I just finished developing nine rolls of 120 TriX film in my CPP-2. It went pretty smoothly and the negatives came out great but loading them in the reels was a emperial pain in the arse. Unlike my other reels, AP and Kaiser specifically, Jobo reels don't catch the negative and you have to push it with your thumbs as you twist the reel. I wear disposable plastic gloves so it doesn't hurt them. Not only that but I am not 100% percent sure when the first film has passed the two-film stop thingie so I always pray when I load the second one. Thankfully it went allright and all films where developed correctly.

Does anyone have any advice?

The 2500 type reels? Practise. After awhile I found them much easier then the Paterson type reels. If the first roll isn't past the roll divider the divider will hit. You'll feel it. If it closes easily then you're clear.

I usually take the leader end tape from the second roll of 120 and stick it onto the roll already loaded since I have had a few mishaps with films touching each other. When I know I'll be shooting my Pentax 67 or Mamiya 7, I use 220 as it is not only easier to not have to re-load, but it also is much easier to develop. One of the luxuries of self-developing for me, was being able to develop 220.

When I first started using the Jobo reels, I had to get use to how they loaded in regards to the small lip/edge where you start it. Now I find it to be a snap. I load the 120/220 leader and just push the film through the spiral without having to turn it until it gets to the very end. It gets easier!

Thank you guys but what I mean is can they be loaded without using your thumbs to push the film, by just twisting the reel halves like in other reels?

Nope. No ball bearing. Which is a good thing IMHO.

You might try clipping the edge of the film with nail clippers before loading. I find this make loading much smoother.

After years and years of using Nikor stainless steel reels, I switched to Jobo and their 2500 series plastic reels and had the same loading problems. How can something so simple be so difficult? My solution was to get the Hewes stainless steel reels that fit the Jobo 2500 series tanks. They work perfectly.

With a bone-dry reel, I do the following with no problems: peel the tape off the paper backing, don't tear it. Now fold the film over the end of the film, this makes it stiffer and easier to load. I load with the reel close to me, and the film spool farthest away. Once the film is under the plastic "ears" on the reel, just pinch the edge of the film in place with one thumb and twist the opposite side of the reel. Do this alternating sides, and the film "walks" easily onto the reel. There are three indications that the first film is fully loaded (make sure to pull up the red pin _before_ you start loading) first, it won't go any further, second, with the tip of a finger you can feel the pin hole and find the corner of the film to make sure it has gone past, and third, the pin won't go in easily and you'll hear the sound of bent film if you try to put the pin in and the hole is blocked by film. The reels must be kept clean, I use a very soft vegetable brush and hot water with a small amount of bleach to remove all traces of emulsion. I've been very happy with them for 20+ years.

Tim

First, the "Roll Divider" - You ARE pulling the little red tab away from the reel before you load the first film ... and when you are satisfied that the first roll is loaded all the way to the center spool, pressing it back in to act as a stop for the second... ??? Usually, this will prevent the second roll form overlapping the first... unless you are trying to force things.

Second, the "cut-outs" on the outside faces of the reels, allowing the film to extend beyond the reel will enable you to use finger pressure to hold the film while you rotate the separate halves of the reel - taking the place of the (admittedly superior) ball-and-ramp system (I would assume patented by Patterson). I've found this much easier than "pushing".

I would suggest: Occasionally take the reels apart, and scrub the tracks with a toothbrush and a mildly abrasive medium ... toothpaste works well, and practice with dummy rolls of film.

I had the same frustration. Now I use Heeves metal reel both in 120 and 135 and it works fine.

The first reel I ever used was a Jobo. I still use them and never have a problem. As stated above, practice... the first couple of years you'll encounter some problems, but nothing really bad. In the third year, you'll have gotten used to them. After five years you will believe they're the best reels ever designed.

Don't scare them ;) It doesn't take five years.

Wow, didn't expect so much good advice!
Thank you everyone.
I will try to conquer the Jobo reels.

Don't scare them ;) It doesn't take five years.

Ari is a Cretan. He don't get scared... He walks around with a gun in his belt and shoots people he don't like.

Ari is a Cretan. He don't get scared... He walks around with a gun in his belt and shoots people he don't like.

That's true. Often when I say I am gonna shoot some people I don't mean portraits with a camera.
George, do you still want that Kalasnikov? I've got a real sweat price for it.

That reminds me of a scene in the Tintin comic book where a bad guy pretends to be a photographer and has hidden inside his LF camera a tommy gun...

Oh Ari... it's mice of you to ask, but I've got a bunch of AK-47s in my cupboard... I even carry a couple of them in the trunk of my car, so when I get angry with the traffic I shoot a couple of people to calm my nerves...

Oh Ari... it's mice of you to ask, but I've got a bunch of AK-47s in my cupboard... I even carry a couple of them in the trunk of my car, so when I get angry with the traffic I shoot a couple of people to calm my nerves...

Allright, anything else I can fix you up with?
We just got a shipment of those new iranian stealth cruise missiles and we have a nice stock of B2 bombers. As a matter of fact there is a new deal on those, if you buy two, we give you one for free and two tickets to a football game of your choice. They are good for aerial photographs and also to make yourself a parking spot, or a whole parking garage in you prefer.