Film developing reel recommendations

The Hewes reels are great. I've used them when I was doing film. But the Kalt brand of generic reels I bought at B&H at the time was pretty darn nice. Don't know if they're still available but I would recommend them if you're moving from the Paterson system and don't want to spend a fortune on stainless steel.
 
Tank/reel choices

Tank/reel choices

Since you've taken a plunge on 4 Hewes reels (if 12 pounds can be called a plunge - envy here), you will need a new tank. The best choice would be a new steel tank with a plastic top, as opposed to the older style using a steel top - less leaking potential). Do the world a favor and put the Paterson tank, reels and all in the garbage. I've been doing this for 60 years, and I've never seen/used a tank worse than Paterson's. The 5 dollar Yankee plastic tank I bought in 1959 was as bad, but that's not a comparison worth considering.

To anticipate blow back from the many Paterson users: cheap plastic; design which mixes huge volumes of air into solution if used for inversion; leaks like a sieve with inversion; twist reel agitation uneven.
 
Guy Pinhas said:
Hewes. Hands down.
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I'm going to jump into this one. I have used the Nikor stainless reels and tanks all my life. I don't usually have too much trouble with 35mm, but it's hard to get 120 film started on the reel. It crinkles and I get static marks from the crinkling. The film may not be centered properly on the reel when I clip it under the clip. The centering is better if I use a reel that has no clip; but then the film wants to shift in position during processing--usually, to the center of the reel, where it doesn't belong. Sometimes when I use a reel that has no clip, I tape the film to the crossbar at the end of the film. That works. Mostly.

If I got a Hewes 120 reel, would it ease my problem? Or should I switch to Paterson?
 
Rob-F said:
If I got a Hewes 120 reel, would it ease my problem? Or should I switch to Paterson?
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I have been using Paterson since 1970. Although 120 film is harder to load than 35mm, I can recommend Paterson. What is important, is that the reels are as dry as the Sahara. Practice with a piece of useless film in daylight and in the dark. If the film does not go in smoothly, it can be because the reel is too new. If so, you can lubricate the reel with a soft pencil, gradation "B" or softer. Not only the start, but the whole way. In any case 120 film is much shorter than a 135mm film.

Good luck.

Erik.
 
Rob-F said:
If I got a Hewes 120 reel, would it ease my problem?
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Yes, absolutely. The Hewes 120 reel has two little "rails" (just more of the same bars the reel is made of actually) which help guide your wayward film back towards the center. It might be almost impossible to load one off-center.
 
Hewes are certainly the best but I wouldn't scoff at a Nikor reel. I learned to develop with stainless Nikor reels and have always chosen them personally. Sometimes I was forced to use Paterson reels that had been dropped 1000 times by students in the loading room then cracked and never worked perfectly. The Hewes is great but for my money, I have to stick with the Nikor.
Phil Forrest
 
I'm a long time Paterson plastic reel person. Here's a trick I didn't see mentioned in the thread. If you're having trouble with the film jamming up it could be because the film is thicker. This almost always happened to me with Ilford FP4 causing no end of grief. Now with a thick film such as FP4, I re-roll the film into my hand first so the leader end is on the inside and the spool end is on the outside. I then trim the spool end and feed it into the reel. That way the tighter wind of the film from the cassette goes in first and ends up on the tight spirals of the reel. No more jam ups. I learned this bit of magic from a Youtube video and it works every time.
 
Thanks all, again, for your continuing tips and thoughts. I might treat myself to a new tank too - such is the leakage from the tanks I have I have stopped inverting and instead use the twisty stick. I can't find Nikor or Kalt here, but there are also some European alternatives to Hewes.

After two painless reels yesterday after abandoning the broken one (fortunately no damage to emulsion), this time a 120.
 
I've just looked on ebay and Paterson tanks seem to sell from about two pounds.



I bought one at about that price, with a Kaiser thermometer both new in box, for a friend a while ago.



Regards, David
 
Greg Maslak said:
Here's a trick I didn't see mentioned in the thread. If you're having trouble with the film jamming up it could be because the film is thicker. This almost always happened to me with Ilford FP4 causing no end of grief. Now with a thick film such as FP4, I re-roll the film into my hand first so the leader end is on the inside and the spool end is on the outside. I then trim the spool end and feed it into the reel. That way the tighter wind of the film from the cassette goes in first and ends up on the tight spirals of the reel.
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This is what I've said above. The end of the film must go in first.


Erik.
 
CharlesDAMorgan said:
Thanks all, again, for your continuing tips and thoughts. I might treat myself to a new tank too - such is the leakage from the tanks I have I have stopped inverting and instead use the twisty stick. I can't find Nikor or Kalt here, but there are also some European alternatives to Hewes.

After two painless reels yesterday after abandoning the broken one (fortunately no damage to emulsion), this time a 120.
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Nikor Tanks were American made and were discontinued decades ago. I have several made in the 1960s! The Kalt tanks are rally made in Taiwan and a lot of companies sell them under different names. Kalt is an American company that markets darkroom stuff. You can probably find the same tanks under a European marketer's name. They're well made and less expensive than 'brand name' tanks like Hewes and Kindermann.


I have a video showing how to load the 35mm Hewes reels. They have a unique device for securing the film in the middle of the reel that makes loading them very easy and nearly impossible to screw up.


https://youtu.be/HHLvxVDUZHE
 
Here's my two-penn'orth…

I've only ever used a Paterson tank so can't comment on any others. I've never really had a problem loading film and I actually find 120 easier than 35mm.

I keep the little ball-bearings lubricated with a soft pencil so they are free to rattle back and forth, and not jam. After use I separate and wash my spirals in warm soapy water - occasionally using the dishwasher, top shelf only. I let them dry naturally on the window sill on a bit of kitchen towel.

With 35mm film, as has been said, it goes on easier if wound on from the inner end. But it's easier to get on from the leader end if the film has stood around a day or two and the tension acquired in the camera has relaxed with the film wound back into the canister.
--

Kind Regds,

R.
 
Don't Store the Paterson Tanks with the Lids Attached

Don't Store the Paterson Tanks with the Lids Attached

CharlesDAMorgan said:
Thanks all, again, for your continuing tips and thoughts. I might treat myself to a new tank too - such is the leakage from the tanks .........
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A Tip: When not in use, store the tank with the lid laying loosely on the top.

I've been using two Paterson System 4 tanks for over a dozen years - and - while doing inversions, only get at most a couple of drips at the start of the fix, if I didn't burp the lid. In fact, I feel comfortable walking around a carpet floor - while inverting the tanks during fixing.

Tip # 2, which is the same as mentioned above for 120 film, I start by inserting the masking taped end of the film into the reel - after the corners have been snipped. Once inserted, just gently grasp the tape end and pull it past the starting channels. Good luck, because it's all done by feel, including snipping the corners.
 
I don't use 120, but 135 film.
I don't like metal reels for it at all. I use same white plastic reels for years.
I put film at the edge of the reel where balls are. Film spool unrolls film by gravity to the floor, I rotate reel sides and it takes film in.
I use bulk film and load less than 36 frames. It makes loading easy.
 
Whatever you buy, I’d recommend new reels so you can guarantee they are clean. Don’t expose them to any wetting agent or stabiliser. It makes them sticky and hard to load.
 
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