How to clean reels?

[Jake06]

So I tried steeping the reels in diluted vinegar for two hours, which didn't seem to change anything. I wonder if I was dealing with caked on dust and general dirt rather than chemical deposits.

I then took the reels to the bathroom sink, ran the water as hot as I could handle and scrubbed with a toothbrush and a mixture of shampoo and dish soap. They still have a yellowish discoloration but they're smooth again. I loaded in a roll of 35mm in seconds - not the ten minutes it normally takes me. I checked and double checked inside the changing bag to make sure I hadn't missed the reel entirely, but it was really on there. I'm amazed.

Film is drying now, I might post an image from it if I got anything nice.

 

[mpaniagua]

I mix vinegar and water 1:1 and leave the reels sit for about 15 minutes. Then I scrub them with a toothbrush.

Rinse in hot water, hot enough to make my fingers quake, and repeat.

So far that is all I have to do and the reels are smooth as new.

My wife tells me that an ammonia solution will work quicker but she won't sleep with me that night!

Never tried the ammonia bath. 😀

EDIT - BTW, I set the vinegar soaking and scrubbing bowl under the stove top fan to keep the fumes from permeating the house too much.

Agree on the vinegar dilution. I did the same process (vinegar and tootbrush) thing when I used Paterson and Kodak plastic strip "reels".

Started to use metal reels though, because my dad keep teasing me about those 🙂 (He insisted real men used steel reels 😛)

Marcelo

 

[Tom A]

Years ago I bought an ultrasonic cleaner. I used if for cleaning metal parts for Rapid winders - mainly the levers which are stainless steel and punched out in a die. Always a lot of grease left on them.
I now have relegated the cleaner to clean Paterson reels. Dilute solution of "jewellery" cleaner and hot solution. Takes about 10-15 minutes in the bath, rinse in hot water and dry.
Problem is that chemicals like Photo Flo can leave residue - it dries and really mucks up the loading process. The ultra sonic cleaner removes it - and also cleans the ball bearing bal. They tend to get really cruddy.
Some films are worse than others - my current nemesis is Aerecon Plus X - feels like the emulsion is coated on Saran Wrap!!! Stainless reels is no help - just flopping around.
The Paterson will do it - but with some effort. I buy reels whenever I find ten at swap meets (must have 100+ by now. This way I can ensure that they are dry when I cycle through them (they are hanging on rods on the wall in the darkroom - 7-8 per rod.

 

[Tom A]

[/url]inside Tom's darkroom - this digipic was taken by Tom for RFf by T&T and Mr B Abrahamsson, on Flickr[/IMG]

Reel rack on the right, above the washing sink - there are more stashed away in cabinets and occasionally I swap them around.

 

[Jake06]

That's one nice setup you have there Tom.

 

[Pioneer]

I don't know how frequently it should be done. Those that seemed to be causing my problem were just done but I have a lot of tanks and reels. To do all of them at one sitting would take time, but the 3 tanks and 5 reels I just did took a little over 30 minutes, not including drying time. Not too bad really.

Another interesting interesting observation here. Some people use steel tanks and reels, others use plastic tanks and reels. I think that is great. Photography is full of these democratic choices that people can make that really have no impact on the outcome.

Why is it then that each side must religiously and vigorously insist that their way is best and that people on the other side are drooling idiots?

 

[Roger Hicks]

. . . . Some people use steel tanks and reels, others use plastic tanks and reels. . . .

I use both, and can therefore say from experience that stainless reels need a LOT less cleaning. That's why I normally transfer from plastic to steel for the final Photo-Flo wash.

Cheers,

R.

 

[mpaniagua]

having used both metal and plastic reels (Patterson and Kodak) I've found they are equally durable, given their proper care (cleaning and proper handling).

I guess I keep using metal because the metal tanks I own are smaller than my Patterson tanks, so it helps to save developer.

Marcelo

 

[Roger Hicks]

having used both metal and plastic reels (Patterson and Kodak) I've found they are equally durable, given their proper care (cleaning and proper handling).

I guess I keep using metal because the metal tanks I own are smaller than my Patterson tanks, so it helps to save developer.

Marcelo

Dear Marcelo,

Durable, yes. But what about cleaning? How do you clean them?

Cheers,

R.

 

[ChrisPlatt]

If Photo Flo is indeed the culprit suggest you switch to Edwal LFN.
It is very concentrated and comes in a dropper top bottle.
It works just as well and hasn't caused any such problem for me.

Chris

 

[f16sunshine]

I use both, and can therefore say from experience that stainless reels need a LOT less cleaning. That's why I normally transfer from plastic to steel for the final Photo-Flo wash.

Cheers,

R.

Do I understand that correctly? You transfer for final wash?
Why would you use the plastic at all..?

 

[Timmyjoe]

I stopped using Patterson reels, especially with 120 film, because I just found them too hard to load. The old Patterson reels, from pre-1979, loaded more easily (you can tell them from the new reels because they have three prongs on the center collar instead of the two that Patterson has now). But when I was using them, I scrubbed them with a toothbrush after each use, and dried them well, then kept them inside the dried Patterson tank.

Only using stainless steel reels now, but I still scrub them with a toothbrush after each use and dry them well, then store them in their respective, dried, stainless steel tanks.

 

[mpaniagua]

Dear Marcelo,

Durable, yes. But what about cleaning? How do you clean them?

Cheers,

R.

Usually I wash my reel with my film on it with running water. After that I remove the film and put it to dry. I would wash the plastic reel with vinegar and water solution (about 1:1, not really that strict on that). Probably a scrub with a toothbrush now and again. I havent been using the plastic reels that often lately, but never got any problem with dirty reel ever. Got reels (Paterson) from about 10-15 years ago and they are pretty much usable (a little yellow with age I suppose, but nothing serious).

Like I said, dont really use Paterson much lately to save a little developer and because metal reel kinda make me nostalgic (my dad only used metallic reels).

Regards

Marcelo

 

[michaelwj]

Here's what mine look like with about 10 rolls through them (rear) and about 40 (front). The gunk is pretty obvious, and removing it makes the world of difference.

 

[mpaniagua]

Dear Marcelo,

Durable, yes. But what about cleaning? How do you clean them?

Cheers,

R.

By the way, what developer do you use Roger?

 

[Bingley]

I wash my paterson reels in hot water with a bit of detergent and give them a good scrub with a brush.
followed by a rinse in very hot water, flick off as much water as I can and then dry them with a towel as best I can. ...

I do something very similar. After every use, I scrub the Patterson reels with a stiff brush, in hot water with some dishwashing liquid, and let them air dry. I've had no problems with residue build-up and the reels function pretty much as new.

 

[Pioneer]

Here's what mine look like with about 10 rolls through them (rear) and about 40 (front). The gunk is pretty obvious, and removing it makes the world of difference.

Wow! I guess my gunk problems must be pretty minimal. I don't think mine have ever looked like that.

I have a small amount of black staining on my Jobo 1500 reel but my Paterson's stay much cleaner than that. A good rinsing in a bowl of water must be a good thing.

If I had to clean that every 40 rolls I guess I'd start using steel as well. 😀

 

[ChrisPlatt]

Looks like black mold.

Chris

 

[Jake06]

Wow! I guess my gunk problems must be pretty minimal. I don't think mine have ever looked like that.

I have a small amount of black staining on my Jobo 1500 reel but my Paterson's stay much cleaner than that. A good rinsing in a bowl of water must be a good thing.

If I had to clean that every 40 rolls I guess I'd start using steel as well. 😀

Wow, I've never seen anything like that. Mine just looked a little dirty, not even as bad as the ones at the back in that picture.

 

[Pioneer]

Michael...are you sure you didn't swirl those around in some muddy water for our benefit? 😀