# Tips on spooling a steel reel?



## JosephKubik (Nov 30, 2012)

Up until recently I always used a plastic reel and tank.  It was lost during a move earlier this year though and I stumbled upon a stainless steel tank with 2 35mm reels in a thrift shop for 95 cents.:mrgreen:  I seem to have a little difficulty getting the film on it properly.  After the first 15-20 exposures, the rest seem to be touching each other in certain spots, and it coincides with where one of the bars coming out from the center is.  I had better luck with the second reel.  

I checked them for any bends, and there are none (that I can see anyway).  Does anyone have any tips to load a steel reel?


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## Rick58 (Dec 1, 2012)

Practice, practice, practice.

Practice in the daylight with a old roll.

 Your No.1 enemy with steel reels is moisture. Moisture on a steel reel is going to give you a bad day.

 You can't really give advice, you just have to kind'a do it. About all I can say is make sure the real isn't bent and the film isn't slipping out of the track, and then practice some more.

I have a slew of stainless cans, From 1 to 5 reels. Plastic isn't near as cool as stainless, but racheting a roll onto plastic is sure a lot easier


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## Helen B (Dec 1, 2012)

I think that the key is to start straight, really straight. The various patterns of reel loader do that very well, and if doing it by hand it is easier to achieve standing up in a darkroom than in a changing tent, which in turn is easier than a bag. With one finger of the hand holding the reel, feel the film edge as it pops into the track. Unwind and re-start if you feel a kink. As Rick says, practice is important. Once you get the hang of it, it will be faster than loading a plastic reel. 

Prepare the film end properly. Do you know what reels you have? Do they have a plastic core?


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## The_Traveler (Dec 1, 2012)

When I did film developing, I was very cautious about cleaning the reels, rinsing them in very hot water (thus assuring they would dry off) and, as Helen said, loading the reel while standing in a darkroom. A changing bag never worked for me, I always ended up with kinks in the film and adjacent areas touching because the film wasn't hanging free with the weight of the end to hold it true.

I found 35 mm easier, 120/620 damn hard but steel reels are so much better, imo.


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## timor (Dec 1, 2012)

Rick58 said:


> Your No.1 enemy with steel reels is moisture. Moisture on a steel reel is going to give you a bad day.


 I need clarification. I heard, that one of the very few advantages of steel reel is the ability to load them wet. Moisture is supposed to be a problem with plastic reels, where film is sliding along the groov.


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## Helen B (Dec 1, 2012)

A small drop of water here and there on a steel reel will not matter, but truly wet reels would be a problem - wet hands touching the film etc. They are very easy to get to a 'dry enough' state  - shaking, wiping and using a hair dryer all work.


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## Canuk (Dec 1, 2012)

I find 35mm on steel reels just about impossible. I have practiced my heart out and can do it in the light w/ the practice film, but every time I try with a film to be developed it gets messed up. The plastic ones seem to work easier for me for 35mm.
For 120 I find the opposite is true, steel reels= no problems. Plastic reels on the other hand are a nightmare to start, probably just need more practice i guess.


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## amolitor (Dec 1, 2012)

There are two kinds of steel reels. Cheap ones and good ones. Good ones are massively heavy and will hold proper alignment. Cheap ones are lighter built, and are basically misaligned during manufacture.

Steel reels need to be PERFECT or they won't work worth a damn. I wouldn't even mess with used ones, or cheap ones. You're never going to get the film on there straight, if there's even a little misalignment.


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## ceeboy14 (Dec 6, 2012)

I spent most of my college life in a darkroom with steel reels and with one or two memorable, very bad language experiences, never had a problem loading one. For me, the key was once I set the *squared* lip of the film under the catch wire, I'd cup the film (cup toward center) ever so slightly as I turned the reel to load. I did use my pinkie to guide the film. Practice, practice, practice...of course, all that said, my students only used the plastic ratchet type reels. Oh well.


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## timor (Dec 6, 2012)

Well, I am using the plastic ones only for the past 35 years or so. The best I had contact with were Polish Krokus, no ball just a notch to put the tip of a finger to hold the film while spooling, very good for 120 film. I think Jobo has the same style.


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## orlovphoto (Dec 9, 2012)

35mm is impossible to spool on steel reels IF your reel is at all bent or has moisture on it or any rust spots. Some 35mm reels have thicker wire and those are a ton easier.

 120 is a piece of cake.  

Steel is way better, but practice is your best friend.  

Also, I don't bother with trying to slide the end of the film into that clip in the middle - most of the time it'll slide in at a slight angle and you're screwed then for sure.  Just insert it straight, hold the film down between the middle of the spool and your index finger and do a rotation - by the time you have a rotation down the tension is enough to keep the film from sliding out (provided you don't pull on it of course)

I keep the film bent prior to its entering the spool with the thumb and index finger on the right hand (I'm right-handed) and keep those two fingers RIGHT next to the reel - then move only your left hand and kinda hold the reel and the film with the two fingers while rotating and re-grabbing with the left.

good luck!


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## BobM (Dec 24, 2012)

I've been using steel reels for over 50 years. I STILL find loading 35 mm reels difficult unless I use Kindermann reels with a separate film loader attachment (these reels have a turned-up edge that serve as a crank when used with the matching loader). I have no trouble loading 120 reels of any brand without a loader (and actually find tye 120 Kindermann loader more trouble than it's worth).


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## bsinmich (Jan 4, 2013)

I like the metal spear in the center of the  FR tanks.  For 35 they made a special center reel so you could load 2 rolls of 35 at the same time.  Patterson also are fairly easy to use with their ball bearing to give the ratchet and load with just rocking the reels in seperate directions.  Stainless ones always seemed to give me a little  problem.  Spiratone even made a loader that screwed onto a table and would load the reel perfectly.


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## snark (Jan 19, 2013)

The advice about buying good quality, new reels is priceless.  How much time, money and patience I have wasted fooling around with used steel reels!  And also the tip about moisture - one drop of water will make emulsion sticky as glue, and it will bind up.  If I have any doubt, I blast the reel with a hair drier before I take it in the darkroom.


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## Mrkyar (Jan 27, 2013)

Always felt it was important to cut the leader sharply. This aids in loading the film straight. Some stainless tanks have a clip

Sent from my iPad using PhotoForum


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## compur (Jan 28, 2013)

My best tip, if you are having difficulties using steel reels, is to toss them and use good quality plastic reels such as those from Paterson or Jobo. Plastic reels are so cheap these days that the "wet reel" issue is no problem -- just get some spare reels and use a dry one when needed.

One caveat: Years ago Diafine warned not to use plastic reels with it as this could affect the developer. But, I've never seen any problem using good quality plastic reels with Diafine nor have I heard of anyone else having any problems along this line.  I assume this warning only applied to certain early plastic reels made years ago.


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## smerchant (May 20, 2013)

When I started developing at a coop, I used steel reels since that was how I was taught in college and it was all I knew. It took me forever to load them and people passing by the darkroom would usually hear random swearing and foot stomping even after I tried finding my happy place. When I started developing at home, I bought a steel reel and tank as well as a plastic reel set. The steel reel/ tank got used once and I'm ready to list it on ebay. I hate the thing with a passion. Every time I use it I get negatives that stick together and I shed tears. My tip is to stay away from steel reels.


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## webestang64 (May 21, 2013)

A few tips. I make sure all is dry. I use the "roll" method. Once the film is hooked in the middle, set the reel on the table top and push the film on as the reel rolls along the table at 6-8" lengths. It helps greatly that to use only Hewes steel reels. They are far the best reels ever made.  
Practice of course is key, do it a couple of times in the light then go dark, repeat a few times, this might help know what it looks like as well feeling.


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