I much prefer to use the Patersons over stainless steel tanks.
There are days when you just can't seem to load a stainless
steel reel to save your life. I put in in the same category as
trying to put contact lenses in my eyes.
However, there are a few things to remember about the Patersons.
1. If the film or reel is wet, forget it. It doesn't have to be
bone dry, but it helps. When doing multiple batches, I final
rinse the reels in very hot water and then shake dry the things
for a minute. Then I use a hair dryer for a minute to blow out
any water lurking around. A little water is ok, lots of it
isn't.
2. Load the film emulsion side in. Use your fingers to help the
film along. Wash them very well beforehand to remove skin oils.
3. Trim the leader off and clip the edges to a 45 degree angle.
Nail clippers are terrific for this as they tend to round the
edges slightly. Don't clip off too much, otherwise the film
will want to jump tracks. Try not to clip across a sprocket
hole because it will create quite a snag. All you really need
to do is just remove the sharp edges, so don't go crazy trimming
too much off.
4. Verify that the reels are assembled correctly. When pulling
them apart (for film unloading or cleaning) it is way too easy
to put them back together the wrong way. The slots in the
spindle are size-keyed, but being plastic, doesn't stop you from
being stupid. Reassemble the reels in the light when you can
see what you are doing. Failure to get the two halves aligned
correctly will cause the reels to not be parallel to each other
and will cause serious binding when loading the film.
5. If the film binds when loading--and it will, it almost always
does to some extent, gently shuffle the reels until the snag
releases. If you force it too hard, the film will tear. It
helps to assist the film as it loads with your fingers on the
film so that it isn't JUST the ball bearings pushing the film
along.
AG-Schnozz
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