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jdman · Joined: 13 May 2001 Posts: 302 Location: Midwest

Anyone had experience loading 220 film in a Kinderman tank. It looks like you just push it in. Is this easy, or are there better tanks for loading? Russ

Graflite · Joined: 08 Nov 2001 Posts: 103 Location: Southeast US

Russ:

The Kindermann 220 stainless steel reels that I'm familar with (and use occasionly) load from the center using a steel spring clip that has a prong that "impales" the end of the film strip and holds it very tight while you wind the film onto the spirals.

With that said, it is very important to center the width of the film strip end correctly before impaling the film otherwise it might load crooked and overlap in the spirals of the reel.

In my opinion there is something to be said for a reel that has no clip in the center so that the film strip end is free floating and can adjust to the reel as it loads, however 120/220 film is hard enough to load for some and trying to hold the film to the core and load at the same time can be frustrating!!

I modified a 120 table top reel loader and use it now to load 220 SS reels when I do use them, but for the most part I just use a Unicolor 120/220 plastic reel that "rachets" the film onto the the reel from the outer to the inner of the reel and process it in a Unicolor film drum on a Unicolor roller motor.

Good luck with your search.

"graflite"

jdman · Joined: 13 May 2001 Posts: 302 Location: Midwest

Thanks for the infomation. For 40 years I have used (Don't laugh) the Kodak apron tanks and never had a miscue. Of course the 120 apron is not long enough for 220, and since I now have a 220 back, I got to try something else. Russ

Graflite · Joined: 08 Nov 2001 Posts: 103 Location: Southeast US

Russ:

I wouldn't think of laughing, for the almost 40 years I've been doing processing, I never once used the Kodak apron tank although I have seen them, my "cruel" late uncle made me start with stainless steel reels and I had to practice till I could get it right.

And when I started on my own it was the Kindermann SS reels, with a hand loader and the SS tank with plastic lid that I used, later on I gravitated to some Nikor tanks and reels, but then started using the Hewes reels from England for 35mm from time to time.

Finally I started using the Unicolor system with the black core/white plastic reels in the Film Drum for 35mm and 120/220 along with the motor roller base, also the 8 x 10 paper processing drums are nice because I can process 4 sheets of 4 x 5 at a time.

"graflite"

Henry · Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2003 5:15 pm Post subject:

I used the Kodak crinkly-edge aprons in Kodak tank for 35mm. They are foolproof! When I went to 120, I longed to find a suitable apron but alas they were no longer being made. So I had to go to spiral reels, in my case the Patersons. I could never master the technique of winding 120 film onto those reels, which is one reason I went over to chromogenic b/w (can't do that at home!). But if I could find an apron or two for 120 I'd be back with Plus-X and T-Max, at least in part.

clnfrd · Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2003 9:32 pm Post subject:

I'm not laughing either, because I use a Kodacraft tank with the crinkle-edge apron for 120 developing. Too bad they didn't make an apron long enough for your 220 film. As for developing film with a tank where you have to "impale" the film in the center of the reel and wind it onto the reel...into the grooves...I developed a jillion rolls of 35mm that way years ago. I thought it would be difficult, but I found it easy after getting the hang of it. 120 may be tougher, but with a little practice you should get the hang of it. Fred.