Best 35mm Developing Reels

[Huram]

Quick question -- what are the best 35mm developing reels to use when developing film in a canistar/tank? I mean what type of reel will most easily prevent any bends in the the negative, finger prints, etc. A different question -- what are the easiest to use? I have used the set stainless steel ones and the auto loading reels (the rachet, ball-bearing type). I have had better results with the latter. Are there other options out there? What is the best way to go? Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Huram

[Ian Grant]

Paterson.

I have about a dozen, ranging from 1 spiral 35mm sized to about 8 or 10 spiral sized tanks, the beauty is the reels can be expaned to 120.

Scrtaching head I guess Ive been using their tanks nearly 40 yrs, and so easy to load as well.

[titrisol]

second the patersons!
I also have a plastic KALT reel which works very well.

[TPPhotog]

Paterson and if you live in the UK soaking in Mr Muscle Bathroom Cleaner gets rid of any build-up of gunge

[Flotsam]

I don't like plastic. I was forced to use them while I was using my Jobo CPE2 and found them slow at best and infuriating at worst.
I'm thrilled at going back to inversion in stainless steel. Stainless reels are fast to load and I am still using the same ones that my Father used, and taught me to use 35 years ago (when I took a youthful 'brief' interest in the hobby of photography ).

[David A. Goldfarb]

Hewes, stainless steel. Practice with stainless, and they're quicker and you don't need them to be absolutely dry when you want to do multiple batches of film in succession like plastic.

[Tom Hoskinson]

I prefer Hewes or Kindermann stainless steel reels for both 35mm and 120. On the rare occasions when I use plastic reels, I use Jobo.

[fingel]

I like Hewes reels. They are stainless and have a couple of sprocket grabbing "teeth" at the core instead of the typical spring thingy that always mangles my film. They also seem better built than my other reels plastic or stainless.

[Andre R. de Avillez]

Another vote for Hewes... They are hands down the best SS reels out there. Those clips (which hook into the film's sprockets) will quickly let you know if you have the film crooked in the reel.

I've never used plastic reels, so I can't comment on them.

BTW, Freestly has the Hewes reels on very good prices... Last time I bought a couple, it was from them. IIRC, I looked on ebay, adorama, and B&H, and Freestyle had the best prices and shipping.

http://www.freestylephoto.biz/sc_pro...t_id=&pid=1419

Good luck,

André

[Flotsam]

Whoa! Flashback!
Does anyone remember those Kodak Plastic aprons? You wound your film together with them and they provided separation with their crimped edges. As I remember, they also made uneven development virtually unavoidable . I once taught a basic photography course and the darkroom only had those for processing. It was the only time that I ever used, or even saw them.