suffering for your art through bondage

[stet]

This afternoon I got whipped for the better part of two hours by a roll of 120 film. In fact, if my girlfriend hadn't come home for lunch, I probably would still be tied up in the changing bag. Luckily we were able make the switch, as I was losing my mind. I thought the thing was popping off the reel because it was getting difficult to move it though, squeaking and moving slowly from the moisture in the bag, but Kari somehow could feel it threading on.

The worst is that I thought I would do that early in the afternoon and still shoot before work. Now I have the tank in the closet, and the 1:1 D-76 I mixed is sitting in the bathroom. I hope exposure to air won't make it go bad by the time I get off work, at midnight.

Does anyone have any tips for getting 120 film onto a reel, esp. in a changing bag? I'm thinking it may be easier to do in the arts center darkroom, so I have the room to hold it up in front of me and let the film dangle.

Rick

 

[FrankS]

Boy that title sure caught my eye!

A darkroom is better for loading film reels than a changing bag, not so much for the dangle of the film but for the volume of air that won't get damp so quickly which can cause your film to get sticky and not want to slide inthe grooves of the reel.

 

[FrankS]

I have heard that once you go stainless you'll never go back, but metal reels are an aquired taste, that I haven't aquired.

 

[GeneW]

I've owned both ss reels and Paterson reels and over time have preferred the Patersons. They're much easier than ss inside a changing bag. I load 120 film fairly regularly this way.

Gene

 

[stet]

I've heard the praises of stainless steel, as well as the warnings about learning to use them. We ended up buying AP tanks and reels, which we haven't had problems with loading 35mm. We're probably going to stick to using them, though, since we've only put a dozen rolls through them so far ...

What do you do, just slide the film through? I kinda like the jig-a-jig-a-jig-a of the plastic, though. In the darkroom it makes me want to dance (when I'm getting it right) 😛

 

[back alley]

i've never used a changing bag, don't like the idea of using one either.

i load my film in the bathroom, no window and a towel at the base of the door. do it at night if it's really too bright in there. you can load at night and process later on if you need to.

joe

 

[stet]

ah, nuts. I wish I could use our bathroom. We're on the second floor right at the sidewalk, with a lamp just outside. I might have to check the closet's "close-off-ability." Or do my 120 at the arts center.

In general, though (and having never loaded 120 aside from this roll), how do you keep the film straight as you get it past the nubs and bearings of a plastic reel? My film kept derailing. I usually can get 35mm on with no problems at all.

 

[FrankS]

Practice, practice, practice! Try doing it several times in the light with a practice (sacrificed for a good cause) roll of 120.

 

[back alley]

with the plastic reels, once under the nubs i would push (gently) or pull it gently till it was on the reel a bit more.i hold the reel fairly close to my large belly and rest my hands on said belly. i extend my thumbs over the film while they touch the plastic reel thereby guiding the film and holding it in place. twist the reels slowly.

make sure the reels are dry, dry, dry.

sounds more complicated then it feels.

joe

 

[TPPhotog]

I agree with Frank, sacrifice and practice until your bored is the only way until it becomes second nature.

As for "suffering" and "bondage", I leave that to my models 😉

 

[XAos]

I load my plastic reels by push feeding. Found when I ratcheted the film in I got these wavy scratches down the center of my negatives.

 

[Doug]

We have a half-bath off the main bedroom... I usually choose nighttime, turn off the light in the bedroom, pull its drapes, close both the bedroom door and the bathroom door, and then the bath is very dark, but I do turn away from the door just to be extra sure. After my eyes become adjusted to the dark, I still see no light, so it's dark enough!

Last night I developed six rolls in Kindermann stainless tanks on Kindermann stainless reels. It was pretty easy; indeed I think it was even easier for the 120 and 220 rolls than the 35, as I was for the first time using the larger diameter 220 reels and tank. Just a matter paying attention to the feel as you reel!

I have never had or used a changing bag, and frankly would not look forward to that experience at all.