Rolf-Werner
I picked up a Paterson canister with three reels whilst on holiday, and after taking a good look at the system, I’m now trying to load an old uncut roll film. Once it’s seated in the guide, the film is pulled through beautifully by the little balls. I think it’s absolutely brilliant – I’ve never had anything so sophisticated before :-)
But getting the film in the dark without looking: is there any trick (apart from being good at fiddling around) that I haven’t managed to figure out yet? I find it difficult to get the start of the film precisely onto the first spool. It often ends up with one side landing on spool 2 or 3, and the other side in the ball.
Oh yes, one more thing: the black tube has to go in so that the wider part at the bottom goes into the tank, have I got that right? And does it matter which way round you put the reels on it?
Thanks for any tips!
Rolf
Sandra
Hi Rolf,
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My Paterson spiral has a noticeable raised section where you thread the film in – sort of a small ridge or corner. It’s a bit tricky to describe; maybe I should just take a photo and post it. It actually works quite well.
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Do you also trim the corners off the start of the film? That makes threading it in a bit easier.
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(quote)Oh yes, one more thing: the black tube has to go in so that the wider part sits at the bottom of the tank, have I got that right? And it doesn’t matter which way round you put the reels on it? (/quote)
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Yes, that’s exactly right.
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Have fun with it!
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Best wishes,
Sandra?
Rolf-Werner
Hi Sandra,
Thanks for the tips. I remember having to trim the film back in the day with those older, more basic film canisters I used to have. Sometimes you misjudge it in the dark, and you end up with really huge corners, which aren’t exactly ideal...
But even with the uncut corners, this canister with the little beads pulls the film in so smoothly that I’d rather not bother with the cutting. That’s not really the problem here either. The film just wants to roll up, and in doing so, the start tends to feed in a bit further. If you can’t see what you’re doing, one side can easily skip a turn or two on the reel. You can’t really feel it in the dark either, or so it seems after a few attempts with my eyes closed. Hence my question as to whether the manufacturer might have any advice on the best way to do it.
But I’ll just practise a bit more. I’ve noticed the corners for threading, of course; you can feel them with your fingers too. It’s just not much use if you unconsciously hold the reel at an angle in the dark.
Regards
Rolf
Sandra
Hi Rolf,
The only thing that really helps is practice, practice, practice. I hold the reel in my left hand, with my index finger and thumb on opposite corners so I’ve got it in the right position, then I take the film in my right hand—again using my thumb and index finger—and slide it in, before catching it with my left hand and pulling it in a few centimetres. Then it’s wound correctly. Once that’s sorted, I start twisting the two parts of the reel in opposite directions.
Here’s one more tip for you: if, after a few developments, your films become difficult to wind onto the reel, you can ‘lubricate’ the reel with a little graphite (from a mechanical pencil – but use only a tiny amount and run it carefully along the windings). Then it’ll glide on smoothly again. I found that tip on apug.
The film and the reel must also be bone dry. I always wear cotton gloves, as I wind my films in the changing bag. My hands get sweaty quickly, especially in summer of course, and you don’t want grease or fingerprints on the film.
I hope my tips help you a little. The Patterson spool is really good. I’ve been using mine for a good 10 years now.
Best wishes, Sandra
Rolf-Werner
Hi Sandra,
Thanks for the brilliant tips. When I read the bit about the pencil, I had to smile: now I know why the reels have a slight grey edge where the film is wound...
I’ve got three reels for the canister, but it only fits one roll of film. That’s why I’ve got two dry ones for the next films. By then, the first one should be dry again.
Do you know if a hose for rinsing is included? There were a few hoses in there; one might fit, hence the question.
Best regards
Rolf
