Film curl makes load to reel a pain

[teitur_ardal_rosengren]

I have a trouble with loading my 135 films to the reel. When I get to the end of

the film strip the film is curled up really hard which makes it hard to roll it

on the reel.

 

I store my 135 film in a refrigerator, and take it out just before I develop it.

 

 

Maybe you feel this is a trivial question to post on this forum, but its just a

pain in the neck.. So if you have any advice, I will be really glad.

 

THANK YOU!

 

TEITUR

[john_shriver]

First, you have to be careful when refrigerating film. It must be in vapor-tight packaging, and must stay in that packaging until it reaches room temperature again. Otherwise water will condense on the film, and it will get wet, which will damage it.

 

If you're using a plastic reel, load from the leader end of the film, not the spool end. Be sure the reel (and the film) are absolutely dry. If you have dunked the reel in PhotoFlo or any other wetting solution, you need to scrub it in hot water to get any residue of it off -- the stuff is sticky. Your film is probably wet from condensation when you load it cold, which will also make it horribly sticky. (Wet gelatin is sticky.)

 

A quality metal reel (and old Nikor or Omega reel, or a new Hewes reel) is the most reliable way to go, once you learn how to load it it's foolproof. Sliding three feet of film down a long narrow groove is just asking for trouble in my experience.

[danielleetaylor]

Shoot digital ;-)

 

Seriously though...I try to keep the film on the spool and hold the reel and the film/spool so that as it comes off one it's going right on the other. If I let the film just drop and unroll then towards the end it does become a nightmare to get the film on the reel. At the beginning it's not that bad because the weight of the film is holding it relatively straight. But towards the end it's just a curly mess.

 

Once you get used to holding the reel and the spool and feeding right from one to the other, it's a more consistent process since you're not fighting the curl at the end.

[rustys pics]

"Daniel Lee Taylor wrote:

 

Shoot digital ;-)"

 

 

I tried that, but it's even HARDER to load those flash cards onto reels...

[thirteenthumbs]

Take the film out of the frig and sit on it for 30 minutes to an hour to get it up to room temperature. Use a film leader retriver and pull the film leader out until you are in the double sprocket holes. Cut the film square between sprocket holes. Fold the end of the film over until the sprocket holes from each side line up then crease the end of the film slightly to identify the center. Go into the darkroom or put everything in the changing bag and remove the film from the canister. Start the film on the reel using the crease at center as the centering guide. Cup the film slightly and turn the reel 1 revolution then check the edge of the film on the reel for a kink with the back edge of a fingernail. Continue rolling the film onto the reel and checking for kinks to ensure the film is loading correctly. When approaching the last turn of the reel, unroll the film off the spool and remove or tear the tape flush to the end of the film then roll the film backwards (opposite of how it was on the spool) then continue winding onto the reel. Sometimes the very end of the film has to be folded backwards and slightly creased to prevent it from touching the run under it when fully wond on the processing reel. I'm not familuar with plastic tanks or reels except for 4x5 as all my 35mm and 120mm has been done with stainless steel tanks and reels.

[Fotohuis RoVo]

Take time to let the film come on room temperature which will costs several hours and especially without condensation.

Loading under moisure circumstances is a pain in the ass!

 

Do not cut the leader in the sprockets and then you will see it's possible to load a 135-36 film within one minute into a reel.

I am loading over 40 years each film into a Jobo plastic tank and reel. No problem at all.

[ronald_moravec1]

Russ. you have to bend the flash cards first.

 

Enough jokes.

 

Clip the film between holes and them trim the sharp corners. Turn off the lights, open the can, and start pushing thru.

 

If you have dried wetting agent on a plastic reel, you will never get it off. Soak and scrub til the cows come home. It will not work.

 

With metal reels, I usually just let the coiled film run on my little finger. After every wrap, I give it a push to be sure it is on track. If it does not push, it is off track.

 

Cheap film causes more trouble.

[waite_watson]

The old 'Kodacraft' type aprons & tanks are the easiest way to do it.They are MUCH MUCH easier to load than any reel....metal or plastic.They work every time without fuss.You wont have to worry if you'll ever see the pictures you're taking because you'll blow getting it on the reel.It simply wont be a concern any more.Don't let anyone tell you other wise.Try it once & see for yourself. You'll never look back.They are available from freestyle under the 'Arista' name for about $5.00 tank & apron.That isn't much to risk.You can thank me later....& you will if you actually try them!

[Fotohuis RoVo]

For inverse processing you can use the Jobo 1510 for 35mm film, volume 250ml.

For 35mm and 120 roll film the 1520 (minimum volume 485ml). Extension is possible with the 1530 module. Further you can buy seperate spare parts like the red cap for replacement in a few years. In this way you can prevent a miserable leaking tank system.

 

If you want to go for rotary processing the better choice is the the 2500 series.

Together with the 2509N insert and reel you can also process 4x5" sheet film.

 

But also Paterson has a realiable tank system.

[christer_almqvist2]

Why on earth do you store the films in a fridge between exposure and development???

[john_stockdale2]

Leaving aside the issue of refrigeration, feeding the film into a plastic reel is easy or hard depending on the curl of the film. I trim between the sprocket holes, and cut a tiny bevel on each of the two corners. Then I bend the film to straighten it. It's a bit hard to describe, but I hold the bent film between thumb and finger and move the bend in the film back and forth a bit to make the end uniformly straight. When it's right I can push the whole film into the reel in just several seconds (if the air is dry). In humid weather I need to do the back and forth action with the two reel halves to help the film in.