on 05/01/02 15:05, Cotty shared with me:
> I practiced loading a roll of 120 on the same reel, extended to 6cm, and
> disaster! I can see (or rather I can't ;-) that it's simply not gonna
> work in the pitch black. The reel is unstable and the film slips off all
> to readily.
>
> Do I remember someone recommending stainless steel reels and/or tanks? Or
> was I dreaming? Do they cope with 120 better? Any recommendations,
> suppliers?
35mm is easier, and less likely to get wrinkled. 120/220 is done the same
way, but with a lighter touch on the edges of the film.
Either type of reel, it's in the delicacy of touch. The film must be bowed
enough to give it some rigitity, and so it can clear the outer ends of the
spiral and settle in place on the inner groove you are aiming for. But not
so much that it creases the base if you bow too much, or try to force it
when it seems stuck. When that happens, unwind a turn, or all the way back
to the beginning, if need be, and start again. A straight and centered start
makes all the difference later on.
There is (was?) a stainless curved plate made that will set the curve of the
bow for you, but I don't know if they are still available. Personally, I
couldn't use it, because it seemed harder to me than the way I learned 35
years ago, using my hands and ears.
There are all kinds of products to "make it easy," but they all have their
problems.
Practice with your eyes closed, peeking when it doesn't sound or feel right,
until you've got it. Change rolls when the practice roll gets wrinkled, as
it imparts yet another variable that will confuse you later on. ( Out of
date film can be had innexpensively, and heat fogged too.) Then do it in the
dark (with no peeking!) until you feel ready to try. It may take hours, or
several days, to train yourself to do it with ease and confidence, but once
learned, you never forget it.
JoMac, Pentaxian
"Pentax, Quadraphonic, Betamax, Macintosh"
and above the rest.
k t,
s e n
Living life a w o
almost parallel to, r
yet ever so slightly o u t -------> f
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