kiev4a
Well-known
There are good SS reels and bad ones. Back in the 70s there were a lot of cheap reels floating around that looked OK but had almost undetectable burrs on the spirals--almost impossible to load because the edge of the film would catch on the burrs and wrinkle. Get some Nikors or Kindermans. A good stainless reel can be loaded wet or dry and once you learn the technique they are vastly superior to plastic. It's like learing to load a bottom-loading camera. Takes some practice but once you catch on you never forget.
titrisol
Bottom Feeder
PS. Just saw new kindermann SS spirals in clearance at the local Ritz photo for $5 each.
Sounds like a bargain to me.
Sounds like a bargain to me.
I've been happy with Kindermann tanks and reels for decades. Just bought a couple of "new" tanks too, that surprised me by being larger in diameter than I'd seen before. And with larger-diameter reels too, evidently for 220 film, to give them more space between wraps of the film and more liquid volume to handle the film surface area. Now I have two of the larger tanks, one for one reel and one for two reels, and looking forward to running some 220 Tri-X in Diafine!
I did already have a 220 reel for the smaller diameter tanks, which used smaller gage wire and packed the 220 into the same diameter as a 36-exp roll of 35. I used it in a 32-oz tank with a couple of empty reels so it would have adequate developer. I expect the new big tanks to be better for 220.
I like the reels that have either a spring clip or toothed clip at the core, but it's important to have the film centered on the clip! Otherwise, there's grief in spooling on the film... I agree with others that it takes a bit of practice to get a feel for it. And also agree with the so-called "wheelbarrow" method, assuming by the description it's the same thing I do, in pushing the film lengthwise to keep it looser in the spiral rather than snugged tight. This helps prevent getting off-track but also means less length of film that won't fit into the spiral! Otherwise there's usually a few inches of a roll of 36 that's free to flap loose outside the reel and possibly be damaged.
I did already have a 220 reel for the smaller diameter tanks, which used smaller gage wire and packed the 220 into the same diameter as a 36-exp roll of 35. I used it in a 32-oz tank with a couple of empty reels so it would have adequate developer. I expect the new big tanks to be better for 220.
I like the reels that have either a spring clip or toothed clip at the core, but it's important to have the film centered on the clip! Otherwise, there's grief in spooling on the film... I agree with others that it takes a bit of practice to get a feel for it. And also agree with the so-called "wheelbarrow" method, assuming by the description it's the same thing I do, in pushing the film lengthwise to keep it looser in the spiral rather than snugged tight. This helps prevent getting off-track but also means less length of film that won't fit into the spiral! Otherwise there's usually a few inches of a roll of 36 that's free to flap loose outside the reel and possibly be damaged.
kiev4a
Well-known
I have a couple of 220 reels I haven't tried yet but I assume they also could be used for 120. The SS reels really shine for 120 as the film is wide enough that it can easily buckle while racheting it onto a plastic reel. The trick you getting the film to go on smoothly on ss reels is to hold it with the thumb against one edge and the index finger against the other edge and bow it ever so slightly while feeding it onto the reel.
In a pinch you can even develop two rolls of 35mm on one reel, loading them with the emulson sides out on both
In a pinch you can even develop two rolls of 35mm on one reel, loading them with the emulson sides out on both
titrisol
Bottom Feeder
It si doable in patterson reels as well... just have to be careful 
kiev4a said:
XAos
Well-known
Just bought some stainless reels because of you guys. You better be right on this one. BTW - does anyone know where to find 16mm reels in either stainless or plastic?
Kindermann has made 16mm film reels, as I've got one I used for 110 film. But there's probably not much demand for them now. Maybe contact Kindermann directrly or B&H and see if it can be ordered, or look for one on eBay...
XAos
Well-known
Old thread, but the desire to dunk two rolls of 120 at once drove me to try it again. Maybe they'd load better if I didn't hurl them against the wall in frustration. Actually they loaded ok this time, minding the pre-curve loading. But MAN is the pour time slow. I fear I may be agitating too early it takes 30+ seconds to pour in a liter of soln B.
Actually they loaded ok this time, minding the pre-curve loading. But MAN is the pour time slow. I fear I may be agitating too early it takes 30+ seconds to pour in a liter of soln B.
Glad it worked ok for you! If you're speaking of Diafine solution B, don't worry too much about the time to pour in or out, or for that matter the time in between! As long as it's at least 3 min (I leave 'em for 5) and don't agitate very much, you'll be fine!
One trick for multiple-reel tanks is to use two of these tanks and a lifter rod so that (in total darkness) you lift the reels out of the first tank and sink them in the second one. Only thing slowing me here is being careful to know where the tanks are in the dark and not knock them over, and (when dunk time IS critical) balancing draining time for the reels against carrying over more of the first tank's contents to the second. I have done this with C41 processing where develop time is only 3.25 minutes, so precision and consistency are that much more important.
One trick for multiple-reel tanks is to use two of these tanks and a lifter rod so that (in total darkness) you lift the reels out of the first tank and sink them in the second one. Only thing slowing me here is being careful to know where the tanks are in the dark and not knock them over, and (when dunk time IS critical) balancing draining time for the reels against carrying over more of the first tank's contents to the second. I have done this with C41 processing where develop time is only 3.25 minutes, so precision and consistency are that much more important.
Stephanie Brim
Mental Experimental.
I agitate once every minute with my Diafine and it seems to be okay. Agitate for me = one inversion of the tank. I've also developed for anywhere from 2.5-5 minutes with it with good results.