Film base thickness v. Hewes reels. Long post.

[Ducky]

I bought a pair of Hewes reels. My practice film was a roll of Kodak Gold I had processed in bw chems and never cut. No problems. I got the reel loading down pretty easily and put that Kodak film on and off a dozen times including the changing bag.

Time for the real thing (ooh, bad pun there) and I used the changing bag to load an exposed roll of Arista Premium 400. Disaster, kinks, torn sproket holes frustration. When I tried to correct things, the film just fought back. OK, I left it in the reel kinks and all. I also had an exposed roll of Arista Premium 100 to put on the second reel in the same tank. This time I took it all into a dark closet and the results were marginaly better. I processed both reels with predictable results, film touching etc. The film edges were all chewed up.

I practiced again with the Kodak gold, no problems.

I had a spoiled undeveloped roll of Arista premium 100 so I opened that. First attempt in daylight was good. As I unrolled it to try again the sprockets tore. My second attempy had kinks and more tearing.

Several more attempts, on/off, with the Kodak and no problem.

What is going on here. Is there that much difference in film strength or thickness?

Anyone had similar exrepience?

I hate to let an inanimate (if there is such a thing) object get the best of me.

 

[squirrel$$$bandit]

Hmm...I've had no trouble loading Arista 400 onto Hewes reels...smooth as silk. Maybe you just have to get used to it? I've never actually tested Tri-X and Arista 400 side by side for film base thickness...probably they're different enough so that you don't yet have the "touch," but soon will.

 

[Al Kaplan]

Just wait until you have a motley decades old collection of several vintages of Nikor, Kinderman, Spiratone, Acura, and what-not, sporting a variety of center clips (or none), wire thicknesses, and every last one has been dropped on the concrete floor who knows how many times. You learn to recognize them by feel, know where each is likely to hang up, and while you might not love them you learn to live with them.

#1 SUGGESTION: Try putting it on the reel emulsion side out.

#2 SUGGESTION: After each half rotation of the reel PUSH the film so it's forced up against the inside of of the spiral rather than pulled down against the outside.

Good luck!

 

[Mablo]

Thanks Al, I'll definitely try your suggestion #2.

I've had my share of problems with Hewes reels (35mm) too. Usually my film got kinked no matter what. It is so dar**d frustrating! Now I've changed the way I load the film and I think I'm doing a bit better now (hopefully).

So here's how I do it now.

1) I open up the film canister in the changing bag. I carefully take the film roll out and let it unwind a few rounds in the palm of my right hand so that the film is not fighting back when I load it.

2) I now try my best to keep the reel in an upright position in the changing bag when loading the film.

Hopefully this helps.