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620/120 Film
Date: Mon, 25 May 1998 18:30:37 -0400
From: (Terry Price
Subject: re-rolling 620 film
I found the following on the web and thought it was worth sharing.
Terry
Rolling 120 Film Onto a 620 Spindle
by Al Thompson
All of the on-line instructions I've seen for rolling 120 onto 620 spindles
are techniques for doing it the
hard way. I don't roll the film first onto an intermediate spool, then onto
the 620 spindle. All I do is pull
the film and its backing off the 120 spool and let it curl naturally into a
palm-sized roll, without a spool.
As I reach the end of the 120 spool (it's easy to tell by feel) I hang onto
the tab of the paper leader as it
comes out of the slot in the 120 spool. Then I pick up the 620 spool
(conveniently placed for location in
the dark) and by running my finger along the axle it is easy to tell which
of the two sides has the longer
slot. I insert the leader tab into the longer slot as far as it will go and
feel it come out on the other side.
Then I start winding according to the natural curl of the Paper. After a
short length of paper is wound
onto the spool the gummed tab for taping the exposed film roll presents
itself and I keep rolling, letting it
stay where it is. After a few more inches of rolling, the loose end of the
film will present itself. Avoid
touching the film as much as possible and sandwich it onto the roll along
with the paper backing, and
keep on rolling. Make sure the paper and film stay aligned between the
spindle ends, and wind the whole
thing with the least slack possible.
Presently you will come to the leading edge of the film, which will be
taped to the paper backing. Due to
principals of geometry and rewinding that I needn't go into, the paper and
film lengths will not be exactly
matched where they are taped together. The film will be slightly longer and
it will have to be separated
from its backing and repositioned before rolling can continue. Slip your
finger between the film and the
paper and untape them. The tape will remain attached along the edge of the
film. Don't worry about
retaping them. If you just continue winding, the film will retape itself
properly to the paper. The
repositioning will not be enough to affect the alignment of the frame
numbers on the back of the film.
Continue winding until all of the paper leader is on the spool. Tuck the
leader tab under and put a rubber
band on the rewound spool to keep it in place until it is ready for the camera.
What I have just described sounds more complicated than it really is. Years
ago I did my first one
successfully without any instructions at all, just doing what came
naturally. After you do the first one the
next one will be easy. I find that I can do a roll in about five minutes. I
also find that Fuji and Ilford
films are easier to rewind than Kodak because their paper doesn't tend to
crinkle as easily or tend to ride
up and over the spool ends. Just remember not to start with sweaty hands,
and try not to touch the film
anywhere except along the sides. Also, it would be a good idea to let your
eyes have about five minutes to
adjust to the dark to make sure no stray light is getting into the
darkroom. Not having a darkroom, I use
the bathroom at night with the house lights turned off, a towel across the
opening at the bottom of the
door, and opaque curtains drawn across the window. I detect no light, even
after waiting a few minutes
for my eyes to adjust, and have never fogged a film.
Al Thompson, Huntington Beach, CA
Date: Mon, 25 May 1998 18:42:18 +0100
From: John Gaasland
Thanks Al. One question, from your directions, it sounds like there is
tape at both ends! You must start the process with the untaped end,
since that in the end of the roll. John.
Date: Wed, 27 May 1998 08:55:58 -0700
For respoolers out there here is a short list of the cameras that take
both 120 and 620. Using them as spooling machines gives a nice
tight roll: Argus E, Foldex, Universal I & II TLRs. As long as the film
transport is ok even a trashed one works fine. Check the "junk
boxes" at swap for sources. Also, I just picked up a "620
Adapt-a-Roll" back for my Baby Speed Graphic which may be the
best respooler of all. It feeds from a 620 or 120 roll, but only takes
up on a 620. These however, are getting scarce and a little pricey.
The ACG web site has an earlier discussion of the process I use
for respooling, but maybe someone can come up with something
more elegant. It would be interesting to know if anyone has found
other dual 620/120 models, meanwhile... save those 620 spools.
From: Ken Lomax
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