Bulk Loading and Cassette Questions

[bluedubbed]

I happened to come across an Alden 74 loader and a 150 ft (I think?) can of Kodak Technical Pan film. From what I've read, this is an outstanding B+W film. I'd like to load up some rolls and test it out. The problem is that I have no experience loading bulk film. I have the instructions for the loader, but have no idea as to which cassettes I should buy. For now, I'm looking for something cheap to get started.

I have an M6 TTL and and R4s. I'll mostly use the film in the M6. I've tried a few rolls of bulk loaded film before in my M6 and had some problems getting the film to catch and advance properly.

So my questions are, which cassettes should I use and are there any tricks for getting the film to load and advance properly in my M6?

Thanks for the help.

[rob_x2004]

Scrounge any used cans from the local photo processing shop. "Butt" join your bulk film to the tail left out of the used can and use household sticky tape to make the join. You will lose the last frame unless you load in a darkroom.

Alternatively you could go out and buy joiner tape and reloadable cans, but I figured you wanted quick and reliable, and some way of loading up fifty or sixty cans before a trip without ginning about.

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[william wooten]

Please only use old cassettes from the photo lab as a last resort. Bite the bullet and by metal film cassettes and use plain 1" / 24mm (or 3/4" / 18mm) masking tape (not the blue "low tac" variety). I say metal because lately I have had very bad luck with the quality of the plastic cassettes and the metal ones are naturally more robust to begin with. With a film as costly as Tech Pan don't skimp on the cassettes. Part of the fun of Tech Pan is making large enlargements and having a giant scratch across your print will only remind you that a new cassette would have cost you 50 cents.

[peter_n]

I use bulk a lot and Rob's pictures above are excellent, that's the way I "roll" mine. I also use cassettes from the local mini-lab and have never had a problem, but then I only use them once. The Alden 74 is one of the best bulk loaders you can get as it has a baffle-type light trap, better than the felt light traps which can scratch film unless you clean them periodically. I use a Leica ABLON template to trim the film neatly. There are no secrets to using bulk film, just take care in joining the film and wrapping the scotch tape on both sides and cut a neat leader and you shouldn't have any problems.

[bluedubbed]

Hey guys.

Thanks a lot for the the info and photos. Very informative. I didn't realize that cassettes were that cheap. I'll probably load up a few rolls in both new and reused cassettes this weekend and post up some results when I have them.

Thanks again. I'm curios about how the Tech Pan will turn out.

[tobey bilek]

When you learn to like loading your own, you will get a bench winder, brass cassettes, and an ABLON trimmer.

The brass ones have no felt to scratch and distort the film, but the latest camera you can use is one of the early M6 models or b/4. A later M6 is ok if you replace the base with one that will open and close the cassette inside the camera.

M7 and TTL have a smaller film chambers and the brass will not fit.
The M7 I am sure about. Someone please correct me on the TTL if I am wrong.