Single-Use A-Minima Spools For Sale

[Dennis Toeppen]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/314594617672

These are single-use spools. They were purchased from EK with film on them, or they were obtained new from EK and loaded by Wittner. After film was used, they were placed back in film can and have not been used again. 

Let the idiotic claims regarding A-Minima s spools begin. Expect to hear the following:

- Fotokem gives them away. False. This *was* true but Fotokem stopped being a consistent source of used A-Minima spools in about 2018.

- You can 3d print them. False. Nobody has actually done this properly as far as I know. Kodak spools are carefully engineered to have just the right amount of flex - enough to allow film to clear flange when running in mag, not so stiff that they excessively wear the o-ring tires on the A-Minima that open the sheaves for film to exit, not so flexible that they don't stay closed and protect film when spool isn't in use. Talk is cheap.

- You can use them over and over and over and over. False. The tabs in the center of the sheaves break after a few cycles, and sheaves get more and more flexible with passage of time and allow light to fog edges. Best case is maybe 4-8 uses.

- Kodak will give you spools. False. Kodak has no spools. 

- Your lab will give you your spools back. True, but so what? You can't increase your spool inventory by just getting your spools back from the lab..

 

[Dennis Toeppen]

I also have a handful of new spools that have never had film wound on them, in case anyone is seeking virgin spools.