Is reel-to-reel interchangeable with standard 8mm reel?

[Winbert Hutahaean]

As per title can we use a reel from reel-to-reel tape for standard 8mm film and projector? I don't see any different but haven't tried it yet.

Your input please.

Thanks
winbert

[John Burgess]

Yes they are the same centres on the 400foot but not sure about the larger tape recorder spools.
John

[Phil Moors]

Why would you bother when you have film reels available. Just looking to post something ?

[Winbert Hutahaean]

Yes they are the same centres on the 400foot but not sure about the larger tape recorder spools.
John

what about the width?

Why would you bother when you have film reels available. Just looking to post something ?

Here in Indonesia, many projectors are standard 8mm while I am more a super 8mm collector. There are many people now looking for standard 8mm reels while I have plenty unused reel-to-reel. I am thinking to bin the tapes and sell the empty reels should it exactly the same with standard 8mm reels.

[Ken Finch]

Standard 8 film does fit on tape recorder reels. The larger tape reels used on the more professional tape recorders had different centres to those used on domestic recorders and film projectors.

[Steve Lee]

Hi Winbert,

The majority of 10.5" reel 2 reel reels have a larger centre hole that required what is called a NAB adaptor to hold them onto the machines spindle. This was designed for a quick change of tapes in a studio, as this can be performed in seconds. As well as uniforming the standard for studio tapes.
If the tape was 1/4", 1/2", 1" or 2" they all used the same centre NAB hub.

Revox and Agfa both produced plastic 10.5" reels for tape that have the small hole centres ,the same as standard 8. Unfortunately these can't be used for film, as there is no slot in the centre hub. The idea is that you pull the tape to the hub and then turn the reel to hold the tape on to the reel by friction.

I have photographed the Revox reel on top of a Elmo 1200' reel so you can see the difference in size.
The smaller 7" reel to the right of the picture can be used for film, as there is no difference to a 400' film reel.
Steve.

[Ed Gordon]

Reel to Reel tape is 1/4 inch wide. That is 6.35 mm. The tape reels are too narrow to handle 8mm film.

[Steve Klare]

I ran into this question a couple of months ago myself:

https://8mmforum.film-tech.com/vbb/f...5016#post85016

I got a reel of 1/4" audio tape among a lot of Super-8 films and the reel was dimensionally identically to an R8 200 foot reel including the distance between the flanges being wider for the tape than we are used to seeing with film: the biggest difference I noticed was "Side No. 1" and "Side No. 2" on the flanges. From what I'm seeing in the pictures, the tape reel also has the slot.

[Ed Gordon]

Steve, your previous post on the topic made the key point:

...When I worked in electronic manufacturing, there were always piles of empty reels awaiting disposal, but I never took any: they were spectacular cheapies! I've never been that hard up for reels.

I had a 200 Ft tape reel in my box of 8mm/S8mm reels that I tried to use once. As you pointed out, you can't insert the end of the film into the tape reel. When I did get the film on by manually turning the reel until the film caught, the next problem was that the film tended to get stuck in the reel since the film was wider that 1/4 inch, and not as flexible as mag tape.

[Joseph Banfield]

They will work for 8mm film but they tend to squeal a bit because I think they're just slightly too small and the film rubs on the sides, or that has been my experience. I wish reel to reel tape spools could be used for standard 8mm film because no one makes standard 8 reels anymore and you must use adapters and use Super 8 reels, which I dislike using for the older standard 8 films. Films just look nicer mounted on dedicated reels, in my humble opinion.

[Brian Fretwell]

I'm pretty sure that Collectors Club sometimes used tape reels for their Standard 8 prints. The main disadvantage is that the slot at the centre for tape to be put in to secure it as diagonal, not flat across the hub. It is done that so the thin tape can be put onto the take up reel easily down the long slot in the side of the reel. The thicker film base cannot easily use this and wil probably be damaged or wind badly.