Threading 120 film on reel - any tips & tricks?

[wotalegend]

I have been developing film for many years - mostly 35mm, but occasionally 120. Now I am getting more into 120 and I am having a very frustrating time starting the film on the reel. I have practised and practised and then practised some more in daylight when it is easy, but as soon as I get in the dark with a real live film the trouble starts. It's almost enough to make me go digital :-(

I have a Jobo 1520 and also a Paterson Tank System 4, both with the standard plastic reels. To make matters worse, I am gradually losing feeling in my fingertips due to an old neck injury.

I have experimented with an Agfa Rondinax 60 daylight loading tank, initially successfully, but lately it seems to be getting a bit troublesome at the initial stage of separating film from backing paper. Are modern film bases thinner and more susceptible to kinking than older films?

Are stainless steel reels better? I have heard/read that they are even more frustrating to load. I would love to get some feedback from those with lots of recent experience with loading 120 films on reels.

 

[FrankS]

Sacrifice a roll and practise in the light.

 

[PKR]

practice in the light and then practice in the dark.. until you can do it while not concentrating on it.. it should be like putting your shoes on..

 

[wotalegend]

Sacrifice a roll and practise in the light.

Been there, done that......many times.

 

[tj01]

I would suggest you try stainless steel reels. Once your leader is in the clip, then it takes only a few seconds to reel them in. Goodluck

 

[wotalegend]

practice in the light and then practice in the dark.. until you can do it while not concentrating on it.. it should be like putting your shoes on..

Been there and done that too. It's still a lot easier to put my shoes on ;-)

 

[mgd711]

I gave up with the plastic reels (AP Brand tanks and reels) and went with the Hewes stainless ones. With a bit off practice (and it took me a while) I’m able to load the reels in a quarter of the time off the plastic ones and it has never gone disastrously wrong, unlike with the plastic reels.

 

[oftheherd]

Been there, done that......many times.

With your eyes closed?

 

[oftheherd]

I prefer steel reels, but that is just me. It may be that your numb finger problems will be the real problem. But it is worth a try. Some people find plastic easier, some steel. But do practice with your eyes closed if you haven't. You may have already done that, but I know some who thought if they could do it while looking, dark would be no problem. It ususally is.

 

[Proteus617]

Are stainless steel reels better? I have heard/read that they are even more frustrating to load. I would love to get some feedback from those with lots of recent experience with loading 120 films on reels.

My Experience: I've just started to do my own developing and found steel impossible even after much practice. I went to the local photo shop to buy a plastic Patterson tank and reels. They young guy behind the counter talked me out of it and sold me a Hewes 35mm reel instead. A few practice loads of the Hewes was a Eureka moment. I then put the Hewes away and have been able to load all my steel (35+120) without a hitch. The Hewes forced good form. Parallel was the key, and the clip on the Hewes just about forces that.

..but lately it seems to be getting a bit troublesome at the initial stage of separating film from backing paper.

My darkbag gets crowded. I remove the backing first, then load the reel.

 

[Leigh Youdale]

This has been covered in other threads previously - you might search for them here too.
I use Paterson reels and have had some problems and some success.

First, some modern films have very thin base film and so your choice of film may be contributing to the problem. Some of the newer European films are quite noticeably thinner. Ilford and Kodak stock appears to me to be more "normal" in this respect.

Second, 120 is generally more difficult to load than 35mm because it can flex more and get out of whack. Just the nature of the beast.

Third, plastic reels need not only to be scrupulously dry, they need to be scrupulously clean too, so every few films you need to take to them with a brush (hard grade toothbrush is good) and some fairly strong cleaner. Gumption or Jif are both good.

Fourth, when loading there's often a tendency to inadvertently press inwards on the sides of the reels. The slight amount of movement is often enough to jam the film. Try to keep a slight outward pressure (pull) on the two parts of the reels as you rotate them.

Fifth, any sort of humidity is going to spell trouble. Warm hands in a changing bag can produce that state very quickly. I use a closet (walk in wardrobe) I can make lightproof to load the film rather than using a changing bag. I can lay everything out in a convenient sequence on a shelf, remembering to put my wife's clothes back exactly as I found them afterwards! More room, less heat and no humidity = easier loading.

 

[leighmarrin]

A couple of tips that have worked for me (nearly always...) with 120 film on Patterson plastic reels:

1: Nip off the leading (starting) edge of the film with a scissors or large toe-nail clippers.

2. If you use a drying agent like Photo-Flo it will leave a slick residue later on the dry plastic Patterson reel, which will make the next roll harder to load. Simply wash your plastic reels in warm soapy water to get rid of the Photo-Flo residue.

 

[Rhodes]

I had a few problems myself when loading the firsts 120 films. But normally, I use an AP reel since they (for me) the best ones in plastic and they fit nicely in my patterson tank. Or use the patterson since the ball-bearing helps the film stay in place.
What I do is with my index and tumb fingers try to old the film so it won't curl (I think that how it is said) and with other pull the film to the reel. Do not be afraid of leaving finger marks on the film, since the begining or the end tends to be with out photos (at least mines, my camera is 6x6), so is just unexposed film.
Now, old 620 film, that is a nightmare to load...

 

[Mcary]

I had a few problems myself when loading the firsts 120 films. But normally, I use an AP reel since they (for me) the best ones in plastic and they fit nicely in my patterson tank. Or use the patterson since the ball-bearing helps the film stay in place.
What I do is with my index and tumb fingers try to old the film so it won't curl (I think that how it is said) and with other pull the film to the reel. Do not be afraid of leaving finger marks on the film, since the begining or the end tends to be with out photos (at least mines, my camera is 6x6), so is just unexposed film.
Now, old 620 film, that is a nightmare to load...

Use pretty much the same method to load the generic plastic reels that came with Arista Tank I'm using.

 

[Ezzie]

I´ve had a few hairy moments lately. The leading half inch of a couple of rolls of TMAX 100 have been excessively curled and impossible to load on my Paterson reels. I solved this by unrolling the film and separating it from the backing, and then loading it the other way round. A practice I might continue with.

When loading the leading edge I hold film out towards the longitudinal edges, between thumb and index finger on both hands. The reel held fast between the palms of both hands, supported by the other fingers. Facing away from me, I draw the film under the tabs (lined up) and pull it over the ball bearings before starting the twisting motion. I keep a thumb resting over the tabs to ensure the film doesn´t derail itself, and the pinkies held low to enable the film to roll over them, uncurling itself in the process.