Scrubbing Plastic Development Reels?

Regarding the metal reels. I've been watching videos which are claiming all stainless reels are not created alike. I may try to buy a Hewes reel (there are no tanks so I suppose you are meant to use them in your existing tanks, which for me was a Kalt tank?). The person uploading the video claimed that he had the same problems I had until he tried the Hewes which, for some reason, are a little easier to thread. Further, he talked about a technique where every few turns, he pulled gently on the film to see if it was smooth and allowed a little play. If it didn't, it was stuck and he unwound till it was. He claimed that technique plus the Hewes got him going. Further he claimed once he had the technique he could do it with his old cheap reel, though they snagged a lot more and it often took longer to get it on the reel.

 

So before I totally give up on metal reels on the basis of the Kalt and my dexterity, maybe I should try a better one. AND I'll work on the techniques you guys have given me on this thread for the plastic ones.

I've never used Nikor reels, but the Hewes reels are better than any other brand that I've tried. They should fit in any standard stainless steel tank with a plastic lid--we have a variety of tanks at the college where I teach and the Hewes reels fit single, double and 4 reel tanks.

This tank works well so far.

No leaks so far and it also comes in a single.

 

 

Samigon Stainless Steel Tank with Plastic Lid for 2x35mm ESA345

FWIW, many no-name 35mm stainless reels are fairly flimsy in construction, and it doesn't take a lot of effort(whether accidental or intentional) to bend them. The bends can be VERY subtle and next to impossible to see, but can make the reel all but impossible to load.

 

I still keep some no-name reels in circulation, but I test load them with a dummy roll before I put them to use. If they fail, I go straight in the trash with them.

 

If you're having trouble loading the reel you have now, I'd suggest this as a potential problem.

Photoflow or Ilfotol has copped a lot of flack as being the cause of sticky plastic reels. Now I clean the grooves of the reel with a tooth brush and warm water. I also pull the film off the reel and sit it in a reel sized container. Then add the Photoflow to the loose film in the container. That prevents the reel from being dunked in a Photoflow solution. The cleaned reels or the ones not dunked in Photoflow are much easier to load. If you intend to use the reels again for a second batch, a hair dryer is good in assisting the reel drying. Sweaty hands don't help. I you don't have a dark room, step into a light proof closet and spool it up in there, then back into the tank.

As I suggested before, a quick spray or rub of silicone furniture polish will restore the like-new slipperiness of a plastic reel, for a couple of uses at least.

 

The polish doesn't react with photo-chemicals, and it makes the reels smell nice too!

 

I suspect the dreaded WD-40 would have the same effect of reducing friction - apart from the smell - but that stuff gets everywhere, and I wouldn't want it anywhere near a darkroom.

Photoflow or Ilfotol has copped a lot of flack as being the cause of sticky plastic reels. Now I clean the grooves of the reel with a tooth brush and warm water. I also pull the film off the reel and sit it in a reel sized container. Then add the Photoflow to the loose film in the container. That prevents the reel from being dunked in a Photoflow solution. The cleaned reels or the ones not dunked in Photoflow are much easier to load. If you intend to use the reels again for a second batch, a hair dryer is good in assisting the reel drying. Sweaty hands don't help. I you don't have a dark room, step into a light proof closet and spool it up in there, then back into the tank.

 

Ok, useful as an experiment. Has it done any good? And if so, do you attribute the stickiness to Photo flo?

Joe: Missed that the first time round, but the furniture polish sound like a neat trick.

Hard to say about the Photoflo, but I did get good results after cleaning the plastic reel with a toothbrush. Maybe it was the Photoflo or maybe it was a reel with nice clean tracks. I don't use it in the final rinse in the drum anymore.

I'm surprised nobody suggested using an ultrasonic bath. They can be found at surprisingly low cost, and probably durable enough for occasional service. I use mine to clean everything from watch bands to carburetors. I would avoid cleaning fluids, which might damage the plastic further, but ordinary dish soap (for hand washing) would penetrate the smallest crevasse and float out any debris. Followed by a thorough rinsing and drying, you would be good to go.

 

That won't address the crazing problem, which is due largely to exposure to alkaline chemicals (developer). Silicone spray might work, but it has a tendency to spread to places you should avoid (especially lenses). A silicone fingerprint on film would be essentially waterproof. WD40 is a petroleum product, and not compatible with most plastics.

I have a Unicolor drum that holds 6(?) 35mm plastic reels. Once I get my darkroom up and running, I'm hoping to shoot a lot more B&W film that I'll need to develop. I've used plastic reels in the past, but sometimes they gave me trouble loading film.

 

With that in mind, I'm wondering if Hewes 35mm stainless steel reels would fit in the Unicolor Drum. Or are they a fraction too wide?

 

Does anyone know? Thanks.

I have a Unicolor drum that holds 6(?) 35mm plastic reels. Once I get my darkroom up and running, I'm hoping to shoot a lot more B&W film that I'll need to develop. I've used plastic reels in the past, but sometimes they gave me trouble loading film.

 

With that in mind, I'm wondering if Hewes 35mm stainless steel reels would fit in the Unicolor Drum. Or are they a fraction too wide?

 

Does anyone know? Thanks.

The plastic reels that we have where I teach are bigger in diameter and height than the Hewes steel reels that we also use.

I remember the Unicolor film drum, but never used one.

 

I did use an 8x10 Unidrum in the days of the film drum, and more recently

bought a second hand (but I believe not used) 16x20 unidrum.

 

The idea of the film drum, similar to Unidrum for prints, is that you don't

need the full volume of chemistry. It fill part way up, and rotates the drum

and reel, such that the chemistry gets to all parts of the film.

 

I suspect that SS reels would fit, but might rotate in a different way

inside the drum.

 

For those who don't know, you put one to six reels in, and then a moving

plug with an expanding O-ring seal. It then goes on a Uniroller, the same

way that Unidrum print drums do.

 

As well as I know, the big idea of Unicolor was to make home color

processing easier and more affordable.

 

In college, where we had a film drum in the student darkroom, I did

my E6 in my old 35mm Nikor tank in a tray of warm water.

 

I also did some, but not all that much, Ektachrome 1993

(reversal paper) print processing in the Unidrum.

 

I never saw a use for it for B&W, though if I ever use it, I expect

to use the 16x20 Unidrum for B&W printing. 16x20 trays are too

big for my darkroom, and also too expensive.

Just got my Hewes reel and it IS a lot easier to use than my previous one. Haven't tried to load film yet but it looks doable [for me]. Funny that they don't provide a tank (not that I need one) but it means you have to buy someone else's reel first and then theirs.

“Funny that they don't provide a tank (not that I need one) but it means you have to buy someone else's reel first and then theirs.“

Huh?

I simply ordered a two reel tank from B&H....I know it’s pricey but it doesn’t leak (yet) and looks like it will serve well for a long time.

Holds just under 500ml with reels and film loaded.

Samigon Stainless Steel Tank with Plastic Lid for 2x35mm ESA345

I didn't know they sold the tanks separately from the reels. But even so, why not sell a tank too? Surely that isn't hard to manufacture. And even if they didn't want to, they could resell one if people wanted to buy them all in one go (so that they would know for sure it would fit). Every other time I've bought, I tended to buy the "system" all at once.

Hewes is perhaps stuck in the mindset that their reels are destined to be loaded into 3 gallon tank baskets by the dozen-at-a-time and dunk-processed.

 

Well, good luck with those days ever coming back!

You can get the appropriate number of reels, and tank to hold them, if the sell them separately.

 

I got a (used) 120 reel and tank, and sometimes use it with 35mm reels.

 

I think I also have a bigger tank, but haven't used that one.

 

But yes, I don't know why they don't sell them together.

There should be a combination discount that you don't get.

 

But all these are so easy to find used now, either for a low price or

free, that I mostly don't buy them new. I got a used 127 reel (no tank)

and 116 tank and reel (never actually used).

That tank fits the Hewes spool.

Just used the Hewes reel and it went great. WAY easier to load than the steel reel that came with the reel I had. No comparison.

Glad it worked for you. I winced at the price but was happy with the purchase after I developed my first few rolls of film.