Film in Bullk

Patrick · Nov 12, 2005

buy the best loader you can afford. I use a Lloyd's. Freestyle sells it for 20 bucks less then b&h for some odd reason. For the ten extra dollars I dunno if I'd go for the Watson loader, felt cheap IMO.

Here's the Lloyd's loader at FreeStyle
http://www.freestylephoto.biz/sc_prod.php?cat_id=701&pid=1292

Patrick · Nov 12, 2005

Oh and your gonna need a changing bag to load the roll in the loader.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=107620&is=REG&addedTroughType=categoryNavigation

jstuedle · Nov 12, 2005

I have used the Lloyds loader, got my first many years ago. Two negatives with this loader. 1) The little crank always gets misplaced. 2) The film gets pulled through a pair of felt wipers and grit can accumulate in the felt and scratch the film. Other than that it's a good solid, well built loader. I have seen 2 versions of the Watson loader. One is very light and cheap, the other is much more heavily built and will last a lifetime. The Watson has a light trap that opens and closes. This permits the film to pass through without being touched by felt wipers like in the Lloyd version. The biggest problem with home labs is scratched negatives and dust. The Watson can help minimize one of those issues.

FuddyDuddy · Nov 12, 2005

DocFrankenstein said:
Is this the one?
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=61874&is=REG&addedTroughType=search

So basically, all I need for loading myself is that watson and about 17 metal cassetes, right?

Hello,

No need to buy your cassettes. You can find a free supply of cassettes in any reasonably sized town - your local minilab. They should have loads of empty cassettes from films they have developed, and all with a handy little tongue poking out through the light trap to which you can attach your bulk film. Ask nicely, and you'll probably get as many as you like - for nothing, free, gratis! Who says photography is an expensive pursuit!

BTW, I find that 100ft of film should give you 19 ~36exp (+leader) rolls and an extra ~15exp roll. Don't try to overfill the cassettes by stuffing it into 17 cassettes!

Regards

F. Duddy

Patrick · Nov 12, 2005

FuddyDuddy said:
Hello,

No need to buy your cassettes. You can find a free supply of cassettes in any reasonably sized town - your local minilab. They should have loads of empty cassettes from films they have developed, and all with a handy little tongue poking out through the light trap to which you can attach your bulk film. Ask nicely, and you'll probably get as many as you like - for nothing, free, gratis! Who says photography is an expensive pursuit!

BTW, I find that 100ft of film should give you 19 ~36exp (+leader) rolls and an extra ~15exp roll. Don't try to overfill the cassettes by stuffing it into 17 cassettes!

Regards

F. Duddy

Does anybody really load their bulk roll into cassettes all at once? I just load what I need. Maybe 4 rolls at a time.

So you really don't need to buy a boat load of cassettes all at once.

Patrick · Nov 12, 2005

jstuedle said:
I have used the Lloyds loader, got my first many years ago. Two negatives with this loader. 1) The little crank always gets misplaced. 2) The film gets pulled through a pair of felt wipers and grit can accumulate in the felt and scratch the film. Other than that it's a good solid, well built loader. I have seen 2 versions of the Watson loader. One is very light and cheap, the other is much more heavily built and will last a lifetime. The Watson has a light trap that opens and closes. This permits the film to pass through without being touched by felt wipers like in the Lloyd version. The biggest problem with home labs is scratched negatives and dust. The Watson can help minimize one of those issues.

That's why it's good practice to blow the loader out before putting in a new bulk roll.

My crank doesn't always get misplaced, frankly it never has.

FuddyDuddy · Nov 12, 2005

Patrick said:
Does anybody really load their bulk roll into cassettes all at once? I just load what I need. Maybe 4 rolls at a time.

So you really don't need to buy a boat load of cassettes all at once.

Hello,

Yes you are right. That's why I had to move into a bigger house when I got those 20 cassettes the other day.:lmao:

F. Duddy

Patrick · Nov 12, 2005

FuddyDuddy said:
Hello,

Yes you are right. That's why I had to move into a bigger house when I got those 20 cassettes the other day.:lmao:

F. Duddy

Funny. Your killing me.

See and that's why I only buy them in multi. of 5. Loading tech. will produce varied number of rolls per bulk roll.

So you guys really load a roll into the bulk loader then roll the entire roll into cassettes?

FuddyDuddy · Nov 12, 2005

Patrick said:
Funny. Your killing me.

See and that's why I only buy them in multi. of 5. Loading tech. will produce varied number of rolls per bulk roll.

So you guys really load a roll into the bulk loader then roll the entire roll into cassettes?

Hello,

Sorry Patrick - I'm a very bad boy!:mrgreen:

Yes I load the whole roll into cassettes at once - but then sometimes 100ft lasts me less than a month. Horses for courses I s'pose.

Fuddy

DocFrankenstein · Nov 12, 2005

Patrick said:
So you guys really load a roll into the bulk loader then roll the entire roll into cassettes?

It can save time I think... if no other reason. Adam Smith was onto something when he was talking about specialization...

nealjpage · Nov 12, 2005

DocFrankenstein said:
It can save time I think... if no other reason. Adam Smith was onto something when he was talking about specialization...

But did his invisable hand know how to do photography?:lmao:

Patrick · Nov 12, 2005

DocFrankenstein said:
It can save time I think... if no other reason. Adam Smith was onto something when he was talking about specialization...

WTF?

Curious what does Adam Smith have to do with bulk loading or weather you load 4 or the whole roll at a time?

jstuedle · Nov 12, 2005

WTF?

Curious what does Adam Smith have to do with bulk loading or weather you load 4 or the whole roll at a time?

I was thinking the same thing, but didn't have the intestinal fortitude to ask.

DocFrankenstein · Nov 12, 2005

LOL

If you load the whole roll it's faster! Not by much, I have to admit, but faster.

nealjpage · Nov 14, 2005

FuddyDuddy said:
No need to buy your cassettes. You can find a free supply of cassettes in any reasonably sized town - your local minilab. They should have loads of empty cassettes from films they have developed, and all with a handy little tongue poking out through the light trap to which you can attach your bulk film. Ask nicely, and you'll probably get as many as you like - for nothing, free, gratis! Who says photography is an expensive pursuit!

What kind of tape do you use to attach the film? Plain old masking tape or Scotch tape or is there a special photo tape just for this purpose?