Tape recommendation for labeling bulk rolls.

Radost · Jun 30, 2023

mshchem said:
I just ordered one of the Rezivot trimmers from the Brooklyn outfit that is US seller. I don't need it but it's really cool.

It is cool. I think the Reflxlab lead punch cutter is easier and better. But I did not know it exists. when I got mine.

Film Leader Trimmer

This trimmer will help you cut your 35mm film leader like a pro, effortlessly! Robust quality, a tool you can use for a decade Weight: 500g Free standard shipping to worlwide To comply with regulations, VAT will apply if you are from the European Union.

reflxlab.com

Moose22 · Jun 30, 2023

Radost said:
Both a little pricy but pleasure to have and a big time saver/

Have you seen the price of the ablon template things on ebay? They're twice what they were 18 months ago. 3d printed are $50. I'm glad I spent the $20 on my template when I did because -- well, the only thing I don't like about the IIIf is film loading and the template made that simpler for me. But you don't need a template for the normal 35mm cameras I use.

However, if I bulk loaded lots of rolls at a time I'd definitely feel $70 for a punch that was well made and worked consistently every time was a good price. I appreciate good tools that do a job well.

Radost · Jun 30, 2023

Moose22 said:
Have you seen the price of the ablon template things on ebay? They're twice what they were 18 months ago. 3d printed are $50. I'm glad I spent the $20 on my template when I did because -- well, the only thing I don't like about the IIIf is film loading and the template made that simpler for me. But you don't need a template for the normal 35mm cameras I use.

However, if I bulk loaded lots of rolls at a time I'd definitely feel $70 for a punch that was well made and worked consistently every time was a good price. I appreciate good tools that do a job well.

I am about to bulk load 165 rolls and Vacuum seal them.

Brad Deputy · Jun 30, 2023

..and I've been using a custom hole punch doing by hand all this time... Very nice!

Have you tried cutting / punching polyester film? My hole punch struggles with it.

mshchem · Jun 30, 2023

Moose22 said:
Have you seen the price of the ablon template things on ebay? They're twice what they were 18 months ago. 3d printed are $50. I'm glad I spent the $20 on my template when I did because -- well, the only thing I don't like about the IIIf is film loading and the template made that simpler for me. But you don't need a template for the normal 35mm cameras I use.

However, if I bulk loaded lots of rolls at a time I'd definitely feel $70 for a punch that was well made and worked consistently every time was a good price. I appreciate good tools that do a job well.

A genuine ABLON is pretty darn cool! But now all the collectors and Ebay have driven the price to insane prices.

The Rezivot cutter can produce the longer leader with multiple cuts.

So many gadgets! Like the good old days!

Moose22 · Jun 30, 2023

Radost said:
I am about to bulk load 165 rolls and Vacuum seal them.

You said! You'll get your use out of them.

Alas, my reloadable cassettes are either the soviet metal cans or Kodak snap caps, so I can't use the fuji-style end punch. They have the wrong kind of spools. I still think they look like a helpful gadget.

@mshchem

A genuine ABLON is pretty darn cool! But now all the collectors and Ebay have driven the price to insane prices.

The Rezivot cutter can produce the longer leader with multiple cuts.

Yeah, you're not kidding. $200 for an oddly shaped door hinge. Metal is better than the 3D printed ones, which you can nick with the knife, but that's bananas.

The rezivot tool looks better and better. Again, I don't NEED it, but it still looks like a great gadget.

Moose22 · Jun 30, 2023

Just for grins, I cracked open an Ilford Delta3200 cassette, and an Across II, just to look at the spools. Both have the one-hole-in-the-middle style, not the two hole like that reflx lab punch.

I don't have any other empty Fuji cassettes, I don't do my own color developing, so I can't even steal other spools from Fuji cans. Seems strange they don't have one for the more common center-hole spools.

Don_ih · Jun 30, 2023

mshchem said:
A genuine ABLON is pretty darn cool!

Years ago, I adjusted the caption on this image:

I don't known why he's bothering to trim that film, since it's not even in a cassette.
But I guess this illustration is where people get "Cut to the 23rd perforation." One perforation is obviously wasted by this guy.

abruzzi · Jun 30, 2023

Moose22 said:
Just for grins, I cracked open an Ilford Delta3200 cassette, and an Across II, just to look at the spools. Both have the one-hole-in-the-middle style, not the two hole like that reflx lab punch.

I don't have any other empty Fuji cassettes, I don't do my own color developing, so I can't even steal other spools from Fuji cans. Seems strange they don't have one for the more common center-hole spools.

Since Acros II is finished by Ilford, its probably in ilford casettes and spools. I recently bought Acros II 120 because I'm almost out of the original Acros, and it has the nice finishing of Ilford, but not the super nice Fuji finishing (Fuji's 120 finishing is by far the best in the industry, IMO.)

Xylo · Jun 30, 2023

For years I've been using one I hand made from a bit of an aluminum case. Much less elegant than the commercial ones but it works.

As for the Ablon, I use this one (https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1951048), but I had to drill-out the hinge and use some metal pins as the hinge. But now there's this one (https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3621037) that looks at least a thousand times better, so I might reprint it. I'm pretty sure it costs less than a dollar to print.

Sirius Glass · Jun 30, 2023

Don_ih said:
Years ago, I adjusted the caption on this image:

View attachment 342625

I don't known why he's bothering to trim that film, since it's not even in a cassette.
But I guess this illustration is where people get "Cut to the 23rd perforation." One perforation is obviously wasted by this guy.

When I bulk loaded film I used one of these without slicing my thumb.

Don_ih · Jun 30, 2023

Sirius Glass said:
When I bulk loaded film I used one of these without slicing my thumb.

You had a screwmount Leica?

There's no need to use a template to cut 3 inches of film. Just look at it and do it.

Also, you clearly ignored the trajectory of the blade and left your sense of humour on another thread.

Sirius Glass · Jun 30, 2023

Don_ih said:
You had a screwmount Leica?

There's no need to use a template to cut 3 inches of film. Just look at it and do it.

Also, you clearly ignored the trajectory of the blade and left your sense of humour on another thread.

No, it was the simplest and easiest to use in the 1970's and 80's. I got the humor and added that I moved my thumb and left the cut thumb for the 'u' in your humor.

mshchem · Jun 30, 2023

Xylo said:
For years I've been using one I hand made from a bit of an aluminum case. Much less elegant than the commercial ones but it works.

As for the Ablon, I use this one (https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1951048), but I had to drill-out the hinge and use some metal pins as the hinge. But now there's this one (https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3621037) that looks at least a thousand times better, so I might reprint it. I'm pretty sure it costs less than a dollar to print.

That's pretty neat looking.

Don_ih · Jun 30, 2023

Sirius Glass said:
No, it was the simplest and easiest to use in the 1970's and 80's.

A diagonal cut works in most cameras. That long tongue is truly only necessary for thread-mount Leicas. I think scissors existed in the 70s (I remember them existing) - pretty sure using a pair of those and cutting by eye would have been simpler.

mshchem · Jun 30, 2023

I will admit it, I have an ABLON, with the original simple kraft color box. I think the original price is visible in pencil, something like $1.58. I can just see some fellow in 1939 saying " what kind of nut would pay $1.58 for a template?"

mshchem · Jun 30, 2023

I just double checked. The original price sticker fell off decades ago. I can read in faint pencil "ablon template 15.00" this must have been at the table of some fast talking used Leica guy in the 80's.

Moose22 · Jun 30, 2023

abruzzi said:
(Fuji's 120 finishing is by far the best in the industry, IMO.)

+1. I haven't been shooting 120 much of late, but I just shot a roll of NS160 and was reminded of that.

And good call on the Acros. I'd forgotten that Ilford finished it for them.

I could ask my lab to give me a bunch of spools, or raid the bag of reloadables my buddy got from the local community college for the right types of spools... but then I'd find some and be tempted to spend $80 on this end nipper when I'm perfectly fine with a little piece of tape on the end of my HP5 when I bulk roll. I think it's better this way. Saves me enough for another roll of film to load.

mshchem · Jun 30, 2023

+2. I save my Fuji 120 spools, I bought a 1/4 " hole punch, a little tiny one. When I'm feeling jittery I punch the tab on my Kodak films. Ridiculous really but I really like the Fuji method. Also since Kodak decided to use whatever the glossy coating on the backing paper the "exposed tape" doesn't stick as well.

Radost · Jun 30, 2023

mshchem said:
+2. I save my Fuji 120 spools, I bought a 1/4 " hole punch, a little tiny one. When I'm feeling jittery I punch the tab on my Kodak films. Ridiculous really but I really like the Fuji method. Also since Kodak decided to use whatever the glossy coating on the backing paper the "exposed tape" doesn't stick as well.

Can you elaborate on the process?

abruzzi · Jun 30, 2023

Fuji 120 spools had a little mushroom shaped stud in the slot where you insert the paper leader. The paper leader on the Fuji rolls had a hole puched at the beginning of the paper, so you could just push the paper in the slot and the mushroom would catch it. Other films you need a tight wrap or two around the takeup spool before you could be confident that the paper wouldn't slip on the takeup. I think @mchchem is just hole punching the kodak leader so it works like a roll of fuji. Of course this trick only works if you always use fuji spool on the takeup.

Fuji had other nice things--pulling the tape band off when loading is easier, the paper band at the end is self adhesive and very easy, and lastly the tape that attached the film to the backing paper tore much easier.

mshchem · Jun 30, 2023

Radost said:
Can you elaborate on the process?

The Fujifilm 120 system is called EZ Load IIRC

Edit: Abruzzi has described this perfectly!

I process everything myself, and I salvaged around 100 spools before my local shop closed up.

Fuji's system is perfect, with their automated 645 cameras there's even a barcode that even sets film speed.

Moose22 · Jul 1, 2023

I have a GX680 system and the barcodes are really nice.

Not that it matters much, the 680 reads off the film plane and beeps at you when your exposure isn't what it thinks is right, so mostly it feels like it's taunting me for not being able to read a meter. I've had jobs like that. You know, "We won't tell you how to do it right, but we'll sure tell you it was wrong afterwards". But it automagically knows what ISO I've deviated 2 stops from and prints the right info from the film back.

Mostly, I liked shooting the 160ns and Velvia in 120 because I could just slap it in and it would grab. Loading in the field on a cold morning is a lot less fraught that way. And everything else seems just perfect, right down to the instructions and sticker on the end of the roll.

Don't mean to be a fuji fanboy, but it sort of sounds like it here, huh?

mshchem · Jul 25, 2023

Radost said:
I am about to bulk load 165 rolls and Vacuum seal them.

Did you get your 165 rolls loaded up? I managed to load 5 rolls of Ektachrome in the last 24hrs. I think I have figured out how to load what B+H calls Sensai cassettes. They snap together nicely when everything is lined up right. Not sure how they will work in the field. I really like the die cutter (Rezivot) I picked up from Brooklyn Film Camera. All this makes no economic sense, but it's good experience, keeps me sane, relatively so.

Radost · Jul 26, 2023

mshchem said:
Did you get your 165 rolls loaded up? I managed to load 5 rolls of Ektachrome in the last 24hrs. I think I have figured out how to load what B+H calls Sensai cassettes. They snap together nicely when everything is lined up right. Not sure how they will work in the field. I really like the die cutter (Rezivot) I picked up from Brooklyn Film Camera. All this makes no economic sense, but it's good experience, keeps me sane, relatively so.

I think thone Sensai are single use. I have been using AP cassettes. i use the receiver lead cutter and the refxlab end cutter. It helps a lot with rolling film!

Tape recommendation for labeling bulk rolls.

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