Are stainless spirals easier for 120 ?

[Peter_Jones]

Having just had loads of fun trying to get 120 (Acros) onto Paterson spirals, and ending up with stress marks/kinks on the images 😡 , I'm seriously considering investing in stainless steel (and a larger changing bag).

How easy/difficult are they with 120 film ?

 

[kanzlr]

I cannot help you with the steel spirals, but I find it very easy to get 120 on my Jobo 1520 spirals.

 

[jtcliff]

I keep a hair drier handy. It has solved all my jammed film issues.

 

[Murchu]

Either a sadist or an idiot designed the Paterson reels with their tiny film guides. Buy plastic reels with big guards to guide the film on, they are out there, and will make life a lot easier..

 

[Mackinaw]

Easy as pie to load 120 film onto a stainless steel reel. Been doing it for 30+ years and never a mishap.

Jim B.

 

[jsrockit]

I always used plastic reels for 35mm and stainless for 120. I hated stainless for 35mm and hated the plastic for 120 due to similar issues.

 

[finguanzo]

Never had an issue with plastic reels..
Agree with Murchu, there are aftermarket paterson reels with the longer guides, makes it much easier.. As long as they are dry, Ive never had an issue..

 

[giellaleafapmu]

I find ss spirals the best and easiest to use both with 135 and 120 but that's what I use since...uh, too much time to dare to remember, so it could be just that i got used to them.

GLF

 

[f16sunshine]

Never had an issue with plastic reels..
Agree with Murchu, there are aftermarket paterson reels with the longer guides, makes it much easier.. As long as they are dry, Ive never had an issue..

You can order these updated plastic reels from Freestyle. One tip, remove the ball bearings straight away. They almost always jam and are completely unnecessary.

 

[animalhairs]

I always use stainless for 135 and 35.

 

[finguanzo]

I always wondered what the bearings were for...? Never seemed to really do anything..
Ill try pulling them out..
Thanks

 

[ianstamatic]

much prefer stainless for 120.
35 either plastic or stainless

 

[Murchu]

You can order these updated plastic reels from Freestyle. One tip, remove the ball bearings straight away. They almost always jam and are completely unnecessary.

I usually do the twisting motion, with which the ballbearings drag the film onto the reel. Without the ballbearings, do you just feed/ thread the film onto the reels?

By the way, definitely agree with all the posters that recommended bone dry plastic reels before you load them. The slightest and most imperceptibly wet plastic reels will drive you to almost pull out your hair..

 

[Vics]

Easy as pie to load 120 film onto a stainless steel reel. Been doing it for 30+ years and never a mishap.

Jim B.

I'll second that. Sacrifice a roll of film to practice.

 

[nightfly]

Hewes stainless steel reels for all formats are very easy to load. Cheap stainless steel reels can be a problem.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/714533-REG/Hewes_EKC012_120_Stainless_Steel_Developing.html

Once I discovered these I stopped using plastic for anything.

 

[Kenj8246]

The stainless reels are a bit easier once you figure out how to 'hold your mouth right' 🙂

Kenny

 

[wintoid]

I struggled with plastic, then I struggled with stainless. The difference is, I cracked it with stainless, and no looking back 😀 I would say Hewes stainless 35mm was easier to learn than Hewes stainless 120, but once you've learned it, it's so simple.

 

[semrich]

I'm with nightfly Hewes SS all the way, and check Calumet for a changing tent to make your life easy.

 

[t.s.k.]

SS reels for 120 is really a piece of cake and doesn't require much of a touch at all.
Compared to 220 and 135, the channels on 120 reels are so massive you'd be hard pressed to mis-load one, ever. Just be sure to get some high quality ones.
I used a plastic reel once.....that's all I have to say 🙂

 

[Vickko]

Exact same thing happened to me, fighting to load 120 onto Paterson spirals, and then to find buckling marks on the film.

Next day I took them to the local used camera store and came home with a set of steel reels.

Never even looked back. I suppose I feel guilty that some other poor person will be impacted by those Paterson reels. Maybe I should have just tossed them. But then, I wouldn't have been able to exchange for the steel reels.