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Really curly film

mathomas

Active member
I tried to load up a (plastic) reel of Plus-x that had been in my M2 for quite a while (a couple of months). It was a real bear. It seemed to have a very strong "reverse curl" coming off the spool (I assume from sitting on the takeup spool for so long. I tried twice to load it, first the "normal" way (emulsion in), then, out of desperation, the other way round (emulsion out), but it was so intensely curled it would bind right away no matter which way I went. I ended up putting it back in the cartridge, and dropped into the tank to to sit a while and try to get it "bent the other way" and thus straightened out a bit.

Anyone else ever have this trouble? Maybe it's common and I since I usually shoot a whole roll, then develop it right away, I don't see it that often.
 

saxshooter

New member
I don't have much experience with plastic reels, but when using stainless steel reels (I used the hewes type) if I felt the film was strongly curling, I would "pinch" the film slightly while holding it (thumb on the bottom sprocket edges, other fingers on the top edges) and it would straighten out a bit and allow me to slowly roll it onto the reel. I'm guessing this would be hard to do with the plastic reel because you need both hands to ratchet the film onto the spool.
 
T

tokengirl

Guest
Mike,

The cure for this is a Hewes stainless reel instead of plastic, use saxshooter's technique above. Works perfectly every time.
 

Bob

Administrator
Staff member
I bet this is showing my age, but I have had absolutely no trouble at all with my Honeywell stainless steel reels even with totally curly film. Just take it slowly and feed it evenly.
-bob
 

mathomas

Active member
Ahh, the old stainless steel reel solution. I feel myself being inexorably drawn to it :).

I'll give loading another go tonight, and ponder investing in 135 and 120 steel reels. Could be this roll of film will push me over the edge.

Saxshooter, it's even worse than you think. Normally I can (and do) load about half of a 135/36 roll with one hand doing the ratcheting, but this film is so springy/curly in the "wrong direction" that it was bursting out of the spirals on the far side of the ratcheting mechanism. I was about to start chanting "the power of Christ compels you" at it, before I decided to just let it sit curled the opposite direction for a while.

Thanks for your advice, all!
 

scho

Well-known member
:ROTFL: LMAO!!!
Amen! :ROTFL:

If you really want to have fun with curly film, try some Rollei ATP 1.1 120. After processing and dry that stuff will coil on you like a hungry anaconda. I tamed it a little by reverse rolling back onto an empty plastic reel and letting it sit a couple of days, but still a bear getting it flat enough to scan. Otherwise very nice film if you like grainless and high acutance. I processed 1:300 in R09.

Sample image from Rolleiflex 2.8F:
 
T

tetsrfun

Guest
I tried to load up a (plastic) reel of Plus-x that had been in my M2 for quite a while (a couple of months). It was a real bear. It seemed to have a very strong "reverse curl" coming off the spool (I assume from sitting on the takeup spool for so long. I tried twice to load it, first the "normal" way (emulsion in), then, out of desperation, the other way round (emulsion out), but it was so intensely curled it would bind right away no matter which way I went. I ended up putting it back in the cartridge, and dropped into the tank to to sit a while and try to get it "bent the other way" and thus straightened out a bit.

Anyone else ever have this trouble? Maybe it's common and I since I usually shoot a whole roll, then develop it right away, I don't see it that often.
I just restarted DIY developing two days ago after about a thirty year hiatus. I ordered both plastic and Hewes reels. The Hewes reels are much easier for me to load reliably. (An expert after four rolls. :>) )

Steve
 

TRSmith

Subscriber Member
Interesting problem, and frustrating I bet. The whole discussion had me sitting here with my eyes closed (cheap darkroom) and mentally winding film on a stainless reel. I discovered that my own technique is to hold the reel in my left hand and use that hand to turn the reel while holding the film by its edges in my right. It's a strange sort of motion, but the left hand does all the work and the right just keeps the film steady with a slight arch to it via the gentle pinch.

p.s. hate plastic reels.

p.p.s. thanks for the memories!
 

mathomas

Active member
I saw a guy winding it on with the reel just sitting on the counter. He'd just push the film onto the reel, and then pick the reel up and place it back down, and play out a bit more film. Looked easy, but I'll be it takes some good practice.
 
T

tetsrfun

Guest
Interesting problem, and frustrating I bet. The whole discussion had me sitting here with my eyes closed (cheap darkroom) and mentally winding film on a stainless reel. I discovered that my own technique is to hold the reel in my left hand and use that hand to turn the reel while holding the film by its edges in my right. It's a strange sort of motion, but the left hand does all the work and the right just keeps the film steady with a slight arch to it via the gentle pinch.

p.s. hate plastic reels.

p.p.s. thanks for the memories!
After a little trial and error with some expired film, that is the method that works for me. Compress the sides of the 120 film with my right hand to create a gentle curve and wind it on with my left. Seems to make a distinctive sound if the film if feeding on the Hewes reel properly.

Steve
 

mathomas

Active member
Finally, four weeks later, I went back to the plus-x I'd put back in the canister to lose its curl (I wonder how long it actually took to lose the curl). It went on the reel like butter, and is now drying in the shower.
 
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