New 620 spools by 3D printing

<p>With old 620 spool prices hovering around $10 on the auction site, it may be worth exploring a slightly more economical alternative: new plastic spools made by 3D printing. Three files that can be used to 3D print 620 spools are available on Thingiverse:<br>

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:67838<br>

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:67834<br>

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:44749<br>

The first two files generate, respectively, one or 6 single-piece 620 spools. They can be printed by SLS (selective laser sintering). The spools have been tested in a Kodak Medalist II and a Brownie Hawkeye. I order them in 'Black, strong and flexible' plastic (painted nylon, I think) from Shapeways on the internet. There are several other companies that will do it. Because shipping is comparatively expensive, ordering the set of 6 (the second URL) saves money per spool. Current cost is about $28 for the 6 spools and $6.50 for shipping. The files can be freely downloaded for noncommercial use under a Creative Commons non-commercial share-alike license.<br>

The third URL is for a file by that produces a two-piece spool that can be printed by MakerBot-type machines. I've had no experience with that one.</p>

<p>Best,<br>

Gary</p><div></div>

<p>So all you need to avoid paying $10 for something you only need a few of is the purchase of a multi-thousand-dollar 3D printer?</p>

<p>Well, I let somebody else make the capital investment…</p>

<blockquote>

<p>So all you need to avoid paying $10 for something you only need a few of is the purchase of a multi-thousand-dollar 3D printer?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Matt, Matt,<br /> Do you really need to ask this?<br>

Especially those of us who own "multi-thousand-dollar" camera kits?</p>

<p>Besides, you can also 'print out' <a href="http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:43781">filter cases</a>, so you get multiple return for your investment. :)</p>

<p>Hey just because <em>I've</em> been known to buy and raise bird dogs, buy and practice with an expensive shotgun, buy and drive a vehicle that can haul it all around, and then buy and use a permit so I can spend all day in a field hundreds of miles from where I live ... so that we can eat a few lean pieces of pheasant meat (with birdshot in it!) doesn't mean I think other people should buy expensive tools to make film spools. People just have no sense.</p>

<p>Oh, by the way, it is possible to order 3D printed objects at places like http://www.shapeways.com/about/how_does_it_work?li=home-learnmore</p>

<p>I have noticed that 116 spools on eBay have an asking price more than I have paid for rolls of 116 film. I haven't followed 620 as closely, though, but I think you can get some rolls of film for less than $10 each.<br>

I now have a 620 spool that came along with some rolls of 120 film, and a 127 spool and backing paper, for about $10.<br>

Still, it is nice to know that it can be done. The price will probably come down as the machines get more common. (And local services would avoid the shipping charge.)</p>

<p>If you took careful measurements you could make all three parts and epoxy them together. The center slit for the leader could be made with a dremel tool. It wouldn't have to look as neat as the one pictured. </p>

<p>It's a pretty spool, if it IS a spool. Looks like a computer generated image. Personally, the whole idea of these 3D printers is amazing. I'm pretty sure that once people get used to them and the prices go down (remember the thousand dollar 2.0 MP digicams in the early days?) we'll be seeing them in most people's homes, just like computers. Imagine, a friend could send your machine the proper file, and have it build a birthday gift for you right in your living room.</p>

<p>I think the picture is computer generated, but if you click the link you see a real one.<br>

Reminds me, 44 years ago I thought about respooling 620 film onto 120 spools, but never did it. There was a company selling "free film" (you pay shipping, I suppose) but in 620 not 120. About that time I went to mostly 35mm and so never tried.</p>

<p>All those colors are cute but it would be important that the spool not pass any light into the film.</p>

 

<p>It seems that the spools are black, but the computerized virtual picture makes them blue.<br>

So, light could get through from the end into the edge of the film? I suppose so.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>If you took careful measurements you could make all three parts and epoxy them together. The center slit for the leader could be made with a dremel tool. It wouldn't have to look as neat as the one pictured.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Spools should be very easy to make without any modern technology as that's the way they were originally made.</p>

<p>The blue spool is indeed computer-generated. An actual spool is shown below.<br>

The spools are printed in what I believe is white nylon resin, and painted black by the printing company (Shapeways). Other, more expensive, opaque materials are available. If your design is printable by an extrusion printer such as a MakerBot, colors are avialble, but this design is not suitable for that.</p><div></div>

<p>I was wondering more about the orange/red spools that were shown in a Kodak Brownie Hawkeye.</p>

<p>If they are made of nylon there's a good possibility of light transmission. The black paint is good prevention.</p>

<p>3D printing is going to be BIG. Especially if it can be done in metals like brass and aluminum.</p>

 

<p>How about a spool that has 620 ends but the thicker center of a 120 spool. That way it will fit 620 cameras but will be easier to respool film into. If you have ever used a cut down 120 spool to respool you will know what I am talking about.</p>

<p>The OD of 120 spool ends is larger, but maybe not that much larger.<br>

Otherwise, the roll might be too big for the spool ends.<br>

Look at the diameter of the paper (and film) on the two spools above.</p>

<p>There's just room on a 120 spool whose end disks have been cut down to 620 diameter to spool a roll of 120 film. However, the diameter of the respooled film is too large to fit in many 620 cameras because the roll will contact things inside the film chamber (the film tensioning clip, for example). Another problem is the length of the 120 spool, whose disks are thicker. Even an empty 120 reel cannot be loaded into a Medalist for that reason. Thinning the disks can solve that problem but it's much harder to do than reducing their diameter. Then there's the key on the winder that engages the spool, which on a 620 camera is too small to work reliably with the large holes on a 120 spool.</p>

<p>Not interested in 620, myself, but I would be very interested in 122. Do they have other sizes listed?</p>

<p>Anyone here have actual hands on experience with Shapeways software? I am thinking Minox and Minolta cassettes.</p>