Need help loading 120 film on a reel

[Hawaii Five-O]

Loading 120 film on a reel in the dark is a pest lol. Are there any plastic reels that work really well, making the job a little easier?

 

[KD5NRH]

What are you using? I've just got the Adorama plastic tank and reels, and while it can be a pain to get started without getting fingerprints all over the film, it usually starts within a few seconds, and from there is no tougher than 35mm.

Are you getting the film completely off the paper before you start trying to load the reel, or combining the operations? I find that it's a lot easier if you go ahead and get the paper out of the way first.

 

[Steph]

Loading 120 film on a reel in the dark is a pest lol. Are there any plastic reels that work really well, making the job a little easier?

Loading 120 film onto a reel is slighthly more difficult than 35mm as the film is larger. You need to practice a lot in daylight with a wasted film, than with your eyes closed or in the dark. The so-called Paterson Auto-Load Reel might make things easier. That is what I use and I find it easy to use, even for 120 film. There are a few videos on YouTube showing how to use the plastic Paterson reel. [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cD8eP8kjdo"]Here[/ame] is one.

 

[bhop]

Maybe it's the reel I have, but i'm always surprised when people say that 120 is more difficult to load. I find it much, MUCH easier than 35mm myself..

this is my reel if anyone's interested (I think the same reel Steph linked):
http://www.freestylephoto.biz/sc_prod.php?cat_id=&pid=4733

 

[Easy_Target]

You just need more practice working with your hands in the dark. After I first learned, I got it down within my first 3 tries.

 

[Hawaii Five-O]

What are you using? I've just got the Adorama plastic tank and reels, and while it can be a pain to get started without getting fingerprints all over the film, it usually starts within a few seconds, and from there is no tougher than 35mm.

Are you getting the film completely off the paper before you start trying to load the reel, or combining the operations? I find that it's a lot easier if you go ahead and get the paper out of the way first.

I'm using a plastic reel that came with my Yankee Clipper development tank. Really I don't like the design of my tank. I looked at your reel on Adorama and it looks pretty good, not a bad price either.

I tear the paper off before I try putting the film on the roll


quote=Steph;1358284]Loading 120 film onto a reel is slightly more difficult than 35mm as the film is larger. You need to practice a lot in daylight with a wasted film, than with your eyes closed or in the dark. The so-called Paterson Auto-Load Reel might make things easier. That is what I use and I find it easy to use, even for 120 film. There are a few videos on YouTube showing how to use the plastic Paterson reel. [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cD8eP8kjdo"]Here[/ame] is one.[/quote]

Oh yeah I saw that video on your tube, they make it look so easy haha.
That Paterson looks good as well

 

[Hawaii Five-O]

I'll have to buy one of those two reels you all mentioned and in the meantime keep practicing with some wasted film in the mean time.

I can roll 35 mm in the dark without too much problem, but I have had more experience with it from my class and on my own. Once in a while I still get one or two burnt frames though

 

[KD5NRH]

Yep; the reel/tank setup I have is identical to what bhop linked. Apparently everybody on the planet just contracts these things from whoever actually makes them.

I usually have to argue with it for a few seconds to get it started, but after a couple of false starts (it will sound like it's going on as you twist, but won't actually go past about 1/2" onto the reel - be careful not to kink the film during this part as sometimes it's just twisted with only one side actually in the feed mechanism) it will start, and then it spools on just as smooth as can be. I usually keep a pinky inside the reel about 180 degrees from the feed point until I feel the leading edge of the film touch it so I know things are moving along - from there, I let the edge of the film just outside the feed point run across one thumb so I can feel when it's all on the reel.

 

[Early]

I find that strange. Loading 120 was always much easier to me. Perhaps you're bending the film too much.