8mm Forum: Card storage boxes for 16mm film reels

This is topic Card storage boxes for 16mm film reels - suggestions wanted in forum 16mm equipment for sale/trade at 8mm Forum.

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Posted by John Vidler (Member # 3314) on July 27, 2013, 11:44 AM:

You may have seen my message on the 8mm equipment section about the super 8 and 8mm film boxes I have for sale.

I received some replies in that thread about the possibility of making some boxes for 16mm film reels, so I thought I would post a message here to collect any thoughts or opinions on what type and size of box I should think about first.

Initial suggestions are for a box for 800ft reels. What sort of card and finish do you think would be suitable? Do you want a thinner card box (like an oversized 8mm box in white card) or do you think a heavier brown board box would be better?

Obviously, thicker card would cost more and the boxes would be more difficult to post as the boxes would need to be sent assembled.

I am not looking for orders at the moment - just an opinion on whether the idea of 16mm size boxes is worth pursuing.

Thanks for reading.

PS - Just in case anyone is after boxes to hold 16mm film on cores, rather than reels - my new 1200ft super 8 and 8mm boxes have an internal size of about 16.5mm and can hold at least 1200ft of 16mm on a core, possibly 1600ft, but I haven't tested this yet. Please contact me for more information.

Posted by Vidar Olavesen (Member # 3354) on July 27, 2013, 12:17 PM:

I'd love some 1600' boxes, in thicker cardboard than the Super 8 boxes ... I've been asking this before too, but no one makes them or sells them

Count me in, if you do go ahead with 1600' and 2000' boxes

Posted by Mark Todd (Member # 96) on July 28, 2013, 10:03 AM:

Myself I would prefer 800 feet boxes in a usual white card like the super 8 ones. If a slightly thicker white card could be found it would be good, but the usual would be OK to stay with the white.

Great that you are doing things filmie handy wise John. Thanks.

Mark.

Posted by Hugh Thompson Scott (Member # 2922) on July 28, 2013, 04:11 PM:

Could you make the thick card boxes for 3x1600' 16mm spools John?

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on July 29, 2013, 10:26 AM:

Tony Hutchinson used to supply 1600' cartons for single spools but now cannot get any more, so I suggest that 1600' cartons in strong brown cardboard would be ideal.

Or perhaps a better idea would be 2000' cartons, which obviously would hold the 1600' spools, and the 2200'.

The 2200' spools are the same overall size as 2000' spools, they just have a smaller centre.

Posted by John Vidler (Member # 3314) on July 31, 2013, 02:45 AM:

Hi, thanks for the suggestions. I have been thinking about what type of boxes I can make and I think that the best way forward is for a box with a separate lid as shown in the picture below:

I should point out that the lid would be completely separate and not joined to the bottom box. The lid shown in the picture is just leaning against the wall and not attached.

I believe this type of box will be the easiest to produce and is also the simplest to cut down to provide other sizes. I would order the boxes to fit 2000ft reels. From this box I could make any smaller size that anyone would need.

If there are enough positive responses, I will contact the box company and ask for a quote.

Posted by Vidar Olavesen (Member # 3354) on July 31, 2013, 03:49 AM:

I need a few of those myself, so count me in for 1600' and a few 2000'

35mm I guess needs more strengt and should maybe be plastic or metal

You do a super job here and I really hope you can supply boxes for a long time.

Posted by Yanis Tzortzis (Member # 434) on July 31, 2013, 06:06 AM:

I'm in for this type of box John, think it could even accommodate 2x1200 8mm reels! As for the size, 800 or 1200 ft would do for me, as I try to put my 16mm films on cores thus saving space & weight.
Again, many thanks for this & look forward to hearing from you on the 8mm boxes I emailed you about.

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on July 31, 2013, 06:44 AM:

John
I am not sure that a two-piece box will be strong enough for a spool containing 2200' of 16mm film. I would prefer the traditional design of an enclosed box with end flaps.

Posted by Robert Crewdson (Member # 3790) on July 31, 2013, 11:10 AM:

Maurice, that is a useful bit of information regarding the 2,200 spool size, I had read that the B&H 655Q held 2,200. While I found that my 655 just held a 2,000 reel with a few millimeters to spare. Glad to know it will accommodate the larger size if needed.

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on July 31, 2013, 11:17 AM:

Digressing off the subject slightly.
The 2200' spools were originally designed to house a 1 hour television programme. So that they could be run on 2000' projectors the overall diameter was made the same, and to accommodate the extra 200' the spool centre was made smaller.

Posted by Robert Crewdson (Member # 3790) on July 31, 2013, 04:21 PM:

You can get film transit cases from Philip Rigby & Co, who make Premier Splicers. They don't give prices; I would think they would be quite expensive.

I would like to find the stiff cardboard boxes that have compartments for 2 or 3 reels.

http://www.philiprigby.co.uk/pages/browsecat-popup.php?pic=Film+Transit+Cases

Posted by John Vidler (Member # 3314) on March 07, 2014, 01:06 AM:

Hi, I decided to resurrect this thread as I now have some more information about my project of trying to get some new 16mm boxes made. I have been trying to find a supplier that will make boxes for me using 2mm greyboard and who also would be able to quote for smaller quantities. (10,000 boxes anyone?!!).

After much searching I have found a company who can make boxes in quantities as low as 100 items, so having a special run made is now possible. I am looking first at a 1600ft box - this would be made with a single opening only on the narrow edge, much like the old style card boxes. I haven't got a prototype yet but if there is enough interest I will get one made. These boxes will be as strong as the old card boxes and I hope they will last for many years.

The retail price of these boxes will be around £8.50 each plus delivery, but I might be able to take a pound or so off this figure if I can order more than the minimum order of 100 boxes at a time.

Does this sound a reasonable price? I would welcome any feedback on this.

My guess is that I could also have other sizes made - 2000ft boxes would cost a little more, 1200ft boxes as little less.

Please let me know what you think.

Cheers.

Posted by Yanis Tzortzis (Member # 434) on March 08, 2014, 06:24 AM:

...good news John, thanks for your interest in querying for us! I think 1200' ones should be good-I always put my 16mm films on cores, so a 1200 box would accommodate a longer film.

Posted by Vidar Olavesen (Member # 3354) on March 08, 2014, 07:04 AM:

It's a bit steep for me I think. I do get 35mm cans for 2.50 (used though) and those fit 2x1600' 16mm reels fine.

But, I would love to see this happening, as the cans aren't in unlimited quantities either

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on March 09, 2014, 04:44 AM:

John
I suggest you ignore the single size 1600' cardboard box and look at supplying a box to hold two spools, enough for a reasonable length feature.
Or, perhaps a box to hold two 2000'/2200'spools, this could also hold 1600' spools.

Posted by Mark Todd (Member # 96) on March 12, 2014, 04:04 PM:

Hi John I have some oldish nice 400 feet white card 16mm boxes I just got from a forum member. They seem very nicely made.

Would you like me to post one to you for a template.

Great for cartoons and other shorts etc.

Best Mark.

Posted by John Vidler (Member # 3314) on March 15, 2014, 01:22 PM:

Hi everyone, thanks for the messages over the last week - it's been great to have some feedback on this.

Mark, thanks for the offer of a box to use as a template, please PM me and I will reimburse you for your postage.

Do you think that smaller boxes might be the way forward? They would certainly cost less. The reason the 1600ft boxes cost more than I would like is I have to factor in the cost of a template cutter into my calculations as thick card cannot be cut and creased by hand. I am trying to strike a balance between ordering enough stock but not being lumbered with boxes that don't sell.

Maurice, I think that your idea of a 2 x 2000ft or 2 (or 3) x 1600ft feature box might also have potential. If I could get the price for one at around £9 or 10, then do you or anyone else think that this idea is a good one?

I look forward to your comments.

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on March 16, 2014, 07:08 AM:

Buying a 16mm feature these days can be a sorry start when it arrives in battered and falling apart cardboard boxes, and not only that, usually written all over.

A source of new boxes would be a godsend.

Posted by Yanis Tzortzis (Member # 434) on March 17, 2014, 06:52 AM:

...I still think the smaller 1200 are the best in terms of cost at least: don't let's forget the plastic 35mm cans cost £2.50 or 3.00 at Classic, so why pay 3 times that for one card box?
...I could go along with the 1600s provided the cost was reasonable
though. But still I'm for the 1200s as ideal, size & cost taken into account.....

Posted by Lee Mannering (Member # 728) on March 17, 2014, 01:00 PM:

400ft and large boxes that will take 2 X 1600ft would sell like hot pies!
A heavier card would be popular I'm thinking.

Posted by John Vidler (Member # 3314) on March 18, 2014, 02:10 AM:

Hi, it's great to hear that there might be a market for these boxes.

Just to let you know where I am:

Definitely going into production (I am currently waiting for a quote from my supplier): 400ft size

Maybe going into production (if the costings work out): 2 x 1600ft feature box

Maybe going into production (if the costings work out): 2 x 2000ft feature box

Sadly, on the back burner unless I can get the price down or I receive a guaranteed large order: all other sizes.

I will keep you posted with updates.

Also, for any Super 8 collectors who want boxes, my website has been relaunched with better prices. If you buy from www.cinefilmsupplies.co.uk rather than eBay you will be able to get my entire range of boxes for 10% less with FREE UK delivery and a single fixed charge for overseas orders. I am still waiting for more stock so not every item is listed at the moment, but I hope that in the next couple of weeks I will have the full range available.

Thanks for all your support.

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