We were tying at same time. That’s what I do with Stearman 4x5 tank too!

BradS · Oct 1, 2020

BrianShaw said:
We were tying at same time. That’s what I do with Stearman 4x5 tank too!

great minds...

Deleted member 88956 · Oct 1, 2020

Reels do flex, but are durable for sure, although bean counters are continuously experimenting so I would not be so sure about anything from newest derivatives.

R.Gould · Oct 1, 2020

If you break a Paterson reel you will be doing something I have never done and I have been using these reels since the first ones came out, pretty much impossible to break, and I am not always gentle, but never broken one yet

MattKing · Oct 1, 2020

BrianShaw said:
Bringing up a related topic... I stopped inversion and started using “spin-gently” agitation. Two back-and-girth’s (about 5 seconds) every minute. I get good results in all processing scenarios: single 120, single 135, and double 135... and no leakage, drips or spills.

Paterson's instructions say to use the swizzle stick only for the first short portion of the development, because if you use it for the entire time you may end up with uneven development.

Nervous about setting Paterson reels to 120

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