patterson reels

[jermaine_scott]

are metal reels any easier to load than plastic patterson reels. im

having huge problems getting my film loaded.

[jay ott]

Yes and no. Plastic reels are impossible to load if they are wet. Plastic reels are very easy to load if they are bone dry. One trick for plastic reels is to start about 6 inches of film onto the reel in room light.

[jermaine_scott]

mine were bone dry. i love dev my own film, but this loading film is taking all the fun out of it. im using a bag to load my film. i had to sit in from of the fridge with the door open so that the film didnt get too hot and start sticking together. that has happened before.

[joe_s7]

any easier? no. actually, they can be much more difficult. I've noticed that after a while, certain Patterson reels just won't a ccept film any longer, then I toss them & buy new ones. this seems to happen about once every 10 years or so. as things go, Patterson are the most dead simple to load.

 

why are you having to sit in front of the fridge? are you in the congo or something? you shouldn't be having that problem at all

[bruce_karnopp1]

Paterson reels are difficult - in part - because of the narrow flanges. I suggest you look for the Ultra Reels that have flanges of 3/4", These are much easier to load ... especially for 120 film.

 

Then the trick is to feed the film in straight. This isn't too hard, but there is a device made by NOVA in England that will hold the reel and film straight. Using these two devices will make loading the film a real pleasure.

 

And the Ultra (sometimes called EASY LOAD) reels fit the Paterson tanks just like the Paterson reels.

[michael_ferron1]

I'm pretty new to the darkroom and my first roll of 35mm on a plastic reel, in a changing bag took a while. Don't give up though. I can often do it first try now. My first roll of 120 took 1/2 hour. Almost gave up on that one. :0

[jermaine_scott]

well, that bag tens to get hot when your hands are in it for 35 minutes or so.

i must admit this only my 6th roll of film ive developed. ill get the hang of it.

[maddog50]

I just bought a Kindermann tank and reel for 120 film and it was a breeze A little tricky at first but i practiced on an exposed film strip to get the hang of it Went right on with no problems Also for 1 roll of 120 film it takes less developer than the Patterson tank Mark

[erwin_b__zurich_]

I always use Paterson reels and never had serious problems,

but I never use a bag. My suspicion is that the reels

become a bit moistened inside the bag. Another problem

comes when one tries to get the film on the reel immediately

after winding it back. Then the film is curved

in "wrong" way for a couple of hours, and it gets indeed

difficult to have it on the reel.

[lex_jenkins]

Be sure the ball bearings that function as a simple anti-reverse device aren't jammed. They're captive in slots on either side of the reel where the film is first inserted.

[pnance]

Your hands in a small bag do tend to make things hot. If your bag is large enough, try putting a small box inside to create more room, it helped me when I was using a changing bag. Cut some of the box away leaving enough to support the bag's shape.

 

Stainless steel reels are harder to learn to load, but always work as long as you don't get them bent. They even work when wet.

 

Also, you might test your plastic reel with some spare film before you load things in the bag, this will ensure the little ball bearings are working.

[frank.schifano]

The Ultra reels with the wide flanges beat the pants off the plastic reels with the narrow flanges for getting the film started and for keeping it on track. Working in a dark bag isn't helping you much either. The sweat from your hands is enough moisture to gum up the works with plastic reels.

[melvin_bramley]

I have found the Paterson reels to be the best but have to agree that after a few years they stick & should be thrown away.I must ask what are ULTRA reels?

[chris_waller]

I've used the same Paterson reels for 22 years with no difficulty. As above, make sure they are dry; make sure the ball-bearings are there (one each side) and free to move. Never scrub the reels to clean them, this just roughens the surface and makes them pick up gelatin off the film.

 

One important question: does your camera put reverse curl on the film, i.e. does it wind the film on to the take-up spool against the natural curl of the film as it is in the cassette? If so, then when you unlaod your film, let it rest for 24 hours to resume its original curl.

 

Cut off the corners of the leading end of the film to make it easier to slide into the spiral (see attached illustration).<div></div>

[john_shriver]

Loading a metal reel is like a riding a bicycle. A little tricky to learn, but dead simple once you learn it. It's a matter of developing the feel for what's going on, it's really a matter of trusting the film to do the right thing. Once you get that feel, you have it forever. I can do all the way up to 122 size (that's over 3-1/2 inches wide).

 

A few caveats. One, you need good reels, not cheap ones that are out of square or otherwise bent. (Forget the Chinese ones, quality control isn't part of the "Five Year Plan".) Two, get a large roomy changing bag. I've got an old Burke and James "Rixo" that's 3 feet on a side, and is rubberized cotton, not hot and sweaty black synthetic like the new ones.

[lex_jenkins]

Chris, that's an excellent diagram. I've tried many times to explain the best way to cut a film leader and how to trim the leader for loading onto reels. Cutting between the sprocket holes is important because it keeps film chips from clogging up the takeup spools in the camera, getting jammed in the film door hinge or light seals, causing a light leak, as well as making loading onto reels easier.

 

But that diagram says it all and better. Feel free to reuse it when the specific topic arises in the future. That'll increase the chances of others finding it when they search the archives.

[michael erlich]

As far as Paterson reels becoming impossible to load after a few years, I think the culprit is wetting agent. No matter how you rinse the reel, wetting agent like Photo-Flo will build up a residue that is impossible to remove. I take the film off the reel after the wash and dunk it into a separate tank of dilute Photo-Flo.

[rick_waldroup3]

Erwin is dead on in his answer. Make sure you let the film relax before trying to load. Many years ago I worked for a place where I processed upwards of 64 rolls at night. We used Patterson reels and 8-roll tanks. I never had to use a changing bag which will cause moisture. I had a changing room to load the film. Usually I could just push the film onto the reel, if it stopped or jammed,I then "cranked" it on. I still use Patterson reels today, and I process at least 10-20 rolls a week. I do replace them about every 10-15 years.

[miss pentax]

If you find it difficult, you could always try loading some spare film on in the light, that way you can see if they work correctly, and also get used to the correlation of what it feels like when the filmis being loaded correctly with seeing it. Then practice in the dark. My photo teacher made us practice like this, and it really made the difference, I think.

 

Personally, I'd look for the reels with the huge tabs on them, because it makes working by touch much easier.

[pete_andrews10]

Every professional darkroom I've worked in has used stainless reels, with not a single plastic reel in sight. Enuff said?