Paterson Tank/Reel? No problem!

[Chinasaur]

First, this is no slam against all those from whom I've learned. I stand on your shoulders to get where I am today. And it's not meant as a slam...just one ignoramus' experience with Paterson tanks and my success criteria...

That said...what is the issue with Paterson tanks and reels? I'm a stoned newbie (well..not "stoned" per se..just a newbie..) with only 40-50 rolls under my belt with my four reels..but ... I just don't see what the problem is. I've watched every video on developing I can find (big thanks to FeelingNegative) with Paterson, Stainless, Jobo, etc and I have yet to encounter any of the issues others seem to have.

1. As usual, all items are cleaned in cool/cold water after EVERY session. I wipe the inside AND outside of the reels with my fingers AND make sure the ball bearings move with my thumbnail AND the water pressure to make sure that the film doesn't bind. Wiping fingers on inside and outside ensures I feel any "goo" buildup and get it gone.

2. After popping the top off the canister, I keep the roll from unrolling while I pick up my scissors to snip the leader AND edges of EVERY roll. I know some people say that snipping the edges is not needed, but I do it AND I have no problems getting the film into/onto the reel. YMMV.

3. I align the entrance grooves of the spool in my left hand while holding the film canister in my right hand. I can feel the ball bearing bulges and rotate the reel so that the entrance grooves/slots align with each other so that the film can be threaded evenly. Keeping the film from unraveling in your other hand while doing this will pay off later. Just doooo eeet.

4. I PULL the film into/onto the reel. Pushing is an exercise in futility. I know when it's working as I can feel the plastic hard reel surface on top of the film....assuming I can't tell any other way that day. Hold the film so that it does not unravel/

5. I HOLD the film cartridge in my right hand (ever since I decanted it) to ensure it does NOT unspool. This prevents damage, prevents the stupid thing from unraveling in the changing bag AND allows me to control tension.

6. At this stage, I can PULL the film onto the reel with just the friction of my left thumb. As long as I don't drag too hard on the film, I can unspool the entire roll INTO the reel with just this method. I don't need to resort to using the ratchet motion. AND the reel unspools about 2x faster this way than ratcheting it into/onto the spool.

7. All in all..this method prevents a TON of base scratching AND allows me to get 3 reels (only have a 3 reel max tank) in under ten minutes. Don't know if that's fast or slow, but it works for me.

8. To those with issues with "dribbling lids". Be SURE to press the top down firmly AND to "burp" the lid so that a vacuum is established. Other than residual water/chemcial gunk on top/sides of the tank, you won't get any other liquid on your hands if you do this properly. Unless, of course, your equipment is decades old and the polymer chains are breaking down and the malleable plastic lid is somehow not sealing as it was won't to do ages past....

Soooo....I've ordered a Stainless Steel™ tank for grins and to expand my repertoire of mad, 1337 skillz™.. in case Plastic Paterson reels/tanks are always doomed to fail..otherwise.... I don't know what others problems with Paterson are? Perhaps..just perhaps... the plastic accretes the chemicals over time and this is what most who have trouble are encountering. In that case, I am ultimately doomed and will need my mad Stainless skills later in life.

If not, then I'm f....d if I know what the issue is with Paterson tanks and reels.

Finally, if you're taking offense..you're wrong. If you're about to flame me .. you're wrong. I'm just relaying MY (very) limited experience with Paterson reels/tanks.

Do NOT go off on me. This is NOT your Father's/Mother's/whomevers Holy/Jihad/Flame war post.....

 

[paulfish4570]

i don't have issues, either ...

 

[nikon_sam]

30+ years with Paterson Tanks & Reels with very few problems...too few to even worry about...
Recently, I was given some SS Tanks & Reels (120 & 35mm) I practiced loading rolls of both formats and can load them fairly well...I have no problem with the result from the 120 but I don't like the wrinkles and curl I get on the 35mm...
I seem to lose the first two frames due to wrinkles in the film from loading them...
I'll stick with Paterson for both formats and use the SS for 120 only and only when I'm bored with the regular routine...

If I give C-41 or E-6 another try I'll go with the SS stuff so I don't stain the plastic reels...

 

[ChrisN]

They work fine for me too. My technique is a little different from yours, but I've certainly had no dramas with the last 300 or so rolls.

 

[mto'brien]

Hey, if it works, roll with it. Sometimes I will resort to the method you describe, but not that often, only when it's humid as hell. I know a guy that removed the bbs from a reel and he just pushes the film on. He says it never jams. I have never tried that though...

 

[Vilk]

an incorrigible pusher here, too. bearings in place. it slides in all the way easy easy 😎

 

[nanthor]

Hi there, I'm wondering how your left (I assume) thumb can pull the entire roll through. Is it perspiring? I just think that a perfectly dry thumb against a dry film backing would slip. Thanks, Bob.

 

[zauhar]

In my limited experience, any moisture at all causes the film to bind in the reel toward the end, no matter how well it is started at the beginning. So long as the reels are really, really dry, I have no trouble at all with the Paterson or Samigon reels. I wonder if you live in a dry climate?

(I'm sure you'll respond that you live in a swamp!)

I have considered using a hair dryer to remove residual moisture,but others have cautioned against that, so I did not try it. I think it might work with a little care.

Randy

 

[Rogier]

Tonight I rolled my first 120 film into a brand new Paterson reel.
I had struggled enough with the stainless steel reels at the lab and decided that the familiar plastic spool suits my needs.

Put everything in the bag (very 1st time using it) and started with the for me unfamiliar 120 film with paper backing. Just started by peeling back a small portion of the film.
First I thought something went wrong but it turned out I was already done 🙂

 

[250swb]

30+ years with Paterson reels and tanks with no problems at all.

Steve

 

[Chinasaur]

Hi there, I'm wondering how your left (I assume) thumb can pull the entire roll through. Is it perspiring? I just think that a perfectly dry thumb against a dry film backing would slip. Thanks, Bob.

I wash my hands completely before putting into the bag. The friction alone is enough to pull the roll through.. I'm sure there is some perspiration on my hands at that point, but it's mostly friction. Sometimes to speed up the process I'll use my thumband first finger together to really speed up the process, a quarter (or more) of the reel at a time.

 

[Rayt]

I have been using the Paterson system since I started processing my own film 20 years ago. However I prefer the easyload reels for 120 because of the wider insert area. They are marketed as AP and Arista Premium at Freestyle.

 

[B.J.Scharp]

Almost completely unrelated to the OP's post, but can one of the Paterson users here tell me what the height of a Paterson reel is, in both the 35mm and the 120 position?

I'm trying to find out the inner dimensions of the different Paterson tanks and reels, and I've been able to find the diameter of the reels, but not the height.

Any help greatly appreciated

 

[shadowfox]

I can tell you why I prefer stainless steel reels. 🙂

But who cares? it's your film rolls and you're the one developing those. If you are not frustrated with the process, and it encourages you to do more film photography, that's the most important thing.