Removing film from reel?

Hi All

 

Planning to develop/process my first film in the next few days. I

have all the equipment and chemicals, and so thought I would practice

and dry run the procedure. So, both first out of the changing bag and

then inside, I have been practicing with some old films, removing

film from the can, winding it onto plastic reel, putting reel in tank

and sealing etc...

 

Only thing that I can't find an easy way to do, or do without a

worrying amount of force or a potentially damaging curling/bending of

the film, is removing the film from the reel. Do I just pull it off,

and if so how, is there some specific technique that I am missing?

Any tips from your own experience would be welcomed.

 

Thanks Stuart

First off. Let me say thank you, as cooking film is a dying art. (spelling)?... Anyhow, if it is plastic youre working with then just grab the edges(the film will be wet, so be careful) and just pull it out, it should slide right out. Film is pretty resiliant. No worries. Just make sure not to crimp it, you won't break the film base so no worries, just don't twist it all around. And when you dry the film, put some weight on the bottom of it while it is hanging, two clothes pins usually works. Have Fun!

Maybe its just cos I've been practicing with dry, but it didn't slide back past the two ball bearings very easily. Just past them on the reel there is an area where the slot is deeper on both sides. I found it easiest to pull the film out at this point, by-passing the ball bearings and requiring only a slight traverse bend in the film for it to come out. does this sound right.

Hmmm... my reels separate into two halves. A little quarter turn on one half, and one side of the reel comes off. Then, I just grab the center end of the film, and one swift lift, and it all comes out effortlessly. If your reels are one piece, do not pull the film through the ball bearings. They are designed to block the film in that direction, precisely so they can wind the film into the reel. If you wind the film completely onto the reel, the end should be clear of the bearings anyway.

Either do as Nicloa says or peal off 1 wrap and then pull the whole roll off.

 

Hook your drying clip to the end that first comes off, hang it up , and then pull down to remove the balance of the film. CAREFUL when you near the end as it may have a tendency to spring up and recurl and the end corners will scratch the film above.

 

Keep your photo flo off the plastic reel. Obtain a small ear syringe from a drug store and apply the photo flow top down rinsing the film as you go. Some reels get sticky from photo flo and color stabilisers.

I've run into the same problem at times and after about 25 rolls I felt stupid when I finally figured out what Nicola just mentioned. My reels twist apart and adjust to different formats, which makes it very easy to remove the film.

 

Alan

Stuart, the way you were practicing - pull out past the ball bearings and then just pull off the reel - is exactly how I do it. Works like a champ.

 

Peter

I do the same as Nicola. My reels won't really let me pull it out, it's much easier for me to twist the reel open and pluck the entire spiral of film out.

I didn't know there were reels you had to pull the film back out of.

Mine are like Nicola's, just give em a twist, then gently wind the film off. Not only that but is this is the type you have the same reel does both 35mm and 120.

Give it a tug. If it won't come off easily, something's wrong.

Lift the end of the film out enough to get it away from the anti-reverse ball bearing stops on the plastic reels (these stops help load the film by ensuring the film goes only one way).

 

After that you just gently pull the film away from the guide flanges, rotating the reel as you go. It isn't necessary to split the reel into halves, tho' you could do this if you prefer.

 

Wet negatives tend to be slippery on the emulsion side. It might help to grip the end with hemostat clamps. This way you can simply let the reel gently drop from gravity toward the floor while holding up the end of the negative strip. Guide the reel with your hand to keep it from hitting the floor of let it drop gently onto a cushioned bath mat. Whatever works. Plastic reels don't have to be treated quite as delicately as stainless reels, which can be dented.

Put your finger end under the end of the film and push it up out of the reel, clear of the ball-bearings. Now, just squeeze the film across its width between the thumb and finger such that it arches up and comes free or the reel. Just keep working your way along the film until it'a all out.

My technique is to pinch the sides of the film together, it's the end so there's no photo there anyway and get that out of the reel and into a clip. Then holding the centre of the reel in my left hand, and slightly bending the sides of the film together with my right, I just slide the spool down, running the edges of the film between my right thumb and forefinger. Quick and easy. I then hang a small weight on the lower end while the film dries. Never had a problem with curling on either axis.

Suprised no-one else said this:

Scrap the plastic and get a 120 stainless tank and two 35mm stainless spools, which once you learn to use will never give you any such problems. They clean up easier too.

Hurrah! Processed first film! and all the negs are developed nicely (or as well

as I exposed them). Thanks for all the advice. In the end I lifted the film by

bending cross ways slightly, so that it came off the reel just before it went back

against the ball bearings, and then slippery as an eel it just pulled right out.

 

Clip on one end and then on the other as it came free of the reel and it hung

straight and no curl. Thanks again for all the advice. All the techniques will

come in handy when I hit that first film that snags.

 

Now to add to my mantra "film is cheap".."processing film yourself is cheap - or

at least a lot quicker than waiting a week!"

 

Thanks everyone.