getting 120 film onto plastic reels

[janet cull]

Processing 120 film is new for me. Getting it on the reel without

those little sprocket holes like the 35mm film has is for the birds!

What's the trick? Thanks.

[ann_clancy3]

It takes a little practice, if you can get a old roll of 120 film and work with it in the daylight it will help. practice is the key. After a few try's close your eyes. Just remove the film from the otter wrap and place film under the notch on the reel and walk it forward using an action of moving one side of the reel and then the other.

[johan_van_t_leven]

It's much easier than loading 35 mm film. Just take care that the reels are dry.

 

Johan van 't Leven

[bernard_wiessner]

I removed the silver bearings from my plastic 120 reel then melted a tiny bit of the plastic down at the spindle after making sure the entrance slots were opposite each other.This locks the reel and then I slide the film into the reel.

[lex_jenkins]

This is one of those tasks that only a live demonstration or video can adequately convey. Unfortunately I don't own a camcorder and my digicam will give me all of 20 seconds or so of "video."

[nige_buddy]

Lex, that should be enough ;)

 

I load my 120 slightly uniquely (ie. I've never heard of anyone else doing it the same) in that I unroll the paper backing until I feel the film and I cut the paper off leaving an inch of film sticking out. I trim the corners by putting my finger over the end (dig the point into your skin) and run the scissors along ones finger as a giude. I can chomp off the tinyist amount which is good cause if you chop too much off it will cause more problems than if you don't trim the corner at all. I then poke the exposed bit of film into the reel take up notches. Once the ball bearing have hold I push a little bit more in to ensure it gets past the bends in the path. Once I'm happy, I drop the film and shuffle it on. Whole process takes between 1 and 2 minutes. If I'm using a change bag, then I usually hold the reel up off the bench to allow the film some room to drop down and un spool. As mentioned, it's probably best to waste a roll and see what you're trying to do in the light 1st (not that I was suitably sensible on my 1st one... I did load the film fine in the reel, I just happened to load it inside out in the camera and got nothing anyway!)

[joey]

The easiest way to load 120 on plastic reels is to sell them and buy some metal reels. I HATE loading 120 film on those plastic things! 35mm is ok, but bigger, no way...

[doug_bennett]

Johan and Nige have it right: a very slight trim of the leading corners of the film, and DRY reels. I dry my reels and my hands with a hair dryer before beginning. I used both steel and plastic, and much prefer the plastic, but dryness is critical.

[wclark5179]

If you have an old roll of film that you may throw away or buy an inexpensive roll (TMX is $1.79 at B & H)and try sacrificing this roll, take it off of the reel, remove the paper backing and tape. Practice loading it on to your reel in the daylight. <P>Yes, you'll ruin the roll of film but I believe you can work on getting it on to your film reel successfully in the daylight. Then take the same roll of film and try putting it on in the dark and turn on the lights and see how you did. Keep at it until you're successful. And keep the film in a drawer in case you need it to practice it again or maybe if you buy another system. Hope this helps and keep at it and you will succeed!

[nacio_jan_brown3]

When you have unrolled the film to the place where the paper backing is attached, pull the paper off the tape, leaving the tape attached to the film. Then fold the tape over the end of the film, making it stiffer and easier to handle. As suggested above, trim just a bit off each leading corner of the film. I use fingernail clippers for this. njb

[harry_seldon_____aka____fl]

There are some plastic reels with wide flanges on the slots that guide the film into the slot. I just saw them for the first time the other day. You might check with your local camera store, or check some of the manufacturers websites. I haven't actually tried one, but they look look like you could slip that film in there with heavy mittens on.

 

Of course it you want to impress people, forget the plastic reels and go straight to stainless steel. Stainless are easier to clean and are preffered by pros. They will be more difficult to get used to and if you are not in it for the long haul, plastic will get the job done. Plastic reels absorb minute amounts of chemical and do wear out and break. Stainless reels will last a lifetime. Still a plastic reel can last a long time if taken care of.

[chris_waller]

I work in a 3" deep plastic tray (horticultural type) to keep everything safe. First, put the reel down on a flat surface with the entrance to the spiral facing towards you. Make sure the two lugs are in line. Next, take the roll of film, tear the little paper strip and start to unroll it until you reach the actual film. Tear off the backing paper up to that point. Now place your first three fingers together flat underneath the film and your thumb on top. With your free hand hold the developing reel steady and place your thumb on the plastic lug at the entrance to the spiral. Pull the film into the entrance to the spiral. You will feel the film scratching against your thumb as you approach the entrance to the spiral. Pull the film just beyond the ball bearings so that it is gripped. Now start to crank the reel to winch the film in. Voila!

[winfried_buechsenschuetz1]

I had some problems with getting 120 film on plastic reels (JOBO style, actually my tank is a JOBO imitation made by Plastimat in Czechoslovakia).

 

1. Never unroll the film/backing paper completely, it will get curled and it will almost be impossible to get it on the reel.

 

2. Hold the film spool close to the reel, unroll the backing paper until you catch the beginning of the film. Pull it into the spiral groove. DO NOT cut off the edges, this will cause the extreme end of the film to curl inwards. If you wish to cut off the edges, cut them off less than 1/16inch on either side so that the film leader is still captured by the spiral rails.

 

3. Unroll the film on the spool a few inches more and push the film into the spiral groove. Hold your palms against the flanges and push the film forward using your thumbs. Press them slightly against the film when turning the reel flanges forward and release the film when turning the flanges backward.

[lex_jenkins]

Winfried's post demonstrates why there's no substitute for personal experience. Our preferences for loading 120 film couldn't be more different. But whateven works for each of us is perfectly valid.

 

Janet, the short answer is that it's going to take lots of practice.

 

And that's assuming your plastic reel isn't faulty and the bearings aren't jamming - one or two of my several plastic reels have developed such quirks. One won't load at all anymore, the other only likes to load 120 because the slightly thinner film base will pass under the ball bearing while thicker 35mm stock tends to bind. And the other reels work fine with anything.

 

Wish I had a camcorder, I'd make a video. Maybe I can piece together an mpeg using short video clips from my digicam.

[winfried_buechsenschuetz1]

"Winfried's post demonstrates why there's no substitute for personal experience. Our preferences for loading 120 film couldn't be more different. But whateven works for each of us is perfectly valid."

 

Thanks for THAT feedback. I have seen much more intolerant answers when describing one of my methods. Doctors seem not to be the only people sometimes having opposite opinions about the same matter...

 

However, the only advice is to find your own method - or at least find your own faults. Believe me, sometimes it took me 15min or longer to spool a 120 film which now is done in a minute or so.

[lex_jenkins]

Winfried, I can't tell from your reply but I hope you understand that I'm not being critical of your technique! I'm simply acknowledging that each of us develops a preferred approach to everything we do in the darkroom and that there's generally no single correct way as long as the practices are fundamentally sound.

 

My apologies if there was any misunderstanding.

[cameron_sawyer]

Use metal reels. Really. Practice in daylight.

 

The main trick is hold just the right curve in the film so that it slips right into the slots between the wire as you turn the reel with your other hand. Don't wrinkle the film by curving it too much or jamming it in with it curved not enough.

 

Use cotton gloves -- not only will you avoid fingerprinting the film, but the film will slide better through your fingers as it slides onto the reel.

 

It's really not hard, and once you get it down once you'll never forget.

[don_karon1]

I agree with the suggestion to use metal reels. I found that the moisture caused by my arms and hands (I live in a warm place) in the changing bag was more than enough to cause the film to jam in the reels. I went back to metal reels which don't depend on some little finicky widget working well.

[darryn_richter1]

I know this a little late in the thread, however my technique has worked 100% since I first started with MF 6 months ago with a a Rollei TLR. I had extreme trouble with the first roll, which prmpted the following -

 

1) Sacrifice 3 - 4 frames of old film. (Any 120 film, processed, colour, whatever) to act as a leader.

 

2) WITH LIGHTS ON, thread the leader film through the reel, past the bearing leaving about an inch or so, to act as a tongue

 

3) Place a 4cm piece of masking tape on the UNDERSIDE (emulsion) side of the leader film, such that there is an overhang of 3-5 mm of TAPE extending from the end of the leader film. This patch of sticky is going to adhere to the START of your film to be processed

 

4) With the lights out (or in a change bag), unravel the film to be processed until you reach the emulsion. With one hand on the leader (fingers either side as a guide), and another on the film to be processed, marry the two so that they join squarely and evenly). YOu film to be processed is no attached to the leader which has already been threaded. Now just roll it on like a 35 mm reel. I usually pull the paper off the emulsion at the end of the film, and double over the little bit of tape on the end so that it doesn't touch any other layers of emulsion on the reel.

 

This is easier that it sounds and is foolproof for me. I'v used the same leader now for maybe 30 rolls of 120, it doesn't wear out!!

[pete_su]

I could never get 120 film on plastic reels. I tried for years but finally gave up after I

ended up shining light on 4 rolls of film in my Jobo tank.

 

With a bit of practice, stainless reels are really much better for this. Buy the Hewes. I

never, ever, missed once with the Hewes.