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Author Topic: Are Tuscan reels crap?
Scott Mallory
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 146
From: Montreal, QC
Registered: Jan 2011

- posted July 09, 2011 06:56 PM      Profile for Scott Mallory   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I like using their '400 reels for one or two shorts, so I ordered a couple '600s to compile more films that didn't have their original boxes. As soon as I opened the '600 reel/case I remembered what a pain they were to spool. They don't have slots on the spool just those little loopy things. I thought I was going to go insane trying to anchor it. I wasn't able to and the thing just spun and spun and the film lopped around unevenly. Maybe I just got a couple of bad reels that were too narrow in places for the film? I've down it before, but I'm not having any luck today. Suggestions or better products out there for larger reels? Thanks

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Scott

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Steve Klare
Film Guy

Posts: 7016
From: Long Island, NY, USA
Registered: Jun 2003

- posted July 09, 2011 07:24 PM      Profile for Steve Klare   Email Steve Klare   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I've used the 200s and the 400s, the 200s are OK, but the 400s are big enough that the warpage of the castings makes them scrape against the film with a sound that's like fingernails on a chalkboard. I can't imagine what the 600s must be like.

They are beautiful to the eye, but the plastic is brittle enough that given normally usage the reels and even moreso the cases tend to crack and fall apart. The reels (once again, especially the 400s) crack right where the flanges meet the hubs and the cases just split on a diagonal and become shards.

-So the short answer to your question is "Yes". Most of my remaining Tuscans are for holding clips while I'm editing and not for projecting and storing films.

Gepes are much pricier but worth it.

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All I ask is a wide screen and a projector to light her by...

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Joe Balitzki
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 529
From: Charleston, SC, USA
Registered: Aug 2005

- posted July 09, 2011 08:07 PM      Profile for Joe Balitzki   Email Joe Balitzki   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Yikes! I just purchased 3 600' Tuscan reels with cases. I'll let everyone know how they are. Who is a good source for Gepe reels?

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Movie Lovers Do It in the Dark

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Steve Klare
Film Guy

Posts: 7016
From: Long Island, NY, USA
Registered: Jun 2003

- posted July 09, 2011 08:26 PM      Profile for Steve Klare   Email Steve Klare   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Momentcather stocks 'em:

Moment Catcher

(Scroll to the bottom.)

B&H stocks some of 'em:

B&H

The Geep I really like is the 300 footer. For some reason I keep winding up with "200 foot" films that are just a little too long for a 200 foot reel. (Make that last couple of seconds of rewind a little tense!). This solves that problem niceley.

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All I ask is a wide screen and a projector to light her by...

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Joe Balitzki
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 529
From: Charleston, SC, USA
Registered: Aug 2005

- posted July 09, 2011 08:57 PM      Profile for Joe Balitzki   Email Joe Balitzki   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
The 300' reel sounds like a very good idea! I don't think anyone else makes a 300' size. Looks like I will be ordering some Gepe sets [Smile] I am surprised at Tuscan; their 16mm reels and cans are excellent...

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Movie Lovers Do It in the Dark

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David Kilderry
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 963
From: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Registered: Feb 2006

- posted July 10, 2011 12:03 AM      Profile for David Kilderry   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I like the Tuscan reels, they are solid and the cases stack well. They are my defacto reel when a film is missing its reel and box. I also have Gepe, Elmo and Poso, but only for the larger footage reels. In 200 and 400 Tuscan are best.

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Scott Mallory
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 146
From: Montreal, QC
Registered: Jan 2011

- posted July 10, 2011 02:05 AM      Profile for Scott Mallory   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Thanks for the info guys. I like the Tuscan '400s because they're easy to use and the cases stack and are fairly sturdy. Like i said the' 600s are the pain. I did finally get them to work. And yeah Steve, I've seen the Gepe's and they look nice, but expensive. I also just got a 16mm projector so now I'm trying to figure out the case/can thing. I didn't realize Tuscan made stuff for them too.

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Scott

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Steve Klare
Film Guy

Posts: 7016
From: Long Island, NY, USA
Registered: Jun 2003

- posted July 10, 2011 02:37 AM      Profile for Steve Klare   Email Steve Klare   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
We are a funny bunch, and I'm no more innocent of this than anybody else here, in that we may spend a couple of hundred dollars for a print, and keep it on reels that cost 25 cents to make.

It's like taking a brand new car and putting it in the garage with the sagging roof and the rotting beams.

I've had reels a lot worse than the Tuscans I complained about above too. I had one that had casting lines on the insides of the flanges so that twice a revolution it twanged the film. During rewind it was downright scary!

The Geeps are more expensive, but they are beautifully cast. Even the 800 footer is remarkably straight. The cases are excellent too.

Every machine I own has a Gepe as its takeup reel, since this is the one reel that every film meets eventually and it has the potential to do a lot of damage.

Three excellent signs I've won the lottery would be the new car sitting in my driveway, the long lines of gray cases on my film shelves and the huge bin of empty reels at my curb on recycling day!

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All I ask is a wide screen and a projector to light her by...

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Joe Balitzki
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 529
From: Charleston, SC, USA
Registered: Aug 2005

- posted July 10, 2011 08:29 AM      Profile for Joe Balitzki   Email Joe Balitzki   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
David, how do the Posso reels compare to the Gepe? I ask because the only source that I know of now is Wittner Cinetec because they are now the manufacturer of Posso sets. While the Gepe is available in the U.S.A., I know of no supplier here for Posso. There are some things I will have to obtain from Wittner in the future because no one else manufactures them anymore here. Anyone here ever order from them?

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Movie Lovers Do It in the Dark

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David Kilderry
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 963
From: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Registered: Feb 2006

- posted July 10, 2011 09:27 AM      Profile for David Kilderry   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Posso I like in 800ft as they really take almost 900ft; the last marking on the reel edge is 830ft with plenty more room.

Bonum are also nice reels. They all have their advantages and disadvantages. The drawback with the 800ft Elmo plastic reel is that they won't fit the take-up on 940 Eumigs. I use another brand for take-up and use the Elmo as feed or storage reels, this is actually an advantage as the larger centre is kinder on the film.

In 1200ft reels I have thick steel, alloy and plastic and all do the job required.

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Joe Balitzki
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 529
From: Charleston, SC, USA
Registered: Aug 2005

- posted July 10, 2011 09:40 AM      Profile for Joe Balitzki   Email Joe Balitzki   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
The capacity of a Posso 800' reel sounds great because there is no chance of the film spilling off of course. When I finally order from Wittner Cinetec I will try them. Right now, the Posso case isn't being made in that size if I understand the website correctly. Supposedly they are slowly tooling up the whole line after buying the rights to manufacture them. Very frustrating that their site is in German but a English order form is available!

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Movie Lovers Do It in the Dark

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Paul Adsett
Film God

Posts: 5003
From: USA
Registered: Jun 2003

- posted July 10, 2011 10:10 AM      Profile for Paul Adsett     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I use mainly Bonum and Posso reels, which are both high quality and run very smoothly. My take up reel on the GS is usually an Elmo 800 foot plastic reel, although as David has pointed out, these are too large for the Eumig 938 where I use a Posso 800 footer. The Elmo 1200 foot alloy reel is the best I have ever seen, far superior to the steel Goldberg's.
The reels I really detest are those black auto-thread reels with no slot for the film! [Mad]

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The best of all worlds- 8mm, super 8mm, 9.5mm, and HD Digital Projection,
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Jerome Sutter
Film Handler

Posts: 92
From: Bellwood, IL USA
Registered: Dec 2010

- posted July 10, 2011 10:31 AM      Profile for Jerome Sutter   Email Jerome Sutter   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Thansks for the info, I just learned something today. [Smile]

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Steve Klare
Film Guy

Posts: 7016
From: Long Island, NY, USA
Registered: Jun 2003

- posted July 10, 2011 11:00 AM      Profile for Steve Klare   Email Steve Klare   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
The Gepe 800 footer is actually identical to the Elmo 800 footer except for the color and some markings. I belive Elmo originated the design because it looks different than the rest of the reels in the series. The nice thing about that large center hub is it gives the film being more rewound more leverage turning the takeup spindle. I have one projector that can't rewind a full reel if the takeup is any other one because the film tension rises so high the feed spindle slips.

Which sadist designed those reels with no slots? They have an annoying habit of not grabbing the film. Is there some magic I need to know to make these things behave?

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All I ask is a wide screen and a projector to light her by...

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Joe Balitzki
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 529
From: Charleston, SC, USA
Registered: Aug 2005

- posted July 10, 2011 11:43 AM      Profile for Joe Balitzki   Email Joe Balitzki   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Steve: That explains why there is such a jump in the price between the 600' and 800' Gepe reels. I like the Elmo 800' reels myself, so that information is really helpful. Plus the Elmo reels don't have their own case. Looks like I need to buy some Gepe & Posso in the 800' size. If only there was a U.S.A. source for Posso [Frown] The Elmo 1200' reels are superb; too bad they are no longer made...

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Movie Lovers Do It in the Dark

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Paul Adsett
Film God

Posts: 5003
From: USA
Registered: Jun 2003

- posted July 10, 2011 11:46 AM      Profile for Paul Adsett     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Steve, I believe those auto take up reels have to be put on the take up spindle with a specific side of the reel facing out, but I never have figured it out and they never work for me. They are a real pain.
Someone once said that reels were the biggest selling feature of movie projectors, and there is no doubt that good looking reels can really dress up a machine. I always thought that the OEM reels on the Bolex M8 8mm machines were particularly sexy, and those OEM wire formed reels for the old Eumig P8 also looked great.

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The best of all worlds- 8mm, super 8mm, 9.5mm, and HD Digital Projection,
Elmo GS1200 f1.0 2-blade
Eumig S938 Stereo f1.0 Ektar
Panasonic PT-AE4000U digital pj

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John Hourigan
Master Film Handler

Posts: 301
From: Colorado U.S.A.
Registered: Sep 2003

- posted July 10, 2011 11:55 AM      Profile for John Hourigan   Email John Hourigan       Edit/Delete Post 
Agree with Steve and Paul regarding those reels with no slots -- how the heck is that supposed to work? Can't tell you how many times I've skinned the ole finger trying to get the film to "catch" on those "slotless" reels!

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Scott Mallory
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 146
From: Montreal, QC
Registered: Jan 2011

- posted July 10, 2011 08:39 PM      Profile for Scott Mallory   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Steve you just sold a Gepe with your take up reel argument. I use my Elmo 1200 reel for '600s and bigger, but usually use my Tuscan '400 for everything below. I just ordered a Gepe '400 and it wasn't that expensive.

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Scott

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Joe Caruso
Film God

Posts: 4105
From: USA
Registered: Jun 2003

- posted July 11, 2011 05:48 AM      Profile for Joe Caruso     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I find the plio-magic 400' does the idea well, try to find the blue, gray (dark-gray) and red ones, as both pick-up and standard - 300' metal reels are best, when you can find them and my favored ones are the 600' black metal Goldberg reels/cans - Shorty

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Lee Mannering
Film God

Posts: 3216
From: The Projection Box
Registered: Nov 2006

- posted July 11, 2011 07:35 AM      Profile for Lee Mannering     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Like Paul I also use Bonum and have been doing so for years now. The 300ft size are great for trailer progs.

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Joe Balitzki
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 529
From: Charleston, SC, USA
Registered: Aug 2005

- posted July 28, 2011 01:42 AM      Profile for Joe Balitzki   Email Joe Balitzki   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
The 600' Tuscan reels are lousy. Out of the three I purchased, one is not true and "pinches". No more Tuscan reels for me!

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Movie Lovers Do It in the Dark

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Bill Brandenstein
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1632
From: California
Registered: Aug 2007

- posted July 28, 2011 09:51 PM      Profile for Bill Brandenstein   Email Bill Brandenstein   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Paul, totally agree: if I ever saw a wire reel such as that, I'd definitely make an effort to add it to my collection!

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