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Topic: 8mm Split Reels

Bart Smith
Expert Film Handler

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From: Hackney, London
Registered: Feb 2007

posted November 15, 2008 01:16 AM

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I know that they exist, but have never actually seen one in the flesh. I recently acquired a 200ft film, and much to my surprise/disgust/horror etc. it came on a core. I suppose it would not be impossible to wind it onto a normal spool, but I have visions of coils of film going everywhere, spilling all over my room.

Can anyone give me any pointers as to where I might be able to get hold of one?

Thanks,

Bart

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www.bluecinetech.co.uk

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Jean-Marc Toussaint
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posted November 15, 2008 03:01 AM

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Bart, it will be easier and faster to create a makeshift (ie - pencil, cardboard plates and ducktape) and wind the film onto a proper reel. Of all my years of collecting (and that's exactly 30...) I've seen these super 8 split reels twice at conventions. They were 2000ft capacities and costed an arm and a leg.

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The Grindcave Cinema Website

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Bart Smith
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From: Hackney, London
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posted November 15, 2008 03:06 AM

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Hi Jean-Marc,

I am already on the case! I happen to have 2 identical HiFi turntables, so I'm pressing these into service as we speak.

I've cut out a bit of foam to fit the core, but a little bit taller than the width of the film. I'm going to glue some stiff card onto this to stop the film spilling off everywhere.

The rest should be relatively simple, particularly as the 2 turntables are identical in height, but it is a bit of a pain really!

Bart

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www.bluecinetech.co.uk

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John Whittle
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From: Northridge, CA USA
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posted November 15, 2008 10:09 AM

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I actually have a couple of split reels for 8mm, a 1200 and 2000 foot but these were mainly used in the laboratory on slitters and processing machines and sound recording devices.

For a film as short as 200 feet I'd do the same with 16mm or 8mm and just old it in my left hand with my thumb and index finger into the center hole of the film and then spool it onto a reel on a rewind. About 20 seconds work without fault or incident--did it every day for years.

John

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Douglas Meltzer
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posted November 15, 2008 11:28 AM

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Somewhere along the way I ended up with a 2000' 16mm split reel that had been modified to tighten up to 8mm width. Since I use 16mm rewinds with Neumade Super 8mm adapters, whenever I get a film wound on a core I just remove one of the adapters and use the split reel to transfer.

Doug

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I think there's room for just one more film.....

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David Michael Leugers
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From: Fairfield, OH, USA
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posted November 17, 2008 07:21 PM

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I've got a 400ft 8mm split reel so I know they exist.

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Live Free or Die

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Winbert Hutahaean
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From: Nouméa, New Caledonia
Registered: Jun 2003

posted November 18, 2008 02:25 AM

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Hi all,

WHat is "Split Reels" ??? [Confused]

[Confused]

[Confused]

thanks for your explanation,

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Winbert

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Maurice Leakey
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From: Bristol. United Kingdom
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posted November 18, 2008 02:42 AM

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Split reels can be taken apart. They are used to handle film on cores.

With an empty core in situ they can be used as a normal spool if you should so wish.

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Maurice

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Bart Smith
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From: Hackney, London
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posted November 20, 2008 06:41 AM

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Just as an update I followed John Whittle's advice without resorting to making any crazy Heath-Robinson contraptions. Worked a treat, really very easy indeed.

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Jim Carlile
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From: Burbank, California, USA
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posted November 25, 2008 01:28 AM

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I found a 600 foot Super 8mm split reel at a camera show in Burbank at the old Machinist's Hall, but I could never find any cores! It's around somewhere-- I'll put it on EBAY when I find it as I have no use for it.

In the old days it was intended for sep-mag editing. But nowadays it's an artifact.

Actually, it could still be handy for super 8 apron processing, where you use it to wind the film/apron combo onto a core, then plunge the core carefully into solution. A home made apron could be made out of old film stock intertwined with nylon fishing cord to provide the raised relief between layers-- the way they did it in the old days. This was supposed to have worked well.

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Bart Smith
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posted November 25, 2008 05:42 AM

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The core that it came on had clearly been cut down from a larger size, I'm pretty certain that no one manufactures 8mm cores these days!

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www.bluecinetech.co.uk

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Alan Gouger
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From: Florida
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posted March 20, 2015 03:14 AM

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I was about to post the same question when I came upon this old thread. I recently purchased a print that showed up on cores and thought now what do I do. I think I will take Jean-Marc's advice in this thread and make simple makeshift that will hopefully last long enough to allow me to transfer the print to reels. I also thought of using a Lazy Susan & laying the print on its side
platter style carefully transferring the print to reels unless of coarse a S8 split reel does exist and someones willing to part with it [Smile]

[Smile]

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Andrew Woodcock
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posted March 20, 2015 05:33 AM

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I have never understood how or why anyone would treat a perfectly good print in this manner and remove it from its spool or spools?

Seems ludicrous to me as surely any serviceable print has a value way beyond any spool it may be placed upon?

If the film is so badly damaged it doesn't,then surely the film itself would only be fit for the bin anyhow?

Btw there are plenty of cheap and nasty smaller reels that split into two halves anyway, though not designed to.

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"C'mon Baggy..Get with the beat"

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Alan Rik
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posted March 20, 2015 07:22 AM

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The reason for transferring the reels onto those little cores is to:
1) Save money for shipping by keeping the weight down
2) To keep the actual reels it came on for your own personal use when the film is being sold.
When I use to work a film lab I would often see films come in on those little cores. This is generally done in 35mm, a little less in 16mm, and almost never seen in Super 8.
It makes sense in 35mm because if the film is wound correctly you should be able to hold up the film just using its core. Not recommended though as I was demonstrating to a colleague once and the core fell out and the film started to unravel from the inside! Not fun cleaning up that mess!
However in Super 8? Does not make sense to me either. Maybe from lab to lab since they have split reels for doing fast rewind work, but for the collector it is a pain if you ever get one on those little reels! I am lucky that I never got one of those.
Strange that a collector to collector would sell a print that way since the price of prints these days are so high...they should be sold on reels.

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Andrew Woodcock
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posted March 20, 2015 09:03 AM

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Yes that is precisely it. I was of course only speaking for Super 8mm as I know this is common practice on the larger gauges which makes perfect sense, but never on 8mm.

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"C'mon Baggy..Get with the beat"

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Edwin van Eck
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posted March 20, 2015 09:08 AM

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If you need 8mm split reels, I can make these using 3D printing techniques. Please let me know if you are interested!

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Edwin van Eck
Van Eck Video Services

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Andrew Woodcock
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From: Manchester Uk
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posted March 20, 2015 09:52 AM

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Don't encourage em Edwin!! [Big Grin]

[Big Grin]

[Big Grin]

[Wink]

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"C'mon Baggy..Get with the beat"

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Alan Rik
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posted March 20, 2015 10:08 AM

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Andrew is right! 8mm should NEVER be on cores!

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Dominique De Bast
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posted March 20, 2015 10:29 AM

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I see one case where the split reels may be of some interest in super 8 : when someone buys a large reels capacity projector and already has a number of features on small reels. The 700 meters (2200 ft) and the 360 meters (1200 ft)super 8 spools are expensive, so if you want to be able to project your films without break, you may use the split reel system temporarily (I hope) until you find enough large reels capacity.

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Dominique

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Alan Gouger
Master Film Handler

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From: Florida
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posted March 20, 2015 10:43 AM

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quote:
If you need 8mm split reels, I can make these using 3D printing techniques. Please let me know if you are interested!

Interesting. Amazing the possibility's 3D printing offers and its still in its infancy. I guess the possibility's are only limited by the end users imagination and talents. Edwin is this something seriously possible. Send me a PM with your thoughts and some details. Thank you.

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Andrew Woodcock
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From: Manchester Uk
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posted March 20, 2015 11:53 AM

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Anything is possible Alan, so long as it is made of plastic.

Up to a certain size of course.

Surely it would just be easier to put the feature back on it's original reels at the end of showing it Dominique, even if you only have the minimum two large reels?

At least this way the film stays in good shape, well protected and with no risk of falling all over the floor in a million coils of polyester loops!

I gotta say, I cannot see one single purpose for when split reels would be an advantage, not if you treasure your films.

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"C'mon Baggy..Get with the beat"

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Alan Gouger
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posted March 20, 2015 08:18 PM

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quote:
I gotta say, I cannot see one single purpose for when split reels would be an advantage, not if you treasure your films.

Given more thought you are right I cannot find a reason for a split reel in S8.

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Andrew Woodcock
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From: Manchester Uk
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posted March 20, 2015 08:22 PM

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So we all agree then Alan! Phew there's a first! (Not You & Me of course, just people in general on here!)

Bottom line mate... There isn't one, and anyone who has ever used this method to ship a Super 8mm print that has any value whatsoever is a total disgrace to the hobby, merely penny pinching that's all, simple as that!

Not someone to be trusted, that's for sure, not one bit!!!!

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"C'mon Baggy..Get with the beat"

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Bill Phelps
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posted March 20, 2015 09:40 PM

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Wow...this is interesting. Where was all this discord for "coring" one year ago right here when Osi was selling super 8 features on cores....not too many seemed too bothered by it and accused a few of us of picking on Osi.

Now all the sudden coring super 8 prints is a crime....

Bill

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Clinton Hunt
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posted March 20, 2015 09:51 PM

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I've had a few 9.5mm films on cores and of course some 16mm on cores - I used the "cardboard and tape" idea with great results - when done carefully.
Recently I got a 16mm 400ft that wasn't on a reel or a core - now that was tricky and a bit stressful as it began to tighten and then curl!
I got it done but geez that was a bit stressfull [Frown]

[Frown]

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Cheers from me in New Zealand :-)

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