Making it click

[mfogiel]

Like many of you, I am constantly "maturing" in my choices of equipment, film, procedures, etc. Each time I nail a solution that has been elusive for much time, it feels like a click in a time machine...
This happened to me when I bought the Nikon CS9000 scanner, when I matched Tri X with DD-X, when I put the 35/1.2 Nokton on my Zeiss Ikon, etc...

Today the click has been delivered by the newly acquired (from Calumet Photo in UK) Hewes 35mm stainless developing reels.

I haven't even tried them in daylight on an old piece of film, I just loaded up 4 rolls in the changing bag, and there was no glitch, everything went smooth from the start, no false loading, no need to unwind, rewind, no swearing, no sweating...
These reels are the best kept secret since the discovery of hot water... I remember sepiareverb writing something similar some time ago...
He was perfectly right. I saw that also Freestyle has them in stock, so if you think your reels suck, or if you are about to start developing for the first time, give these guys from Hewes a chance to stay in business, they definitely merit that...

 

[martin s]

Which ones did you use before?

martin

 

[chrismoret]

What is the big advantage of steel reels. Do they feed in the film more smoothly? Just bought a new Paterson set (2 reel tank)

 

[wgerrard]

Must be me, but I can't even load my Hewes reels correctly in broad daylight. Others swear by them, obviously.

 

[mfogiel]

I have used japanese steel reels, from JSU, I believe.
@chrismoret,
the advantage of steel reels is that they are more compact ( you use less developer, a 4 reel tank needs just 900cc), they let the developer flow better around the film ( less chance of getting the streaks, and easier washing), and obviously, they last forever, apart from these cheap ones that bend and become useless...

 

[MCTuomey]

micro-question for hewes users: does the leading film edge (that is secured to the "ears" at the center of the reel) have to be trimmed at a fairly precise 90 degrees (perpendicular) to ensure proper loading?

sorry for the OT question but my first experience with the hewes reels in the bag didn't go quite so well as marek's.

i need a "click" moment ...

 

[semrich]

mfogiel, welcome aboard. When I first considered developing my own film I read on a thread here glowing comments about Hewes SS reels. I trusted that and made them my choice. I've nothing to compare them to, I have them for 135 and 120 and loading film is a breeze with them. I would never consider anything else.

 

[mfogiel]

Well, before, I had to cut the film fairly straight, and then round the edges a bit, now, I just cut in one go. The cut has to be straight enough in order to avoid hooking up the film in a skewed manner, but in reality, if you insert the film slightly bent between your thumb and index finger, it will slide inside the reel in a straight manner, and as you pull, the hooks will engage the sprockets pretty easily. You can feel immediately if the film is straight, and from there on you just continue turning the reel around and feeding the film which remains gently pressed between your fingers. End of story - no need to pull push or check continuously if there are bulges, etc, it just works...

 

[Ranchu]

Hewes!

@ chrismoret: The Hewes are different than most (all?) other steel reels, there's no little clip to try to get the film under. They instead have two hooks that engage the sprocket holes on the end of the film. Then you just keep tension on the film and squeeze it a little and it spools up. The wire on the Hewes is also thicker than usual.

@MCTuomey: Mostly yes, the main thing is to get the hooks in the right holes so the film isn't loaded at an angle. If it's not spooling on right, that's probably the case.

 

[MCTuomey]

thanks very much, marek and ranchu

 

[PKR]

Thanks, I have a couple of banged up Nikors that need replacing. These look like they are much better made than what I have. p.

 

[semilog]

I really don't understand the hubbub over reels. A bent steel reel or a crufty (or wet) plastic one is a pain. Other than that, they all load just fine.

 

[wgerrard]

I really don't understand the hubbub over reels. A bent steel reel or a crufty (or wet) plastic one is a pain. Other than that, they all load just fine.

Probably because we're all just a bit obsessive.

I'm curious about alternatives to reels. Was there a time in photographic history when people used many things in addition to reels, but eventually settled on reels because they were the best idea? Granted, the film business doesn't seem likely to generate an interest in marketing alternatives, but are there, or have there been, any other kinds of contraptions used to hold the film while the chemicals do their dance? As long as the film doesn't crease and the fluids flow freely and equally, couldn't something other than a reel work just fine?

 

[drewbarb]

Yep. Ask anyone who has ever tried good reels like the Hewes ones, and 90% of them will tell you they'd never consider going back to any other reels, steel or plastic.

To answer Mike's question about using them- no, you don't need to make sure the leader is trimmed off exactly evenly. I actually don't even use scissors. I just tear off the leader in the dark, and load the film directly onto the reel. In ten years of using Hewes reels, I have never had a single mis-load. The little hooks that grab the leaders are great, but they aren't the only thing that makes the Hewes reels better. The thicker wires and great build quality make these reels the best steel reels out there.