Trouble Loading 35mm Stainless Steel Reels

[Rick A]

 

[Bill Burk]

Hewes reels are reputed to be the best. So keep practicing in the light with scrap film. Some cameras wind the film to counteract curl, and spooling immediately after rewinding can sometimes give you film that has less curl. I don’t remember if it was Pentax Screw Mount or Olympus OM that does this. But I am often surprised by the unraveling film that happens when I try to reel immediately after rewinding.

 

[Ballinderry-Michael]

The video in post 26 points out the important principle: draw the film on to the reel by winding the reel. This is fine in the darkroom but, if you're using a changing tent, you can't get your stomach in there to support the reel. In that case, hold the reel upright in your left hand and wind it supported by the tent's base, keeping the film gently bowed in your right hand and allowing it to slide through your fingers. With that set-up you can pause if you want without everything flying apart.

That assumes that you're right handed. Other way round if you're not.

 

[Saganich]

I trim the corners, as already suggested, then I cup a short length of the film (enough length that it will reach just past the pins), slide it into the reel slightly past the pins, lower it and pull back until I feel it drop onto the pins. The tricky part is enough cup to get the film into the reel, but not so much that the film edges are inside the width of the pins. Once you get the feel for it, I think you'll find these reels pretty easy to load; much easier than my old 35mm reels that have the spring clip!

Similar, with the addition of having the pins rolled forward a bit and using your other hand to curl the film onto the pins...lol..so like cup-n-curl in one motion while rolling. Trimming corners helps, but making a straight cut is good also...I just rip the film tbh..

 

[faberryman]

Not everyones motor skills are the same. Consider Paterson reels if the physiology of Hewes doesn’t agree with you.

Physiology? It is not a question of physiology; it is a question of practice. And removing or ignoring those guide pins. The objective is to load the film on the reel, not to engage the sprocket holes on the pins. Sometimes manufacturers lose sight of the purpose of the their products. Paterson reels have their own quirks. Hopefully, whatever reel you choose will not prevent you from developing your own film.

 

[Alan9940]

Similar, with the addition of having the pins rolled forward a bit and using your other hand to curl the film onto the pins...lol..so like cup-n-curl in one motion while rolling. Trimming corners helps, but making a straight cut is good also...I just rip the film tbh..

I like your cup-n-curl solution...will try that with my next roll. And, yes, trimming across the film to get as square an end as possible is helpful.

 

[JerseyDoug]

For 35mm I use Hewes reels in Kindermann tanks. I find that some film stocks are more difficult to load onto the reel than others. In particular, Kentmere Pan 400 has such a pronounced lengthwise curl when it comes out of the cassette that I have to try to hold it flatter to get it onto the pins, unlike some other film stocks that I have to cup to catch the pins. The easiest to load of the 35mm film stocks I use is Tri-X.

I am hopeless at loading 120 film onto stainless reels, Hewes or otherwise. And I don't find the Paterson plastic 120 reels a lot easier. After years of kinked 120 negatives I discovered Samigon reels that fit Paterson tanks. Super easy to load!

I would probably use the Paterson/Samigon tanks/reels for 35mm as well except for the difference of liquids required. My graduates that I use for developer, stop, fixer and wash work well with the 250ml of the Kindermann tanks. The 300ml needed for the Paterson tanks gets uncomfortably close to the top of the graduates. And the next larger size of graduates doesn't fit on the shelf behind the sink where I do my developing. Also a one gallon jug of distilled water is exactly the right amount to develop, stop, fix and wash three rolls of film with the Kinderman tanks. I have to start another jug for the third roll of 120 film in the Paterson tank. Not a big deal but definitely an annoyance.

 

[Philippe-Georges]

Kindermann has the answer...

BTW, Eugene Smith managed to wind TWO 35mm films backwards on one reel, I have never understood how he did it!

 

[MattKing]

The 35mm reels I have and sometimes use are no name ones that have no clip or prongs. They just have a slot that you stick the end of film into, backed by a wire "C". I stick the end of film into the slot until the end reaches the "C", then bend/crimp the film over the edge of the slot. Then I roll the film on to the reel - the crimped edge keeps it from coming loose near the core.
Almost impossible to describe fully with words, but really easy to do.

 

[Rayt]

I like the Hewes 135 and 120 reels. Like everything else it takes practice. I practiced with a practice roll while watching tv over and over again. Eventually though I switched to Paterson because I though I could get a better rinse by just attaching their hose from the sink to the tank.

 

[GregY]

Physiology? It is not a question of physiology; it is a question of practice. And removing or ignoring those guide pins. The objective is to load the film on the reel, not to engage the sprocket holes on the pins. Sometimes manufacturers lose sight of the purpose of the their products. Paterson reels have their own quirks. Hopefully, whatever reel you choose will not prevent you from developing your own film.

You're right. It isn't physiology & the objective is to load the film. But ....if you can't get the film anchored, you won't get the film loaded.
Personally i like both the Hewes, Kinderman & Nikkor reels for 35mm and 120.

 

[faberryman]

You're right. It isn't physiology & the objective is to load the film. But ....if you can't get the film anchored, you won't get the film loaded.
Personally i like both the Hewes, Kinderman & Nikkor reels for 35mm and 120.

I have been loading my stainless steel reels for 50 years without a problem. I have no idea who made them. I can't even remember where I got them. One of my reels has a clip thingy which is supposed to help you load the film more easily. It doesn't. I put the film end in the next slot over that doesn't have one. The OP might want to consider doing the same and avoiding the pin contraption his reel has. There's nothing to lose.

 

[GregY]

I have been loading my stainless steel reels for 50 years without a problem. I have no idea who made them. I can't even remember where I got them. One of my reels has a clip thingy which is supposed to help you load the film more easily. It doesn't. I put the film end in the next slot over that doesn't have one. The OP might want to consider doing the same and avoiding the pin contraption his reel has. There's nothing to lose.

Well i haven't had trouble loading them stainless reels either, but apparently it is an issue for some. BTW it's not a 'pin contraption'.... instead of a central clip, you just place the sprocket holes on the pins. I suspect it's really a matter of how much curve to create in the film to get it onto the reel. For most folks it's a matter of some practice....like using any new tool.

 

[faberryman]

BTW it's not a 'pin contraption'.... instead of a central clip, you just place the sprocket holes on the pins.

Sounds like a pin contraption to me, but call it what you will. The OP's problem is engaging the sprocket holes on the pins. Maybe if he didn't try (and fail) to engage the sprocket holes on the pins, he would be able to load the film.

 

[GregY]

Sounds like a pin contraption to me, but call it what you will. The OP's problem is engaging the sprocket holes on the pins. Maybe if he didn't try (and fail) to engage the sprocket holes on the pins, he would be able to load the film.

Well FB.... there's no central clip like on the other reels....

 

[faberryman]

Well FB.... there's no central clip like on the other reels....

Well GY... he is having difficulty engaging the film sprocket holes on the pins. I don't know which is worse, the center clip or the pins. Both are completely unnecessary and, as here, frequently act as an impediment to getting the film on the reel. Do your Hewes, Kinderman, and Nikkor reels have loading "aids"? Do you use them or bypass them? Which do you prefer, if any?

 

[GregY]

Well GY... he is having difficulty engaging the film sprocket holes on the pins. I don't know which is worse, the center clip or the pins. Both are completely unnecessary and, as here, frequently act as an impediment to getting the film on the reel. Do your Hewes, Kinderman, and Nikkor reels have loading "aids"? Do you use them or bypass them? Which do you prefer, if any?

I mostly process 120 and my reels have centre clips.... but that's easier than getting your fingers. to the centre of a skinny 35mm reel IMO. If you don't do it often it's not second nature (i.e. trained muscle memory). I think it's a matter of practice makes perfect.

 

[faberryman]

I mostly process 120 and my reels have centre clips.... but that's easier than getting your fingers. to the centre of a skinny 35mm reel IMO. If you don't do it often it's not second nature (i.e. trained muscle memory). I think it's a matter of practice makes perfect.

Do the center clips help you load 120 film? Have you tried loading 120 film without the center clips?

 

[GregY]

Do the center clips help you load 120 film? Have you tried loading 120 film without the center clips?

Well yes.... they anchor the film..... but enough about what works for us.... it seemed like most posters were trying to help the OP overcome a problem.

 

[Ballinderry-Michael]

I just looked at the IR video from post 18. It helped him to see what he was doing; but it also illustrated exactly how not to handle film.

Sorry this comment is off-topic for the thread.

 

[GregY]

I just looked at the IR video from post 18. It helped him to see what he was doing; but it also illustrated exactly how not to handle film.

Sorry this comment is off-topic for the thread.

No kidding!

 

[GregY]

Do the center clips help you load 120 film? Have you tried loading 120 film without the center clips?

Well FB, It never occurred to me to load by pushing the film onto the reel from the outside in. Two things, that's not the way i was shown to do it decades ago in a high school darkroom, & it crossed my mind it seemed more likely to kink the film doing it that way. If it works for you that's great. Learn something new every day.

 

[faberryman]

[/QUOTE]

Well FB, It never occurred to me to load by pushing the film onto the reel from the outside in. Two things, that's not the way i was shown to do it decades ago in a high school darkroom, & it crossed my mind it seemed more likely to kink the film doing it that way. If it works for you that's great. Learn something new every day.

Who said anything about loading the film on a reel by pushing it from the outside in? I simply said you can load film without pushing it under a center clip or engaging the sprocket holes on pins. Gee.

 

[GregY]

Who said anything about loading the film on a reel by pushing it from the outside in? I simply said you can load film without pushing it under a center clip or engaging the sprocket holes on pins. Gee.
[/QUOTE]

Gotcha..... that English language thing. I just came out of the darkroom.... the 120 reels loaded just fine..... i hope yours do too. Actually i've never had problems loading reels so i'll leave it at that. Like other things, there's more than one way to skin a cat

 

[SodaAnt]

BTW, Eugene Smith managed to wind TWO 35mm films backwards on one reel, I have never understood how he did it!

Some people have the patience and/or dexterity to do the most amazing things that others can’t even imagine doing.

I used to play golf with a guy who passed the time waiting for the group ahead to finish by stacking golf balls. He could routinely stack four balls. I couldn’t even stack two. His ball stacking ability didn’t make him a better player, however—he had a 17 handicap, I had a 4.