Bulk Reloading Question

brothernature

brothernature

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I'm curious about trying to bulk reload HP5. I go through about ~20 rolls every two or three weeks, so I could save ~$50 or so every time I buy film.

When you go to re-use the canister, how do you prevent cutting the last frame you shot? I get 36 exposures a roll, would I have to keep an eye out and not shoot after the 35th frame so I have enough room to cut the film and have some to attach the bulk reloaded film?

Thanks,
 
We used 3/4" masking tape to attach the film to the core. In the darkroom we just disassembled the cassette and removed the tape.

You almost always get an light struck final frame anyway because you are (usually) doing this part of the bulk load procedure in daylight.
 
When you bulk load, you count the turns in order to get the number of frames that you want in your loaded roll.

Most bulk loaders have a table that shows how many turns are safe for a given frame count. I have found these tables to be on the conservative side.

Usually 30-31 turns are safe for 36-frame rolls. It depends on your loader, your camera, and the technique of your bulk load. But counting turns is very reliable once you can verify it the first time.

I have bulk-loaded for more than 20 years; never had problems with frame 36 being fogged.
 
I have bulk-loaded thousands of rolls of film (not at all an exaggeration) and have never had a problem with fogging the last (or any other) exposure. Just exercise reasonable care.

I only load 35 exposures per roll so that I can put my negatives in sleeves that take seven strips of five frames each. These fit easily on an 8x10 contact sheet. Now that I'm scanning negatives rather than doing darkroom printing, I make contact sheets by laying the sheet of negatives on my old-but-good Epson Pro 4990 scanner.
 
Nifty idea Dave, with the sheets on the 4490.

Also have loaded atleast a thousand and never really gave it much thought.
I wouldn’t stress it. Go save some $$ OP!
 
Thanks everyone. The last time I thought about doing it, when I went to put my film onto my reel for developing, I cut it at the end instead of prying the canister open (so I could re-use the canister), and I ended up cutting the last frame in half on one roll. Maybe I just gave myself too much room to attach the next roll of film
 
bulk load 35mm

bulk load 35mm

brothernature said:
Thanks everyone. The last time I thought about doing it, when I went to put my film onto my reel for developing, I cut it at the end instead of prying the canister open (so I could re-use the canister), and I ended up cutting the last frame in half on one roll. Maybe I just gave myself too much room to attach the next roll of film
Click to expand...

I am not sure if I state the obvious here, but there are reloadable 35mm cartridges designed for bulk loading. A normal 35mm film loaded cartridge is designed to be destroyed if opened to remove the film, so there are some who leave a tongue if film hanging out at roll end to which a bulk reload film can be taped. The reload cartridges are designed to be non-destructively opened for reloading. Until some time in the 1970s, all 35mm cartridges were designed so that you could pop off the end-cap and reload it. Kodak started the change to non-reloadable cartridges, probably because they were a bit cheaper to make and would support the sales of alternative reloadable cartridges. Other film makers followed the trend. (Agfa made the best regular cartridges for reloading purposes. I still use them.)
 
Yep, re-loadable bulk loader means re-loadable cassettes. And then if you are real cheapo you could do it all in the dark and save two frames. :)

~20 rolls every two or three weeks
Click to expand...
this is what I call true supporting of the film.
 
So cheap to shoot used canisters.

BTW. If you are ever in need. I have been giving them away by the pound for postage.

I still have at least 40lbs to spare and maybe 10lbs given out to date. What is cheaper than free? haha
 
I am not sure if I state the obvious here, but there are reloadable 35mm cartridges designed for bulk loading. A normal 35mm film loaded cartridge is designed to be destroyed if opened to remove the film, so there are some who leave a tongue if film hanging out at roll end to which a bulk reload film can be taped. The reload cartridges are designed to be non-destructively opened for reloading. Until some time in the 1970s, all 35mm cartridges were designed so that you could pop off the end-cap and reload it. Kodak started the change to non-reloadable cartridges, probably because they were a bit cheaper to make and would support the sales of alternative reloadable cartridges. Other film makers followed the trend. (Agfa made the best regular cartridges for reloading purposes. I still use them.)
[/quote]

I always feared the reloadable cartridges. Not sure why. I see Freestyle has some of the metal Agfa ones in stock. I'll try those. Thanks!
 
brothernature said:
Thanks everyone. The last time I thought about doing it, when I went to put my film onto my reel for developing, I cut it at the end instead of prying the canister open (so I could re-use the canister), and I ended up cutting the last frame in half on one roll. Maybe I just gave myself too much room to attach the next roll of film
Click to expand...

Sounds like you intended to re-use a commercially loaded canister. Best to go with cassettes designed to be reloaded instead.
 
The Kalt plastic ones are wack, the material used for the seal unwinds threads all over the place in the camera. Get the steel ones from Freestyle, much better.
 
I use Alden 74 loaders and the counter is pretty accurate. I start at zero and roll the film counter one revolution to stop again at zero. Taking account of the exposed ends I get 35 usable frames in 7 strips just right for the Printfile. I also buy pre-rolled film and use the spent canisters for bulk loading and I only reuse the canisters once to avoid scratches.
 
I have two Alden 74 loaders. The counters are indeed accurate.
It's very convenient not to have to keep count of handle turns!

The Print File 35-7B negative sleeve allows you to print 7 strips of 5 (35 frames)
on a single sheet of 8x10 inch photo paper, without removing the negatives from sleeves.
This is very convenient if you intend to make proof sheets in the darkroom.

I have not tried it but 6 strips of 6 negatives (36 frames) may fit on an 8½ x 11" flatbed scanner platen.
For this application choose the Print File 35-HB sleeves.

Chris
 
Saul said:
Sounds like you intended to re-use a commercially loaded canister. Best to go with cassettes designed to be reloaded instead.
Click to expand...

if he could buy empty cassettes from lab (like i do) then this way is super convenient and cheap way to bulk load film.

btw; how can i re-can from 400ft roll to 100ft roll, in a convenient and safe way? i'd like to bulk load some kodak motion film. thanks.
 
kiemchacsu said:
if he could buy empty cassettes from lab (like i do) then this way is super convenient and cheap way to bulk load film.

btw; how can i re-can from 400ft roll to 100ft roll, in a convenient and safe way? i'd like to bulk load some kodak motion film. thanks.
Click to expand...
People charge money for those? My local labs happily give me as many spent cassettes as I can carry out the door, free. I've had no problems re-loading them. Last time I processed black & white for someone who had loaded re-usable (metal) cassettes, there were light leaks aplenty from between the cassette body and the end caps. I've never had a leak when re-using spent pre-loaded cassettes. Being free to boot that is good enough for me.
 
Sarcophilus Harrisii said:
People charge money for those? My local labs happily give me as many spent cassettes as I can carry out the door, free. I've had no problems re-loading them. Last time I processed black & white for someone who had loaded re-usable (metal) cassettes, there were light leaks aplenty from between the cassette body and the end caps. I've never had a leak when re-using spent pre-loaded cassettes. Being free to boot that is good enough for me.
Click to expand...

i used to get it free from a lab who the owner is the one i know.
however, now thing has changed but not that bad,
they charge about US$5 for 100 cassettes, i have no problem to pay that tiny amount.
btw
i still want to ask WHAT is the BEST WAY to spool 100,-ft roll from 1,000-ft roll.
thanks.
 
brbo said:
I don't know about the best way but it's doable in a dark bag. I've done it a lot of times...
Click to expand...

how can you measure the length?
it doesnt have to be exact 100ft but i'd like to know if the the roll is not to short neither too long that it wont fit in a normal loader.
thanks.
 
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