bulk loading cassettes

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dfoo

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I bought two kinds of cassettes. The metal ones from Freestyle, and some plastic ones from Henrys in Toronto. The plastic ones are garbage! They seem to leak light, because many of the edges of the film are burned, and in some cases the burn leaks onto the film, which ruins the shot. I'd like to get some IXMOO cassettes to avoid the felt light trap, but that is proving difficult. Anyone have any other recommendations for cassettes which are readily available, and high quality?
 
I just use discarded C-41 cassettes from my local lab. Typically the cassettes are completely intact and a bit of film is sticking out, which can be easily spliced with Scotch tape. Works like a charm and costs nothing. I use them once and then discard them. Obviously the felt traps should be checked before use, but I've never had issues with scratching negatives.
 
I managed to get a bunch of spent cartridges from my local Costco lab. To load the film in their machine (probably all labs do the same), they extract the leader and roll in it, cutting it near the end. They leave about 1cm of film sticking out. With that, you can tape your film to it and reuse the cartridge. I use regular cellophane tape and stick the end of the new film into the cartridge felt, then tape it. Makes it easier to spool back in (already "threaded").

In works ok. You can also pop the bottom off the cartridges with some pliers, and they're still useable (if you loose the 1cm end).
 
In the past I have used the generic plastic cartridges from B&H and have not had a problem with light leaks. I stopped using them because I worry that I might accidentally unscrew the cap on one of them. Also, on the ones that I have the cap has a small projection which is supposed to match up with the slot in the body. If the two do not line up properly it is hard to get the cartridge in and out of my bottom loading Leicas.

For anything important, I use the Kalt metal cartridges.
 
I've used both plastic and metal cartridges for bulk loading.
I didn't like plastic too much, the screw cap never felt too secure for my tastes. I also started to get scratches when I wound film to 36 exposures.
Metal cartridges were better, easier to use and I didn't get scratching issues.

My favorites for bulk loading is reusing film cartridges either ones that I have used or the ones from a lab. When I cut the film for developing I leave a cm or two and save it for bulk loading. I tape the film to the tongue of the cartridge, close the loader and wind on.

For a watson loader I wind on 44 times to get enough film for a 36 exposure roll. I came to that number though trial and error, it works great and gives me a nice 1-2 frame buffer since the very end of the bulk film is fogged from being exposed to light.
 
I've used the plastic ones with the quarter-turn twist top and they work just fine too. You just have to line up the end cap correctly. I like the Kalt, but I really like the Kodak canisters the best. I was able to buy a box of 20 from a photo store that was going out of business a couple of years ago. Watch out for the cheaper black metal ones with snap on end caps. The end cap has a propensity to pop off when dropped.

The only problem with bulk loading is that you get exposed leaders on both ends of the roll of film.
 
Those plastic sound like the ones I've used. I don't know what is going on, but as I said the film is definitely exposed on the leader at the start (or perhaps the end?) of the roll. I loaded them in complete darkness, so it wasn't at the loading point either.
 
I've noticed occasional edge exposure as well. There is no felt on the ends where the spool sticks out, so it's really down to the plastic-to-plastic tolerances. I don't imagine the metal snap-on ones are any better, but I've not used them for a long time. I usually bag them once I've loaded them, so they aren't sitting around in daylight. Maybe that would help in your case as well. Once in a while the felt folds over while loading & I usually toss them at that point, my guess after about 10 reloads or so.
 
I use both metallic and plastic ones. I haven't noticed light leaking problems or scratched film with either but the snap cap on my metallic cartridges is becoming frighteningly loose after a couple of refills. So I tend to use more the plastic ones.

Btw. a note for European bulk loaders. I recently found a new European online shop that offers bulk loading eqipment: http://www.generalphoto.biz/ I haven't ordered anything from them yet but I heard one or two positive comments.
 
I'm also a big fan of scrounging used cassettes from the local Kodak one hour. They are easy to load and as said all you have to do is quickly check the light trap before loading.

And it's recycling! 🙂
 
I have about one hundred and twenty of the Kodak Snap Caps, which I like. Mostly use Eastman XX in those, loading by hand. Use masking tape for those ones.

I also use spent cartridges (Kodak and Fuji) from the local one-hour lab. Use those with my daylight bulk loaders. Scotch tape works well with this method.
 
Ixmoo type cassettes are the best if you can find them. In college I put hundreds of rolls thru the Nikon equivalent. I've been accumulating ixmoo from e bay but it takes patience. Do an e bay search using the words "Leica film" It will pull up about 100 items and if you are lucky there will be a few ixmoo there. Be aware there are several types of Leica cassette. For an M you want the cassette with the chrome button not the black button. Sellers often pass off older filca cassettes as fitting an M but they do not. You should not have to pay more than $15 for a nice one if you are patient. Buying in groups is best. I have gotten them for as little as $5 apiece. Good Luck. Joe
 
dfoo said:
This item the seller says is M, but according to what is written above is not:

http://cgi.ebay.ca/LEITZ-LEICA-M3-M...ltDomain_0?hash=item518c4c76d4#ht_3514wt_1159

Not that I'd pay $50+ for a film cassette! Why did Leica stop manufacturing the IXMOO anyway?
Click to expand...

That is indeed a screw-mount IXMOO cassette. The can is wrong to as those came in aluminum cans. The box/can are for a "proper" IXMOO. It is most unfortunate that one cant modify the basplate of the M's to take the older style.
I think Leica stopped making the IXMOO's in the early 80's. Most of them were bought by hospitals and research facilities for copy photography. Unfortunately, most were thrown out when they went digital or changed the equipment to other systems. I know of one instance were over 200 were "dumped" before I could grab them!
I have been using IXMOO's for more than 40 years and, yes, I have accumulated many of them, but it was not overnight - it took at least 20 years to get enough to load 1000 ft of film!
 
JSU said:
My personal rule is to always carry bulk loaded cassettes in film cans. When using factory loads with crimped caps I often transfer to ziploc baggies, but bulk load only goes into film cans. I think this also helps keep the felt cleaner.
Click to expand...

I do the same (always keep bulk-load cassettes in film cans).


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