steffenontour
Hi, I recently bought a whole load of photo lab supplies and am now having a go at experimenting… I’ve got the hang of the enlarger and all that… but I’ve also found a small device which, as far as I can tell, lets you reload film spools with fresh film… how does that actually work? Or rather, where can I buy that sort of film – which I assume comes by the metre – and what do I need to bear in mind?
I’d really appreciate a detailed reply!!!
Best regards,
Steffen
cfb_de
Hi Steffen,
If it really is a film loader, then it takes what’s known as ‘roll film’, i.e. a roll of film measuring 17 or 30.5 metres. These are actually available for all standard film types.
You’ll also need film cartridges for refilling, as modern cartridges can’t be opened without damaging them, and some sturdy adhesive tape. You can get all this stuff from FOTOIMPEX, for example.
And now let’s get started: you only have one go at this. Familiarise yourself with the loader in daylight (and, if necessary, with a scrap of old film). Now head into the darkroom to load the film.
With Ilford, the film is packed in a black plastic bag inside a cardboard box; with Filmotec and Foma, the cardboard box is replaced by a tin can. Note: Once opened, the tin cans are no longer light-tight!
To prevent the film from unravelling from the green reel, it is secured with a strip of adhesive tape.
Possible pitfalls include: your film comes spooled and therefore doesn’t fit in the loader – the reel is too wide. Well. Bad luck. Now you can either consider rewinding the film onto a “core” (a real chore with 30m of film – and one that must, of course, be done in a completely dust-free environment) or realise why it would have been a good idea to take materials for re-sealing the film in a light-tight package with you into the darkroom...
Another pitfall: the film is wound onto a ‘core’, but its inner diameter is too large and the film roll rubs against the wall of the loader. In the best-case scenario, you’ll have a suitable core in your pocket, but you probably won’t on your first attempt. See above: ‘or why it would have been a good idea...’ What’s particularly annoying is that you can’t just quickly check what might fit...
Financially speaking, loading your own film isn’t really worth it. However, I find it very practical to be able to load films of different lengths. And in one case, it’s actually *very* worthwhile financially: TC27/UN54/N74.
Best regards,
Franz
piu58
We used to do that sort of thing in the GDR; the spools used for standard NP film back then allowed for refilling. I don’t do it anymore, and I wouldn’t do it even if the circumstances were more favourable (easy access to film stock and spools). A lab packs films with less dust (dust-free?), something you can’t achieve yourself. And the felt seals on the cassettes don’t get any better either; eventually they tend to leak and collect dirt – scratches.
I hate spot removal.
Morte
Given recent events, I’m bringing this ancient thread back to the top and including a quote:
Another pitfall: the film fits onto the ‘core’, but its inner diameter is too large and the film roll rubs against the wall of the loader. If you’re lucky, you might have a suitable core in your pocket, but you probably won’t the first time round. What’s particularly annoying is that you can’t just quickly check what might fit...
Best regards,
Franz
Well, that’s exactly what just happened to me (damn it!).
I scraped together the money and ordered two rolls of ORWO film from Filmotec, one UN54 and one N74+. I specifically asked for them on a core, as I’d read here in the forum, so that the roll would fit in the loader.
As I was loading it into the changing bag in my Hama film loader (Model 3), it suddenly dawned on me that the opening of the core – the hole in the middle – is slightly thicker than my index finger, as far as I could tell by feel, but the film loader’s spindle is much thinner. I haven’t measured it yet, but it’s about 8mm.
What do I do now? The roll fits in the loader; I could even load it, but as the roll has no support in the middle, it would rattle about wildly in the loader and, of course, rub against the inner wall. It’s smooth, mind you, but that’s certainly not good. I’ve seen online that there are apparently adapters, but how am I supposed to know the right size? It’s hard for me to check.
At first I thought Filmotec had sent me the wrong thing, but the term ‘on core’ isn’t exactly a protected or unambiguous term...
Does anyone here have a clever idea so that my spool dilemma can still turn into a happy first fill? Man, I’m really annoyed... just because I don’t know whether to blame myself or the film manufacturers with their x standards...
highscore
Hi.
?
Well, I refill old cassettes quite often – both 135 and SL cassettes.
And I haven’t had any problems with incorrect core diameters on the roll film (Foma).
I’ve never had any light leaks into the film chamber either.
However, the last frame of a refilled cassette is often – or always – unusable for me.
High score
Urnes
Well, I’ve never had any trouble reloading the cassettes either. I always used to do it when I ran workshops where I needed a lot of film for very little money. The cassettes were provided by our host and have a bayonet lock, so they’re relatively easy to open and close. Back then, I used to curl Fomapan 400. Otherwise, given my volume of work, I’ve never felt the need to use roll film. But that’s also because I now process almost exclusively sheet films and roll films.
Regards, Sven.
highscore
I should also point out that
Foma, with its reasonable price of around €43 for 30.5m, is good value for money in my view.
However, when it comes to IlFORD, which costs €70–80, and others that cost even more, I buy them ready-spooled.
That said, I’d like to stress that I’m not complaining about the prices!
?
High score
Morte
How big is the hole in the middle of the Foma core?
Though that’s irrelevant to me. I don’t have a Foma roll, but a Filmotec one. After a bit of gnashing of teeth, I quickly cobbled together a makeshift adapter from a cut-up toilet roll tube and a tissue. This keeps the roll reasonably secure in the loader and stops it rubbing against the inside wall. When it’s empty, I’ll measure the (inner) diameter of the core (Bobby) and think about how to proceed.
?
As misfortune never comes alone (as the saying goes), the winding handle for filling has now broken off as well. I could k...n. Perhaps that stupid plastic thing is a bit worn out, and I’m too impatient after hours of tinkering in these temperatures. How can a manufacturer produce such an important part so cheaply? So I have to keep improvising and make myself a makeshift wooden solution. I’m trying out a pen nib holder (for calligraphy); it tapers and can hopefully be sawn off at the right point (thickness) and fitted with a slot to access the film roll.
?
I’m going into such detail about this because I’m certainly not the only beginner when it comes to film loaders, and the information provided by manufacturers of film rolls, loaders, etc. is not just sparse, but virtually non-existent. The instructions for the Hama Model 3 loader make no mention whatsoever of such problems. There isn’t even a sketch showing how to insert the cassettes. Just a few terse words stating that 30-metre rolls can be used. Well, perhaps some readers might find this useful and thus spare themselves a fair bit of disappointment and wasted material.
AchimBauer
Hi Steffen,
?
Why don’t you post a photo of the thing? I use several different film loaders, so I might recognise it.
?
And hello Morte, first of all, congratulations on the N74+
With good film stock developed in Acurol N, I get nice, even negatives even with the Lomo Spinner.
As for your broken crank, I’ve had that problem too, though I can’t remember which loader it was with.
They’re probably the same ones. I got round it by using one of my loaders that has a metal crank, which fits this one as well.
?
And one more comment on the cost-effectiveness: it’s definitely worth it, provided you work neatly and wind the films properly onto the reels.
If you compare film by the metre with pre-packaged film, the maths doesn’t always add up.
However, as there’s hardly any analogue material left in local specialist shops, and buying online is often only worth it for larger quantities
(postage costs, minimum order value, trip to the post office to collect the parcel), film by the metre is ideal as it takes up very little space in the freezer (that’s what we call the deep-freezer and the more modern freezer here).
And I can adjust the length to suit my needs.
?
Regards, Achim
highscore
Hi Morte
I’ve had a measure.
The Doorn is 8 mm
The white reel is 25 mm (came with the purchase)
The black one is an empty Foma reel
The winder is called the “Watson Model 100”
Regards
Highscore
highscore
Sorry
The pictures
Morte
Thanks, highscore! So that white thing is what I’m missing. Apart from a working crank… Haven’t got round to tinkering with it yet. Need to get over yesterday’s setback first… but I won’t let that stop me. ;)
