Re: [Leica] Re: Film loading

[Kip Babington <cbabing3@swbell.net>]

In addition to 35mm, I reload Minox cassettes.  These require a very thin tape to
attach the film to the takeup spool (the diameter of the takeup spool, plus the
film as it's wound on, controls the frame spacing in a Minox, so any excess
thickness in tape would add to the spool diameter and mess up the spacing.)  I've
been using a 2" wide Scotch packaging tape (that I probably got at Home Depot)
identified only by the number 3710 on the inside of the 3" cardboard spool it comes
on.  I use the brown stuff, so it's easier to see.

It's very thin but very tenacious.  In order to make it manageable, I take a length
of it and stick it to the backing paper of peel off labels (I use the backing from
Priority Mail address labels, which I have in quantity, but Avery label backing
should work too.)  The tape and backing can then be cut to width and length with
scissors or a trimmer, and it's then pretty simple to peel the tape off the backing
when you're ready to use it.  For the narrow strips I use in Minox reloading this
is about the only way to handle tape of this sort, but it ought to work pretty well
for 35mm size film as well.  I don't try to reuse the tape, but even with single
use a roll will last the better part of my lifetime.

Hope this helps somebody.

Cheers,
Kip

Mike Quinn wrote, in part:

> (2) Agfapan used to be attached with really great (blue) tape that never
> dried out and could be re-used many times for reloads. Anyone know a source
> for something other than masking tape today?