Re: [Leica] Leica Cassette (long)

["Roy Zartarian" <royzart@connix.com>]

Gee - I'm missing out on a true Leica experience by taking the easy 
way out and spooling up my cassettes in an Alden bulk loader :-)

Roy


On  8 Jan 99 at 19:09, TTAbrahams@aol.com wrote:

[snip]
>
>  To load it you enter your darkroom, and, in total darkness open the
>  can of
> 100ft long film, disassemble the cassette and unspool an approx. 6
> ft length of film, realise that you cant find the scissors or the
> Exacto knife. Pack everything down, find the scissors, go back in
> the darkroom, turn off the light, open the filmcan, listen in
> amazement at the sound of film, having spent a substantial time
> under tension, unwinding itself and draping itself on you and on the
> floor. You patiently find the end and with the scissors cut a
> V-shaped end on the film, feed it in the spring loaded slot and
> measure of an appropriate length of film (about the length between
> your fingertips if you extend your arms fully) and cut it of. By
> this time you have probably cut your fingers already doing the
> V-groove. Have no fear, the drops of blood does not affect the
> processing time! Now you wind up the film on the spool, insert it
> into the inner cassette shell, pull out a piece of film and insert
> the inner shell in the outer shell - losing the little end that
> stuck out through the slot in the inner cassette. After a while you
> manage to get the film through both the slots, snap the cassette
> shut and start on the next one. All of this is done in total
> darkness, accompanied by words your mother told you not ever to use
> and chasing implements like the scissors, knifes, center spools that
> has rolled on the floor- all the same wondering if you got the
> emulsion side the right way up! It is great entertainment for
> anybody outside your darkroom door.