Re: [Leica] Leica film cassettes

[Kip Babington <cbabing3@swbell.net>]

Dan -

It's quite simple once you know the trick.  And the trick is, that you attach
the film end to the inner spool AFTER the cassette is fully assembled, but
with the film gate open so you can see the inner spool.

The inner spool has a slot, and in the slot are a set of gripper teeth.  You
trim the end of the film to fit into this slot (I used to cut off 3 sprocket
holes, I think it was - you don't want the end sticking out the other side of
the slot or it will add dimension to the spool and limit the amount of film
you can wind on - so there is a tongue on the end of the film about the width
of the film between the sprocket holes.  Alternatively, if you have one of the
ABLON film trimmers, the pointed back end of that device is made for trimming
film for the canisters.)  When you have the film cut down to the proper size,
you shove the trimmed end into the slot (be sure to note the correct side to
feed it in - I think the teeth only grip one way) then put the whole cassette,
now attached to the film, into the receptacle at the end of the loader.  The
knob on the left side of the loader (looking down from the bulk film end) has
some knobs that engage the actuating knobs on the bottom of the cassette, and
let you close the cassette up after you've wound the film in. I never found
the feel of this process to be very satisfying on my Watson loader, but it did
seem to work.

Let me know if this isn't as clear as it needs to be.

Cheers,
Kip

Dan Cardish wrote:

> I picked up a Leitz film cassette at a photo show yesterday, and have a
> question concerning it.
>
> How do I use my Watson bulk film loader to load it?  I figured out how to
> get the inner sleave and spool out, and how it works with my older M6 (but
> not my more recent model), but for the life of me I can't pass the IQ test
> required for figuring out how to thread the film into the thing for the
> loader.
>
> help?
>
> Dan C.