Keeping snap-cap 35mm cassettes together?

[Shac]

I dropped them couple of times at least and cap went off. Only few frames were affected, but not completely gone.
No need to leave gunk from gather tape, masking tape will do.

FYI - Gaffer tape does not leave gunk - that's one of its advantages

 

[Graham Line]

Don’t drop them.

I assume it's been a while since you spent much time with an 8-year-old. 🙂

Had my greatest re-using/re-loading success with Ilford cassettes. The plastic reloadable cassettes from places like Porter's would pop open if looked at sideways.

 

[newsgrunt]

get the kid a Leica and a bunch of Ixmoo cassettes 😉

but yeah, good masking tape worked for me. I wrapped it all the way around on both ends.

 

[Nokton48]

I bulk load 70mm film into Kodak 70mm cassettes and I use black masking tape in very thin rolls. You can get these easily on Ebay.

I've got over a hundred Kodak Snap Caps, and yes, they pop open from time to time. I handle them VERY gingerly, and keep them in clear plastic Fuji 35mm cans until just before loading into cameras. DON'T DROP THEM I should probably tape them with this tape. And it peels off cleanly with no debris left behind.

DSC05892 by Nokton48, on Flickr

 

[Pentode]

I don't know if the savings were greater in the past, but at the moment you can save around 30-40% by bulk loading Ilford or Foma films, by my ad hoc calculation. Of course not with Kodak films, their pricing is beyond ridiculous.
I haven't reloaded normal cassettes but was thinking about trying it... can someone who succeeded please explain how you overcome the issue leicapixie has had?

I butt the end of the new film up to the end of the tab of old film and place a 3/4” piece of tape along each side of the seam. The tape I use is Scotch transparent tape. It’s about 1/2”wide and clear like packing tape. It’s very thin and holds very well. I run it along the seam, not across it, so it runs perpendicular to the roll of film. It fits in the cassete with no problem and I’ve never had it fail.

It’s possible that Scotch Magic Tape would work also but I suspect it would be more prone to tearing.

 

[Nokton48]

I don't know if the savings were greater in the past, but at the moment you can save around 30-40% by bulk loading Ilford or Foma films, by my ad hoc calculation. Of course not with Kodak films, their pricing is beyond ridiculous.
I haven't reloaded normal cassettes but was thinking about trying it... can someone who succeeded please explain how you overcome the issue leicapixie has had?

I've got five or six Watson loaders, and I reload casettes thrown out by the one-hour in our area. Some of them even came from disposable cameras. 🙄

No issues EVER reloading in the light with the carts and the Watsons. I use Scotch Magic semi transparent tape. Just make sure you tape it on squarely (I match up the perforations). If you get it going crooked, tear it back apart and start over. And go slowly until you get things worked out.

After it's secured, roll -gently- until the taped area is sucked inside the cartridge. Then close up the Watson and wind-on slowly.

It's a no-brainer 😛 Never ruined a roll and I've done hundreds this way

 

[LeicaFoReVer]

it is my second bulk roll experience and i use metal cassettes and never had poping u either. However it is because I haven't been doing it for long and never dropped rhe casettes. However when I used plastic casettes I had popping up so I started using electric tape on the cap.

I also heard from my father that he used to do the same technique in the dark room as mentioned above without a loader. Using arms
Strech as measure and manually rolling.

 

[semi-ambivalent]

I'm a big fan of electrical tape!

D

The folks who make Gorilla Glue also make some different tapes. Any hardware store worth the name should carry it. My local Ace does.


btw, real gaffer's tape does not leave residue. The price sensitive usually don't get the real stuff. It's not cheap.



hth

 

[Dante_Stella]

I assume it's been a while since you spent much time with an 8-year-old. 🙂

You know, once I taught him not to twirl a p/s by the neck strap, he's been pretty careful. But he burns through a massive amount of Fujicolor 200, and it's time to make this a cheaper exercise.

On plastic cartridges, which ones pop open? I've used screw-top ones for 25+ years and have never had a failure.

D

 

[dourbalistar]

You know, once I taught him not to twirl a p/s by the neck strap, he's been pretty careful. But he burns through a massive amount of Fujicolor 200, and it's time to make this a cheaper exercise.

On plastic cartridges, which ones pop open? I've used screw-top ones for 25+ years and have never had a failure.

D

Cheaper than this? I guess if you're sending out C-41 to a lab that can get expensive quick...
https://www.amazon.com/Fujifilm-Fujicolor-Exposure-Polaroid-Batteries/dp/B07CLGNK5W/

 

[Sarcophilus Harrisii]

I butt the end of the new film up to the end of the tab of old film and place a 3/4” piece of tape along each side of the seam. The tape I use is Scotch transparent tape. It’s about 1/2”wide and clear like packing tape. It’s very thin and holds very well. I run it along the seam, not across it, so it runs perpendicular to the roll of film. It fits in the cassete with no problem and I’ve never had it fail.

It’s possible that Scotch Magic Tape would work also but I suspect it would be more prone to tearing.

I've got five or six Watson loaders, and I reload casettes thrown out by the one-hour in our area. Some of them even came from disposable cameras. 🙄

No issues EVER reloading in the light with the carts and the Watsons. I use Scotch Magic semi transparent tape. Just make sure you tape it on squarely (I match up the perforations). If you get it going crooked, tear it back apart and start over. And go slowly until you get things worked out.

After it's secured, roll -gently- until the taped area is sucked inside the cartridge. Then close up the Watson and wind-on slowly.

It's a no-brainer 😛 Never ruined a roll and I've done hundreds this way

It's definitely the only way to go. You don't have to worry about dirty felts as the pre-loaded cassettes have only had one roll through them, they never pop apart, and they won't leak. And they're free. I must still have a hundred empties ready to re-load, here, and I haven't raided a lab in years. I'd send you a few, Dante, but the postage from Australia to the US makes it pointless. Perhaps someone a little closer can throw a couple of dozen or so into a parcel for you, and send them through?

Next time you are near a lab, Dante, grab their stash of emptied cassettes. Most will be amenable, after all, they send them straight into the bin anyway.
Cheers,
Brett

 

[kiemchacsu]

The free advice of using "old" used original cassettes does NOT work!
IT is impossible to wind the thicker piece(tape + film) into cartridge..
I have tried various makes with nil success.
I ought some used cassettes that can open and CLOSE.
Buy new re-loadable cassettes.
Do not buy "Kodak cassette.
They open without dropping!
There is a no advantage in buying bulk at this time!
Yes! If bulk roll 100' is like $25.
Good luck!

I works for me, I recycle the cartridges from mini lab.
And yes bulk load worth it.
For instance, a $50 100' Kentmere 100 yields 19 rolls, which would cost you $3.95 x 19 = $75

Edit: Kentmere price just increased $10 / 100' recently; otherwise you would gain more.

 

[Dante_Stella]

I can see that part of the issue with the metal snap caps is pressure exerted on the cap by the felt pad. If you turn the metal cap a few times once mounted, this disappears.

Also, the popping cap thing not leading to massive light leaks is not that surprising; the spool has quite a flange on it, and that is providing a lot of the light-tightness.