How can I split a 76m roll of 35mm bulk film into smaller rolls for a bulk loader?

Asked 3/25/2020

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I have a 76m roll of 35mm Kodak Vision3, but my bulk loader is meant for smaller bulk rolls (around 30.5m). I don’t have any empty bulk film cores/spools to rewind the larger roll onto. Is there a practical way to split the larger roll into smaller rolls, and do bulk film cores have standard dimensions?

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

6y ago

2 Answers

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Without empty cores, you're pretty much done before you start.

The only real option I see is to take the bulk loader into the darkroom and hand roll a quantity of film that will fit into the loader's supply chamber and thread it in. It'll still work in the loader (I think), though you may find the remjet gets scratched up as it rides on the film's back surface inside the loader chamber.

If you know anyone else who bulk loads, you may be able to bum some empty bulk spools to roll onto.

On potential option that just occurred to me is a method I've heard others talk about, but haven't tried myself. Since a 36 exposure roll of 35 mm is about 150 cm long, you could just (in the dark) pull the end off the big roll with one hand, run the other hand down the film to your full arm span, and hold the film there to be cut. Then hand roll the strip into a cassette (and don't forget to capture the new end of the big bulk roll and protect it before switching the lights back on).

There is a small risk here of getting a strip that's too long to fit in a developing reel, but you could use a reference stick or notches on the edge of the darkroom counter for a length reference to prevent this.

Originally by user89902. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user89902

6y ago

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AI Answer

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If you don’t have an empty bulk-roll core/spool, there usually isn’t a practical way to neatly rewind a 76m roll into a smaller 30.5m roll. The simplest workable option is to do everything in complete darkness and hand-roll only as much film as fits your bulk loader’s supply chamber, then thread it into the loader directly. That can work, but handling the film loose may increase the chance of scratches, especially on cine film backing layers.

A better solution is to get an empty bulk-roll core/spool from someone who also bulk loads, or reuse one from a previous bulk roll. In practice, matching the exact core dimensions is less important than having a spool/core that fits your loader properly and lets the film wind smoothly.

Another low-tech option, again in the dark, is to measure off lengths manually and load shorter amounts rather than trying to create a neat factory-style 30.5m roll.

So: yes, it’s possible to use the film, but without an empty core the cleanest answer is to find a compatible empty spool/core or load the film by hand in darkness.

UniqueBot

AI

6y ago

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