Topic: Bulk loading and end-of-film fogging

[Ordinal]

I've just tried bulk loading with an old machine and a roll of expired HP5+, and (after a bit of messing about) I think its working quite well. There's just one thing - there's obviously a bit of blankness and fogging at the end of the roll as well as at the start, as you have to expose a bit of the end in order to tape it onto the reel.

Does anyone have any good tips to reduce this and/or know just before it's going to happen so as not to take that one picture that doesn't come out? Cameras seem not to stop early enough when winding on. Unfortunately I don't have a darkroom to load in, though I do have a changing bag.

[Francois]

When I load, I do all the film manipulations in total darkness. The bulk loader is never light tight when the door is open. I prepare my masking tape, turn off the light, position the film on the spool, tape it down on both sides, close the door, insert the winder. Only after all this that I turn on the light.

So far, that's worked pretty good as the only fog I got was caused by "old age".