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04-25-2009, 01:52 AM   #31
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QuoteOriginally posted by Ira Quote
But what's the whole changing bag about? If you're doing it during the day?

I never had a problem because I did everything at night, turned off all lights, and loaded sitting on the floor of an interior closet with the door closed.

Pitch black.
1) I don't have a closet big enough to sit in. Besides, I suffer from closetphobia.
2) I desperately attempt to sleep at night.
3) I'm scared of pitch black rooms. Boogie Men do exist, you know. :ugh:
4) The bag was only $20. I've made far worse investments.

04-25-2009, 04:23 AM   #32
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Just a tip: In the past , I have placed a piece of cardboard to fully expand the bag while using it to keep things cooler. I found that if I just let it collapse, it gets hot insde very quickly, the humidity level rises and it can be a pain to load plastic reels.
04-25-2009, 03:59 PM   #33
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My closets ARE stuffed beyond belief--but I'm small.

Plus, it will give me an excuse to get away from the wife and kids.
04-26-2009, 09:27 AM   #34
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QuoteOriginally posted by Venturi Quote
The hardest part for me (it was my FIRST roll ever) was making a straight cut of the film leader whilst in the changing bag.
I always snip the corners off a little bit to get sort of a "D" shape - makes it much easier to load onto the shift-and-turn plastic spools. Not so important for stainless steel, but I do it anyway out of habit...

04-26-2009, 11:28 AM   #35
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QuoteOriginally posted by OregonJim Quote
I always snip the corners off a little bit to get sort of a "D" shape - makes it much easier to load onto the shift-and-turn plastic spools. Not so important for stainless steel, but I do it anyway out of habit...
Me, too. I have a little maneuver I usually do that's hard to describe, putting one finger on the rounded corner that's already there, and then cutting the skinny part of the leader off to sort of match: if you miss and cut through a sprocket hole, you can just go a little back from there. (I have some nice medical scissors with a rounded point that are nice for not-stabbing yourself or the film by accident: curved toenail scissors also work pretty nice for this, but not so well for when you cut your negs into strips later. )
04-26-2009, 11:48 AM   #36
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I never wind the leader entierly back into the case. The first cut I make to square the film start is done in the light. I also clip the corners of the film to allow a smooth "wind up" onto plastic reels. I start winding onto the spool in light also, then I finish in the dark.

I find this a great deal easier then starting the process in the dark.

Also if something goes wrong during the wind up, I can always wind the film back into the case, turn the lights on and start over.
04-26-2009, 01:42 PM   #37
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QuoteOriginally posted by KungPOW Quote
I never wind the leader entierly back into the case. The first cut I make to square the film start is done in the light. I also clip the corners of the film to allow a smooth "wind up" onto plastic reels. I start winding onto the spool in light also, then I finish in the dark.

I find this a great deal easier then starting the process in the dark.

Also if something goes wrong during the wind up, I can always wind the film back into the case, turn the lights on and start over.
Well, leaving the leader out does save some fumbling in the dark. I wind it all the way back in, though, unless I can *immediately* trim the leader off: otherwise there's some small risk of confusing it with an un-shot or partially-shot roll, which I generally find unacceptable, (especially because the way I nibble through my film work these days, a shot roll could represent some work in that film for a month or two) One thing I've learned from a long time in film photography is to never trust my memory when I can cultivate a habit and know exactly what something means when it's left a certain way. Especially the way my memory can be lately ...if I'm hurting, I've got an alarming tendency to not remember things later.

One thing you can do, especially if you don't have a really happy dark bag or other good situation, is to utilize a *leader extractor.* Then you can trim in the light without that worry. Everyone should have one and know how to use it, anyway. Sooner or later, *some* film's going to end up wound all the way back when it shouldn't: it's just a question of when and how often.

04-27-2009, 06:06 PM   #38
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I won the tank--4 bucks, plus 6 shipping.

This is the apron system that I used for years in the 70s. The acetate aprons curl to a circle, and all you have to do is stick one end of the roll into the looped end, and it's "loaded" in 2 seconds.

The ridges on the edges of the aprons keep the film surfaces from touching each other, and since you just sit the aprons in the tank, the aprons loosen up and further prevent contact between film surfaces, assuring proper development:

Kodak Kodacraft Miniature Roll-Film Developing Tank - eBay (item 200333600852 end time Apr-26-09 16:04:16 PDT)

This tank was a GODSEND to me back then, because I can't tell you how many rolls I screwed up trying to load a conventional reel. Not only was it 100% hassle-free, it always worked PERFECTLY.
04-29-2009, 07:53 AM   #39
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There is a very cool trick to extracting a lost leader. I paste from a post on another forum. this really really works!
Begin Quote:
The cheap and nasty way that I have used for 15+ years, turn the spool of the film the same as you would if you were winding the film into the cartridge. Turn it till you hear the leader flick past the opening. Take another film, and lick it, wet it however, the leader on the emulsion side and stick it into the other cartridge upside down. What you are doing is sticking the two films together. Push it into the cartridge as far as you can and when you have it done right you can start to wind the film into the cartridge with the lost leader. Wind it in a few turns, and wait about 10 seconds for the emulsion to stick together and then pull it out and viola! the lost leader will come along. Now, let me tell you that it will take you a few tries to get it to work, but once you get the hang of it, you will hit it everytime. It's free, and you don't need to carry another tool in your bag because I always have plenty of spare film lying around.
End Quote

This really works!
05-01-2009, 06:02 PM   #40
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I first developed film in junior high school using a tank with an apron style reel. IIRC it was quite easy to load.

Since the apron in effect forms a "wall" around the film, is increased agitation or development time suggested?

Chris
05-03-2009, 06:09 AM   #41
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QuoteOriginally posted by ChrisPlatt Quote

Since the apron in effect forms a "wall" around the film, is increased agitation or development time suggested?

Chris
I don't recall doing anything different--and I used to only do E6 using Cibachrome's EZ-6 kit and followed their instructions.

We'll see, but I'm getting pretty excited about popping the top on that thing and seeing (hopefully) a developed roll of film for the first time in 25 years.
05-05-2009, 09:04 PM   #42
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QuoteOriginally posted by lawsonstone Quote
There is a very cool trick to extracting a lost leader. I paste from a post on another forum. this really really works!
Begin Quote:
The cheap and nasty way that I have used for 15+ years, turn the spool of the film the same as you would if you were winding the film into the cartridge. Turn it till you hear the leader flick past the opening. Take another film, and lick it, wet it however, the leader on the emulsion side and stick it into the other cartridge upside down. What you are doing is sticking the two films together. Push it into the cartridge as far as you can and when you have it done right you can start to wind the film into the cartridge with the lost leader. Wind it in a few turns, and wait about 10 seconds for the emulsion to stick together and then pull it out and viola! the lost leader will come along. Now, let me tell you that it will take you a few tries to get it to work, but once you get the hang of it, you will hit it everytime. It's free, and you don't need to carry another tool in your bag because I always have plenty of spare film lying around.
End Quote

This really works!
Thank You for the tip! I had a roll of Kodak 100 Gold with the leader inside. Sure hated to throw it away. It is now loaded in my OM 1. Again thank you for the clear explanation.

Steve N
05-06-2009, 08:39 AM   #43
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QuoteOriginally posted by lawsonstone Quote
I had a brainstorm yesterday. Instead of the hassle of sending off or dropping off my Tri-X film for processing, it seems like for about $75 I can get the tank, chemicals, etc. do do my own negatives. I plan to scan the negatives in a slide scanner I own. I don't plan to get into prints and enlargers, just develop the negatives and scan them for further use.

35 years ago I regularly developed my own BW film and hopefully can remember what I used to know.

Is there anything wrong with this plan?
But if your scanning the film anyway it's no better than your scanner. You lose all the attributes and subtleties and depth of film. Might as well shoot digital and desaturate.
05-06-2009, 08:41 AM   #44
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QuoteOriginally posted by ChrisPlatt Quote
I first developed film in junior high school using a tank with an apron style reel. IIRC it was quite easy to load.

Since the apron in effect forms a "wall" around the film, is increased agitation or development time suggested?

Chris
The emulsion is not against the apron the base is. No additional time should be required.
05-06-2009, 08:45 AM   #45
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QuoteOriginally posted by KungPOW Quote
I never wind the leader entierly back into the case. The first cut I make to square the film start is done in the light. I also clip the corners of the film to allow a smooth "wind up" onto plastic reels. I start winding onto the spool in light also, then I finish in the dark.

I find this a great deal easier then starting the process in the dark.

Also if something goes wrong during the wind up, I can always wind the film back into the case, turn the lights on and start over.
I've never loaded a reel in a bag since I have a darkroom, but I use both stainless and the plastic "easy load" reels. Never seem to have a problem with either one. And I always let the leader back into the cartridge. Use a "church key" (bottle opener) to pop the cartridge open. When I was really active shooting I had reloadable cartridges that used bulk film. Never had a problem.
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