plastic reels

[MattKing]

Retrieve the leader and, with almost all of the film still in the sealed film cassette, start loading in the light. Then turn off the light, and finish loading

If you find that this works, then your problem is probably limited to starting the film correctly (the toughest part of the task IMHO). If it still binds part of the way through, your problem might be the result of:

1) dirty or damp reels (or high humidity);
2) slightly damaged reels (never seen this with plastic - they are usually either obviously broken or good, but I guess they could be damaged by high heat); or
3) you are not feeding the film straight when you load.

Matt

P.S. What film is it - some films are very curly!

 

[RobertV]

What options are there for 127? My Jobo reels only adjust for 135 and 120/220.

Correct. If you have to load 127 roll film you have to choose Paterson. The reel can load 35mm, 127 and 120/220 roll film.

The difference in Paterson or Jobo is not so big. But I prefer the Jobo tanks and reels.

 

[Ian Grant]

Plastic reels are very easy to use and load as long as they are clean and dry, some of my older reels are over 30 years old and still as easy to lad as the newer ones.

The secret is ensuring they are totally dry and no water hiding behind the abakk baering, the odd reel has lost one & they do load easier. I've also sued stainless steel but muchprefer the Paterson for their flexibility.

Ian

 

[Ronald Moravec]

Let the film sit 3 hours before loading so it curls toward the emulsion. If you don`t, it is near impossible to get it on any reel.

If they are used ones and you or someone got Photo-Flow on them, they become stickey and will never load, You can`t get it off either. They appear fine to your eye.

There is lots of other good advice here which I will not repeat.

If the little ball bearings cause a problem, give the leader a pull to get past them.

 

[MartinP]

I still suspect the main problems people have with plastic reels are due to dirt, as almost everyone knows they have to be bone dry. Both sorts of reels should work fine when from reputable manufacturers and not damaged. A practice run in the light doesn't hurt either of course.

It's only my opinion but, for best results (ie. zero sticking), the reels should be cleaned thoroughly in hot water and with a nail-brush or similar. Not every time they are used, but after standing unused for a long time, or when they are 'new' secondhand reels or (say) every five times they are used.

 

[PhotoJim]

It's only my opinion but, for best results (ie. zero sticking), the reels should be cleaned thoroughly in hot water and with a nail-brush or similar. Not every time they are used, but after standing unused for a long time, or when they are 'new' secondhand reels or (say) every five times they are used.

I haven't exactly done testing, but all I do with mine is rinse them. I also don't subject them to wetting agents like Photo Flo. (I fill the tank bottom with some water and some Photo Flo concentrate, and remove each film from the reel and soak it in the tank that way.) My reels get a quick hot-water rinse when I finish the batch of film, and that's it. (The 15-minute wash gets all the chemicals off them.)

The only consequence of this that I can see is that the reels gradually turn yellow. I suspect that this would occur anyway. It's possible that newer reels may not do this; I'm not sure if Paterson uses the precise same plastic it did in the 1970s.

I also have a cheap Paterson clone reel that I got with a cheap tank in the early 1980s. The tank fell apart long ago, but the reel still works fine and it fits the Paterson tanks perfectly. I keep telling myself that I should replace it with a better reel but every time I use it, I find it no more difficult to use than my Paterson-brand ones so I have finally decided to simply keep it in service.

I think the moral of this story is that you should pick one type of reel and stick to it. Once you learn how to use it, you will be fine. I certainly have had issues with plastic reels, but not in years. It sounds like those of you using stainless reels had much the same experiences.

 

[MattKing]

I haven't exactly done testing, but all I do with mine is rinse them. I also don't subject them to wetting agents like Photo Flo. (I fill the tank bottom with some water and some Photo Flo concentrate, and remove each film from the reel and soak it in the tank that way.) My reels get a quick hot-water rinse when I finish the batch of film, and that's it. (The 15-minute wash gets all the chemicals off them.)

This is similar to what I do, with one possibly important exception.

I use a separate container for the water and Photo Flo. A 500 ml plastic graduated cup works great.

I do this to ensure that no Photo Flo gets into my developing tanks - not even the stainless steel ones.

Matt

 

[Sirius Glass]

I use PhotoFlo with steel reels. They go through the wash cycle of the film processing and then are flushed off with hot water, wiped off and left out to dry. I never had a problem with them.

Steve

 

[BetterSense]

Steel reels are so much better. For me plastic reels were real easy to load except when they weren't; then they were impossible and made me tear my film.

The key to loading stainless steel reels is the sound. When the film is going on right, it makes kind of a KRSSSSSTTSSSSSSTTSSSKKK sound. If it goes KRSSSSSSSTTSSSSSRRRGGNNSSSTTTTT then it's caught-up and you have to peel it back a bit and re-wind.

 

[Ian David]

Try NEW and UNBENT stainless steel spirals, preferably Hewes, available from Freestyle in your neck of the woods. Generic stainless steel with clips will expand your expletives vocabulary very quickly. Practise first, Arista 135 is only 2 bucks a roll, sacrifice a few unexposed rolls.

Regards - Ross

This is good advice, although I know the OP cannot presently afford it. (When you can, it will be money well spent.) Not sure what the prices are like at Freestyle, but Nigel at Hewes is happy to post a couple of reels internationally (hewes.co.uk). Generally works out a lot cheaper than buying from a local photo store.
Ian

 

[brofkand]

Here is the advice i will give you. I think this is something EVERY new film photographer who develops their own film goes through:

Buy the cheapest film on Freestyle, or on the clearance rack at wal-mart or target or whatever. Doesn't matter if it's black and white or color for this.

Practice spooling the film onto the plastic reels. This is what I did: I used an x-acto blade to scratch a line in the reel where I need to thread the film. It's much easier for me to feel a scratch than it is for me to feel the ball bearings.

Eventually I upgraded to steel reels because I got a great deal on them on Craigslist, but if I hadn't I would still be using the plastic. I think the plastic is better to learn on (at least it was for me).

Remember this: it will be more difficult in the dark. Once you spool it on a few times, do it with your eyes closed. Then in a changing bag. Then in a dark room. Then for real. I wouldn't mess with a live roll of film until you can spool a roll in the dark with no problem.

Don't get pissed. If you need to take a break and cool your jets, just drop the film in the tank and shut the lid. It's light-tight in there, and when you're ready to resume try again.

 

[MattKing]

Don't get pissed. If you need to take a break and cool your jets, just drop the film in the tank and shut the lid. It's light-tight in there, and when you're ready to resume try again.

One slight clarification to this very good advice. If it is a Paterson or similar type, the tank is only light-tight if the central core is there as well.

Don't ask me how I discovered this

Matt

 

[nworth]

35mm film is just plain difficult to get onto reels straight. I have metal reels, Jobo plastic, Patterson plastic, and an old Anscomatic plastic. They all can all be miserable, although often they load immediately without difficulty. Practice helps, but you still sometimes need five tries, especially if the weather isn't cooperating (humidity and perspiration both complicate things). This year, plastic works better and more reliably for me, but metal has the advantage of being easier to dry and the ability to be loaded when not absolutely dry.

 

[clayne]

35mm film is just plain difficult to get onto reels straight. I have metal reels, Jobo plastic, Patterson plastic, and an old Anscomatic plastic. They all can all be miserable, although often they load immediately without difficulty. Practice helps, but you still sometimes need five tries, especially if the weather isn't cooperating (humidity and perspiration both complicate things). This year, plastic works better and more reliably for me, but metal has the advantage of being easier to dry and the ability to be loaded when not absolutely dry.

Hewes reels. You'll never look back. Single try, every time and NEVER a foul-up.

 

[Steve Roberts]

the reels should be cleaned thoroughly in hot water and with a nail-brush or similar. Not every time they are used, but after standing unused for a long time, or when they are 'new' secondhand reels or (say) every five times they are used.

I'd go along with the above - a toothbrush (either an old one or the wife's!) works very well. A minute or two before loading, a quick blast from a fan heater or hair drier gets rid of any residual moisture (a tip I picked up on APUG). Leaving the film curled in its cassette overnight always seems to be a good practice. I've never had any problem loading film into plastic reels since my early days nearly ... er.... forty years ago and though I possess a steel reel and tank I have to say that I was hard pressed to load a film in the light, let alone in the dark, so never saw the need to follow that route. My favourite tank is my ancient Johnson with black Bakelite reels, no ballbearings or anything fancy.

Best wishes,

Steve

 

[mwdake]

I have used Paterson reels for almost 40 years and never had a problem, well maybe when first learning like the OP.
For 35mm film, fish the end of the film out of the cassette and pre-load the end on to the reel before going dark.
For 120 film, cut a piece of card off the film box the same width as the film and slide this in to the reel a little along the flanges before going dark; then use this as a guide to slide the 120 along until it is on the reel good and remove the card.

The only part that may give trouble is getting the film started and the 2 tips above may help. After that winding the film in to the reel should be easy as long as your reel is completly clean and dry as others have mentioned.
I wash my reels after use and use a soft toothbrush to clean the spirals etc. I have have enough reels so that I never have to use the same one again for a week or so.

As many have said stainless steel reels certainly can be easier and they do have their following. I have steels reels and find them easy to load once you practice some. But you must use quality and straight steel reels. However, you should be able to use Paterson or other quality plastic reels with a little practice and without much trouble.


Good luck.

 

[RobertV]

For 120 film, cut a piece of card off the film box the same width as the film and slide this in to the reel a little along the flanges before going dark; then use this as a guide to slide the 120 along until it is on the reel good and remove the card.

Great tipp for those who having problems to start loading 120/220 roll film on the reel.

 

[2Bugles]

I replaced all my Patterson reels with Samigon reels. They fit the Patterson tanks and I now load film in less than one minute. And they're much cheaper than Hewes.