AFLOO spring on which side of film?

[M9reno]

I have installed an AFLOO film winder on a desk in my basement and have begun rolling bulk film onto IXMOOs and FILCAs.

My question is about the little black spring arm on the AFLOO.

I have used the little arm so that its rollers come down over the film base side, as the film is wound on the spool.

This afternoon I was looking at Roger Hicks' site and noticed that on the last illustration in this page:
http://www.rogerandfrances.com/subscription/ps how load bulk.html
the little arm on his AFLOO seems to be making contact with the EMULSION side of the film, thus tensioning the film as it winds on from the bulk roll, so the opposite of what I have been doing. I assume this is the correct way of using AFLOO, so I will have to unscrew and re-install my AFLOO on the opposite end of my desk in order to bulk load in the same way as Roger.

Before I do so, could members kindly confirm: is the little arm on the AFLOO meant to touch the emulsion side of the film, in order to tension it, or the film base side of the film, in order to guide it?

Many thanks in advance for your help, Al

 

[Erik van Straten]

I would say Roger does it wrong here.

I always use my AFLOO like you. It works perfect, it takes just a little excercise to install the spool into the AFLOO in the dark.

I have mounted the AFLOO on the wall. I cut a piece of film of about 1.50 m and put a small weight at the bottom end and the spool on the other end. Next I attach the spool into the AFLOO and there you go.

Erik.

 

[Landshark]

I haven't got one but I'd question why anything should touch the emulsion side of the film.
Isn't the reason behind the Leitz cassete that nothing would touch it?

 

[rodinal]

Looking at the image you mention, I don't see the "little arm with rollers" at all. May be this is a primitive version of the AFLOO ? Anyway, if the arm was there (my AFLOO has that arm), this setup seems correct to me.

 

[Erik van Straten]

Looking at the image you mention, I don't see the "little arm with rollers" at all. quote]

On the page mentioned two devices are shown: the early (and rare) ASPUL, without the arm and the AFLOO we are talking about here.

Erik.

 

[rodinal]

ASPUL!, thanks for the information Erik.

To me, both images show the same device. Are we talking about this? :

(hope you don't mind, Frances & Roger)

 

[Erik van Straten]

Ah! Now I see it. I thought the part that is fixed to the wood blackened by the shadow of the film was the arm of the AFLOO. The OP must have made the same mistake.

You are right, both devices are the same, the ASPUL.

Pretty rare. I've been looking for one for years.

Erik.

 

[rodinal]

Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't see the arm down there (or, using the recently acquired knowlegde, I do see an ASPUL there).

Again, even if that was an AFLOO, there is no way the arm touches the emulsion unless you wind the film emulsion side out (bigger mistake). Look at yours and check.

Regards,

Marcelo

 

[M9reno]

Many thanks to all. Yes, clearly I mistook the shadow on the left of the winder for the arm. I guess also the film seems to bend slightly upwards at that point, as if held by something below it, but obviously just my imagination. I looked up some old AFLOO instructions this evening (in Lager's Leica Literature p. 469). The little "spring pressure roll" appears on the film base side.

 

[Tom A]

I agree - anything that touches the emulsion side is iffy. I don't use the AFLOO - just my outstretched arms (gives me 37-38 frames) as it is faster.
I used to have set up for it, with a shaft that would hold a 400 ft roll in one end and an AFLOO at the other end. It was a U shaped strip of aluminum ( I think it came from a display set up for something. I cut it to give me 5ft 5" length. The film spool was on a bracket with its shaft (and a wing nut holding it in place - after the whole reel feel on the floor once and happily uncoiled itself - all 400 ft!!!!) I would pull out the correct length and used a clamp at the spool end to hold the film down - attach it to the IXMOO spool - cut it at the clamp and start winding. Nice system - but even though it was hinged to fold up against the wall when not in use - it was bulky. Much slower than the outstretched arms too. The bolted to the wall feature came after I used it as "free standing" unit - holding it (in the dark) of course I knocked multiple bottles from a shelf - as well as a Gralab timer into the hypo! Amazingly enough, the Gralab worked for another 5-6 years after that.