Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2006/09/30
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Strange, On and off throughout the years I've bulk loaded. When I was a student, I bulk loaded all my film and shot easily 4 or 5 100' rolls a month. I still have the negatives. I bulk load now in an attempt to get the film to sit flatly in a Leica IIIc (starting to think that it isn't worth the effort). Basically, I can say this: I've used tape. I've used any tape I can get my hands on. Sticky tape or tape that was designed to be removed and put back several times. It hasn't made any difference at all, as long as it is tape and as long as I don't think I can get 40 exposures out of a 36 exp roll and yank the film off the spool as I wind past its capacity. With Leica cassettes I don't use tape. I don't use anything. I just stick the pointed end of film into the slot in the spool. You'll never get it out again by backing it out. Once it is in there, it is in to stay, or to be pulled the rest of the way through. You can't back it out, only rip it off. Daniel > i tend to like bulking too. > > my early experiences with the leica were unpleasantly similar to yours. > the bottom-loading leica makes for a particularly viscious experience > removing film broken free from the cartridge spool and tightly packed > around the camera's tulip spool. > > i've had the best luck bulking by trimming the last inch of the film end > into a strip that fits into the slot of the film spool and punching a hole > > --- > / \ > / O \ > / \ > | | > | | > | | > > to catch the tab within the slot. then add some beige packing tape > wrapped > around both sides of the film end, largely to make sure the film > can't come off the tab (which it can without help). the packing tape > is strong, sticky and wide. in the end, the stress from pulling the film > off the spool is taken up by the film itself and unless you pull with such > force to tear the film, it won't come loose from the rewind spool. > > -rei > > >> > I used to load my own Plus X in the late 1960's, but cooled off on it >> > when I had problems with the damned film ends coming untaped at the >> > end of the roll. I had to keep a changing bag in my trunk, and then >> > take the film out of the bag in my darkroom. The tape that Kodak, >> > Ilford, etc. use to affix the film to the spool is tenacious as hell. >> > Anyone have a suggestion of what >> > I should use? I have a feeling that "duct tape" is going to enter the >> > conversation. > > -- > Rei Shinozuka shino@panix.com > Ridgewood, New Jersey > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >