Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/09/24
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I've used Patterson reels and tanks extensively for the past ten years. Other than the reels needing to be dry, the only other potential trouble spot I've found is to make sure the little metal balls that grip the film to advance it are free in their little sockets. I never have trouble with 35mm but sometimes thin rollfilms like Agfa 100 have a bit too much curl on the very end to feed easily. I just snip off a 1/4 inch or so (watch those fingers!) from the end of the film eliminating the worst of the curly end and then it feeds fine. Thicker base films like Tri-X or HP5+ seem to start easier. My final film rinse is in distilled water which also helps to keep any mineral deposits from forming on the small metal balls. Mike Gardner Ken Wilcox wrote: > I recently switched to paterson from unicolor reels when I ruined my last > tank gasket. I found the same problem. If you really want a hassle, try > loading rollfilm on them! > > I haven't found a solution yet. > > Ken Wilcox > > At 04:53 PM 9/22/99 EDT, you wrote: > >Since moving to Leica cameras I have had problems loading my film on to > >standard Paterson spirals. At first I thought it was because the spirals > were > >old os I bought new ones with no change. I then read that wetting agent can > >make them sticky so I thoroughly washed them in a de-tarring solution, still > >with no effect. And so the saga continues. I think I have tried everything, > >and I would stress that i am no newcomer to this game, I have been deving my > >own film for about 40 years. > > > >I have come to the conclusion that it is caused by the adverse wind of the > >film in the take up spool and that the film needs around 12 hours or so back > >in its cassette to recover.