8mm Forum: Expanding too-narrow spools

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Topic: Expanding too-narrow spools - possible?

Jim Bishop
Junior
Posts: 28
From: London
Registered: Jun 2003

posted March 23, 2016 01:16 PM

Hi. Has anyone found a method of expanding spools which have somehow 'shrunk' & become too narrow for film, please? Thanks. Jim [Confused]

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James Wilson
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 230
From: Norwich, UK
Registered: Jan 2015

posted March 23, 2016 02:20 PM

I stuff the reels out with newspaper and leave.
works for me.

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James Wilson

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Janice Glesser
Film Goddess

Posts: 3468
From: Sunnyvale, CA USA
Registered: Sep 2011

posted March 23, 2016 02:26 PM

This has been discussed in previous threads. Here is a pic of how I have done it and depending on the type of plastic in the reel I have had good results.

Try this...
Wrap something around the inside of the reel to hold it open wider (I've use some romex cable in this example). I then use a hair dryer to heat the plastic. This sometimes takes multiple uses of the hair dryer for best results.

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Janice

"I'm having a very good day!"
Richard Dreyfuss - Let It Ride (1989).

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Pasquale DAlessio
Film God

Posts: 3523
From: Bristol,RI, USA
Registered: May 2010

posted March 23, 2016 02:34 PM

Same method I use and it works great!

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Jim Bishop
Junior
Posts: 28
From: London
Registered: Jun 2003

posted March 26, 2016 04:02 PM

Thank you Everyone, much appreciated - I'll give it a try...

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Will Trenfield
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 506
From: Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK
Registered: Mar 2016

posted March 27, 2016 06:32 PM

I often see tape recorder spools being used for cine film on eBay.Although similar, I can remember reading that they were unsuitable for cine film. Is this correct?

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Joe Taffis
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1592
From: United States
Registered: Jun 2003

posted March 27, 2016 07:51 PM

Hi Will,
Yes, audio tape spools tend to be a bit too narrow for film...

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Joe Taffis

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Gary Crawford
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 979
From: Manassas, VA. USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted March 28, 2016 08:48 AM

Yes...those audio tape reels have smaller hole and will fit standard 8 machines, but how you'd use them for Super 8, I'm not sure. And yes...they are narrow and usually made of stiffer plastic than film reels....so in the one time I tried one, the squeal was deafening.
Have tried the hair dryer trick and it does work....and your hair comes out dry, too.

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Janice Glesser
Film Goddess

Posts: 3468
From: Sunnyvale, CA USA
Registered: Sep 2011

posted March 28, 2016 03:48 PM

I forgot to add...Using romex to reshape the reels has an added benefit. The wires inside the romex casing get heated also...thus stay hotter longer than non-metallic materials. Heating the reel on a towel...top of your bed...or perhaps a pillow will also keep it heated longer. I use this technique on both 8mm and 16mm reels. After wrapping the romex around the reels I use a zip-tie to hold it in place.

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Janice

"I'm having a very good day!"
Richard Dreyfuss - Let It Ride (1989).

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John Richard Almond
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 103
From: England
Registered: Feb 2012

posted March 28, 2016 04:59 PM

Janice.............you are a mine of great info.....thanks for the input.

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