[Leica] RE: bulk loading

["BIRKEY, DUANE" <dbirkey@hcjb.org.ec>]

I bulk load all the film I can, which at the moment is Velvia, Astia, 
Provia 100 and 400, TMX, TMY, VPS and CDU. 

I'm using some really nice Konica reusable cassettes that I got for 
free.  They are hard to find now though.

Cost is the major determining factor for doing it and ease of shipment 
from the states to here is the other.  If money was no object, I would 
buy film in normal rolls from the supplier as that guarantees no 
scratches, the ends popping off if you accidently drop it on the floor 
tape coming undone, possible mislabeling and mis-development by the lab 
and the time invested in rolling your own.  The other problem with 
using masking tape to fix the end to the spool is that if you go to a 
warm location the adhesive oozes onto whatever film it makes contact so 
you'll lose another shot or so off the end of each roll.  I normally 
shoot the same subject at the end and start of the next roll to help 
keep things in order a little easier.    I also buy normal rolls of 
print film for things that I don't want to risk any possible problems  
(like weddings).  

Also if you have several bulkloaders and various cassettes prelabeled, 
you need to keep good track of what you are putting in what to make 
sure your next roll of E-6 isn't BW,  I haven't done that personally 
that but we had a guy here that was always having problems.  I would 
suggest that learn to identify films by the emulsion and make all 20 
rolls at once and you will eliminate most of the potential for 
problems.

It can be hard to convince labs to develope E-6 film if it's in a C-41 
cassette no matter how clear you make the label.  I've gone to labs,  
explained what I want and had people peel up the masking tape, look me 
squarely in the eye and say, UH excuse me sir, this is C-41not E-6, 
this will ruin our chemistry.  But then again the people at the counter 
know about as much as mom does.

For what it's worth,

Duane Birkey 
HCJB World Radio
Quito Ecuador