Topic: HELP!!!! Loading 120 film

[choppert]

Using plastic reels to load 120 film.

It has just taken me 15 minutes to load one film in a dark room.

Has anyone any tips to make life easier?  When loading 35mm I start it off in the light and then switch the lights off and carry on loading, with 120 I have to start in the dark, and that's where I struggle!

Are metal reels any easier?

Thanks,


Chops

[al]

So is it just getting the front edge of the film onto the reels you struggle with?

Make sure the reel is totally bone dry.  Lay the reel down with the beginning of the slots facing directly toward you and learn how they feel so you can find them in the dark.  Some people even pop the ball bearings out of the reels for 120

My technique is to align the edge of the film with the reel until the film stops because it has hit the balls (!)

Then I hold the leading edge of the film between thumb and forefinger and pull it into the reel, then wind it in as normal.

Sacrifice an unused roll in daylight for practice? (I could never bring myself to do that though!)

I think it's just one of those things that you eventually get the hang of. I used to really struggle with both 35mm and 120. Tried a metal spiral for 35mm but found that even worse (though some people swear by them).  Now I can load up a reel in seconds without thinking about it 

[gregor]

Are you in your own darkroom or a public one? I've always used metal, but it seems like plastic is where most public darkrooms are going.  If it's your 1st roll, don't fret. It does get easier as you get an intuitive sense of the physical feel of loading in complete darkness.

It may be worth the time to take a developed roll, and feed it in a lit room so you can make a visual connection with the tactile feeling of loading - you'll have a picture of that in your mind when in you're in complete darkness.

[Karl]

Keep at it. It's worth sacrificing a roll and practising in daylight. I find 120 much easier than 35mm to load. The main thing to be aware of is that once you have separated the paper backing from the film there is a line of sticky tape attached to the film. Remove this VERY SLOWLY or it sends static sparks flashing across the undeveloped film.

[choppert]

Thanks guys.
This is about the 20th film I've loaded, but I seem to be getting worse at it!!!! 

It's getting the film going that I'm struggling with, I think I'm struggling with the whole curlyness of the film - as I start to get the film into the reel it tries to just roll back up!  I need a tip for getting the film passed the ball bearings.

I'm doing it with the reel vertical in my hands - would I be better with the reel horizontal?

I'm doing it in a light-tight downstairs loo - how on earth people cope with changing bags I have no idea!!!!

I did sacrifice a film and practice in the light, but here we still are.

HELP!

[al]

Really curly films can be a right pain.  With 35mm, I round off the corners with scissors before starting which makes it easier to get the film in - it might also work with 120, although using scissors in the dark is never easy!

After a few minutes bu**ering around with the film, you may have slightly creased/folded the corners which will make things even more difficult.  If it's not working after a couple of minutes, wind the roll and try the other end?

If the tape comes off the paper cleanly, I usually just fold it back and stick it onto the film rather than remove it, avoids the sparks and danger of creasing the film while pulling the tape off

[Diane Peterson]

I can so relate to this ...at first I asked people about the metal spools over plastic..and most of them laughed..one shop went so far as to tell me that when she went to school the plastic spools were not allowed..well after about 4 months I finally can do this thing in about a minute but it did not come easy!  just keep practicing and you will get it!  not sure if I will ever get the hang of the metal spools.. I guess I would have flunked that part of the class!..regardless...I think I will stick with plastic!

[Ed Wenn]

Chops, sorry you're having problems with the 120 loading. It's been a few years now since I last devved my own film, but I used to struggle a bit too when I first started. I can gurantee that everyone here feels your pain; we all had to go through it at one time or another. I practised in the daylight and seem to remember finding a 'knack', some trick that then enabled me to load without any serious issues from that point onwards (despite the odd setback from time to time). I used a black bag & plastic spools & ended up, like Al, not even really thinking about it. For the first few months though I used to sweat buckets trying to get the bl**dy thing on the spool.

There...as usual I've been no help whatsoever.

 

[Francois]

although using scissors in the dark is never easy!

That's why I have a pair of kid's safety scissors in my darkroom
(better safe than bleeding )

I've never tried it but leaving the film on the plastic reel while you wind might make things easier.

[sapata]

I've been using plastic reels for years and I can load 35mm really fast, but those bloody 120s are a real pain !! I've tried ever single thing (apart from scissors) and still get trouble. My wife can hear me swearing in the toilet all the time I have to looad 120 

[mikeg]

I feel your pain too!

I hate loading 120 and still make mistakes. Here's what I do and works most of the time.

First I take about 10cm of scrap 120 film and place it just into the spool (Paterson plastic) and under the ball bearings, so that it forms a guide for the film.

Then in the dark, I completely take off the backing paper, fold over the masking tape on the end and re roll it so that the end without the tape goes in first.

Then I use the film leader in the reel as a guide to help me feed the film under the lips of the reel to the ball bearings. I then pull both films through with my thumb and forefinger so that the actual film is past the ball bearings and the scrap film leader comes through so I can take it away.

That's my way and it works for 95% of the time.

Other people use the end with the masking tape folded down so that it makes the film stiffer and easier to push under the lips on the reel. I sometimes end up doing this, although it can be difficult to get the end under the ball bearings. Cutting off the corners can make it easier.

Best though is to practice lots in daylight and with your eyes closed.

Mike

[LT]

The only tips I can add are ALWAYS cut off the film corners at the leading edge & always keep exposed film in the fridge so it is nice and cold when you load it - if warm, the gelatine will readily absorb any damp in the air making it swell and very difficult to load. This is quite a problem in a changing bag, but there's no reason to think it wouldn't be in an warm humid open darkroom aswell. 

Waste a film (literally) and practice in the daylight until you are confident. 

[Nigel]

I agree with Leon, I think the important trick is cutting the corners off. The first couple of films I did I really struggled, I then started trimming the corners and bingo, it was much easier. I'm using Paterson plastic reels - but they do have to be bone dry!

It will come.

[vicky slater]

keep practicing and soon you'll be able to do it in the dark!


tee hee

[Janet_P]

I always have exactly this problem, and I've developed loads and loads and it always takes me a minimum of 15 minutes + 3 choice swear words, so I am eagerly noting down the tips and tricks here. I always find that the longer you leave film rolled the harder it is to load onto a reel so I try to load as soon as the film is finished.
At least you know you're not on your own...

[Francois]

If you suspect humidity might be on the reel, you can always use a hairdryer on medium heat to make sure.

I know a guy at a pro lab who also used a hairdryer to dry out Polaroid passport photos faster. (but that's a whole other subject)

[Pete_R]

My way...

Unroll the backing paper until you get to the film then tear off the backing paper about an inch or so behind the leading edge of the film. You now have the reel of film (still wound up) with backing paper around, it so that you can safely hold it, with about an inch of bare film sicking out. By having the film still on the reel it helps to keep the leading edge of the film flat. While holding the rolled up film in one hand, and using a finger under the leading edge of film to keep it sticking out (can't explain it any better), have the spiral in the other hand, resting on a table and with your finger and thumb holding the edge of the spiral right where the film needs to go in. Bring the two together and using the fingers holding the spiral to feel where the film is, start the film into the slot. Push it as far as the balls and then you can unwind the film and carry on.

Actually, that's not exactly what I do. I've posted this before but I cut two notches in my spirals so I could feed the film in after the balls. So, I start the film through the notches then just keep unrolling the film bit by bit from one hand and just continue pushing it into the spiral.

[LT]

once you get proficient  - you can graduate onto getting 2 films onto one reel which gives you two films for the price of one load of developer ... it's tricky, but once you master it, it makes so much sense.  I unroll 2 films and remove the backing paper in the darkbag.  I then stick the end of one film onto the start of the other using the sticky tape already on the film which gives me the equivalent of a 220 roll.  This is then fed onto the spiral as normal .... 2 films deved in 600ml of developer.  You know it makes sense

[sapata]

once you get proficient  - you can graduate onto getting 2 films onto one reel which gives you two films for the price of one load of developer ... it's tricky, but once you master it, it makes so much sense.  I unroll 2 films and remove the backing paper in the darkbag.  I then stick the end of one film onto the start of the other using the sticky tape already on the film which gives me the equivalent of a 220 roll.  This is then fed onto the spiral as normal .... 2 films deved in 600ml of developer.  You know it makes sense

This is wonderful ! Really great idea !

My only concern is about the tape going into the chemical, I was taught that we have to cut the tape because the glue can react with the chemicals. Also... does the tape runs smooth in the reel ?

[LT]

This is wonderful ! Really great idea !

My only concern is about the tape going into the chemical, I was taught that we have to cut the tape because the glue can react with the chemicals. Also... does the tape runs smooth in the reel ?

the tape makes no difference to the chemicals, I can assure you. and provided you cut it (and the piece of film to which it has been stuck) off after washing, there's no worries with contamination after washing either.

Provided you line up the films correctly when you tape them together, the tape goes through the ball bearings with no problems.  I've been doing it for 9 years now  - no adverse effects at all.

[Heather]

I wonder if this is of any use to helping you. This is how I load my 120 film.




Two fingers top edge, two fingers bottom edge, pull through. If it's curly and getting stuck on the balls, press down a little to get the curve of the film to go up and over - trying to force it won't work.


I would have thought cold film = condensation = more stickiness, Leon?
I do the "piggyback" two 120s onto one spool when I have 2 rolls of the same exposure/dev times. Even on normal film i leave the tape on the end. Never had a problem with it and gives the clothes peg something to hold onto when hanging up to dry.

[LT]

I would have thought cold film = condensation = more stickiness, Leon?

not at all - makes for much easier film loading - provided you load it as soon as you take it out of the fridge. try it and you'll see.

[Stu]

I find that in the barkroom its the sticky ball-bearings that make things difficult.

(Decided against saying 'it's the sticky balls that make things hard.'
bet you're gave that a miss. Phew.)

[sapata]

This is wonderful ! Really great idea !

My only concern is about the tape going into the chemical, I was taught that we have to cut the tape because the glue can react with the chemicals. Also... does the tape runs smooth in the reel ?

the tape makes no difference to the chemicals, I can assure you. and provided you cut it (and the piece of film to which it has been stuck) off after washing, there's no worries with contamination after washing either.

Provided you line up the films correctly when you tape them together, the tape goes through the ball bearings with no problems.  I've been doing it for 9 years now  - no adverse effects at all.

Leon,
Thanks a lot... I'll have a go next time for sure, it saves time and money !