Bulk Loading. Who is doing it?

[frank.schifano]

OK, so I thought I'd just throw this out there. I've been bulk

loading my B&W films for a long time. Over the years the practice has

proved to be very economical for me. I'm curious about how many of

you are doing this.

[john lehman, college alask]

Since 1970

[rustys pics]

I do it on a semi-regular basis. However I have problems with scratches on the film. I think

the only way to beat that is buy new cassettes after about 10 uses.

[jay_de_fehr]

I have 5 bulkloaders loaded with different films. I find it very convenient and economical.

 

Jay

[zenit_zepplin]

doing it and liking it, I certainly could not have afforded shooting as much slide film had it not been for it.

[robert meier]

I have gone back to it after not loading for ten years or so. I came back because I can get Fuji Neopan 400, my favortie film, in 100' rolls but not in 36 exp. rolls. B&H seems to be perpetually out of it.

[conrad_hoffman]

Always have, probably always will.

[lex_jenkins]

Routinely for Tri-X, less so for other films.

[ronald_moravec1]

since 1970. I feel like I`m wasting money if I buy a factory roll.

[grinder]

I have bulk loaded loaded APX100 for about 3 years, probobly 4 100 foot cans APX and 1 Tri-X 1 HP5.

[elek_ludvigh]

Hi All,

I do it similarly to Jay D F above and have been since 1966. I have had virtually no problems and find it much more economical. From start to finish, working leisurely, it doesn't take more than two minitues to spool up a 36 exposure roll. This means I am being paid roughly $50.00 per hour for my time since it cuts film cost approximaterly in half or more.

 

Jay L.

[jim_appleyard]

Is there another way?

[jmack]

I have been bulk rolling for years and my problem was end caps coming off.I have been advised to buy the plastic cassettes that twist on.B&H sells them for a cheap price and I should have been doing this instead of the cheaper metal ones.

[Mike Gammill]

Been bulk loading for a long time. I now use three loaders: one with Ilford Pan F+, another with Ilford HP5+, and a third that sometimes has Plus-X, Tri-X, or Agfa APX 100.

The price on APX 100 ($23.95 USD) at most places.

[jeffpolaski]

I do. I stopped fooling around with reuseable cassettes, and stop by my local quick processing shop for a bagful of used cassettes. I tape the end of my bulk roll to the stub left on the used cassette, and load away. Been doing this for a while: no scratches, no light leaks, and the folks at the store think it's pretty neat.

[skygzr]

All my B&W film is bulk loaded, and has been for years.

[jordan_w.]

I bulk load my film whenever I can. I have a couple of bulk loaders, one always has HP5+ in it, the other "rotates" between FP4+, Efke 25, Kodak 5302, various Fuji slide films, XP2 Super, etc.

 

The best aspect for me is the real bargains you can usually get on expired 100' rolls. I got 100' of XP2 for $10, 100' of Velvia for $5, 100' of Efke 25 for $15, etc.

[mfophotos]

I have been doing it since 2000, when I got serious about photography. I must have at

least a half-dozen bulk loaders, and more seem to find me as people go off to digital. It's

saved me a ton of money.

[battra92]

About 99% of my 35mm B&W is bulk loaded. Of course I also get 99% of my film for free as I'm in my college's photo club. A local film developing lab gives us the 35mm cassettes for free as they would just throw them away so we toss them after one use.

[bj_bignell]

I do it too. Just finished rolling up my first two bulks rolls, Provia 100F and Delta 100.

 

It's been cheap, but I had trouble with the bulk loader that I kept the Provia in; somehow, I was getting light leaks. It could have been the cassettes, too, so when they're empty they're all going in the garbage bin. I was using plastic cassettes, and they were already well-used by the previous owner. I'm trying the metal cassettes now.

 

I'm going to try my hand at bulk rolling on the road; I'm going backpacking in Europe for up to a year, and I'm gonna take one bulk loader, and a new roll of Provia. We'll see if it's worth it.

[robert_kerwin]

I've been doing it for about three years. It saves money and I like having the flexibility to load short rolls when I need to (for testing, etc.).

[frank.schifano]

Well, this has generated more answers than I expected so far. John, I hear what you're saying about the end caps coming off. It's happened to me on a couple of occassions, but I still use the metal cassettes. The plastic cassette's dimensions are slightly larger and are a tight fit in the Lloyds bulk loader. They work fine in the Alden 74 loader though. Some cameras might have a problem with the slightly larger dimensions of the plastic cassettes as well, but I haven't run across anything catastrophic yet. The only camera related problem I've witnessed with the plastic cassettes was the failure of a Nikon F4's auto-rewind mechanism to trigger at the end of the roll. Fortunately, the camera has a manual rewind handle and that worked just fine. Russ, I can't really say that I've had problems with scratches on either the film emulsion or support. The key is keeping the felt on the cassettes and the loader, if so equipped, spotlessly clean. Ronald, and everyone else citing economy as an overriding factor, I hear you loud and clear. It just kills me to buy a factory load when I can do the same thing in bulk for about 1/2 the price.

[jim_appleyard]

I asked about good re-loadable cassettes on APUG and the overwhelming majority agreed that Kalt made the best ones.

[ronald_moravec1]

B and H plastic cassets will not work in any of mt Leicas, screw, m, or R. They release 12 exposures or so and jam.

 

Went back to the metal Kalts. Just got 100 for $59 at Calumet. Use them 5 or ten times and toss.

 

Keep them clean in the plastic film cans from when you used to waste money and/or plastic bags at ALL TIMES. Dust may be abrasive and scratch the film.

[silent1]

Bulk loader (thrift store): $5. Expired Tri-X 100 foot: $19 Reusable cassettes, qty. 18, $22. Having 18 rolls of Tri-X I can afford: Priceless.