Thanks to the host(s) & sponsors for this enlightening web site. I'm a new 8x11 Minox fan and have a few cameras and accessories. I shoot a roll per month now and am considering the advantages of spooling my own films, because I see this camera as a need and it's helping me improve some other photographic skills. When I saw the cost of the slitter at MPL, I wretched! Do you have any suggestions? Does anyone hire out to spool an order occasionally? I'm mostly interested in color negative films. Does anyone know the brands spooled on the current Minox "pro"-color negative offerings? Thanks for helping me.

-- Jeff Drew (jdrew@westlandbank.com), January 14, 2000

Answers

Jeff, the Minox/ACMEL slitter sold by Minox and MPL is a very well built deluxe slitter.

It is indeed expensive, but it is a fine instrument. My rough estimate, the break even point is about 100' of film, if you count out the time you spent, otherwise, there is no such thing as break even point.

Now, there are other alternatives:

1. Check out Submini.com which supplies reload,
2. Goat Hill Photo(Subclub ) which supplies 10', 25' bulk loads.
3. There is Don Krehbiel designed track slitter, which, AFAIK, cost substantially less, and according to what I heard, is quite effectve. You may find more info at from the slitter thread.
   
   -- martin tai (martin.tai@capcanada.com), January 14, 2000.

You might take a look at the slitter offered by Ray Pepalis for $55 delivered in the US. He's at http://members.aol.com/xkaes/adf47.htm. Not sure what the break even point would be with this device, but it has to be a lot lower than the Minox brand.

I've been very happy to have the slitter I made for myself from plans and pictures found on the net. It offers so much more flexibility if you develop your own film (as I do - all B&W) because you can slit a couple of short rolls for practically nothing (compared to Minox film) just to try out a new developer or agitation technique, etc. If most of what you do is color that has to be professionally processed, the advantages might not be so great.

-- Kip Babington (cbabing3@swbell.net), January 14, 2000.

There are a few flaws in the reasoning for break even cost of slitting vs factory load.

1. The cost of your own labour is left out. If you count in time you put in, then the cost of self slitter film is way way more expensive then factory loaded film.
2. Dont forget Minox or ACMEL film comes with one cassette, yours does'nt.
3. Minox or Fuji/ACMEL films are loaded in clean room, dust free. Self loaded film, not matter how careful you are, can never achieve the same degree of dust free as factory loaded film. . Compare your own slitter film vs factory film with a 20x loupe.

   In otherword, factory film has higher quality, and subtracting the cost of cassette, the film alone is quite comparable with commercial 35mm film.

Slitter film is really for trying different film, and as labour of love, there is no economy, if there is, it is false economy.

-- martin tai (martin.tai@capcanada.com), January 30, 2000.

The Krehbiel-style flatbed slitter is a much cheaper alternative to the ritzy Minox slitter. If you're handy, one can be put together with about $15 worth of materials. If you're not handy, you can probably find somebody who is who will make you one for under $100. See Don Krehbiels's website for info and plans.

The price of the Minox slitter is ABSURDLY high. No doubt, this is partially to discourage people from rolling their own and eating into Minox GmbH's and MPL's film sales!

-- Michael Goldfarb (mgoldfar@mobius-inc.com), February 01, 2000.

Actually the price of a MINOX/ACMEL slitter is higher now then two years ago. If recall it was $369, now at $421. It appreciates in value.

-- martin tai (martin.tai@capcanada.com), February 02, 2000.

We manufacture small components (in injection moulded plastic for various uses) here at Alltcafan mill in Wales. As a minox enthusiast I was shocked by the price of available film slitters and insructed our designer to make the smallest and cheapest splitter possible. The result is the ZipSlit , the smallest ( just a little bigger than a minox fim box) , easiest to use and most affordable splitter available approx. $35 post paid and guaranteed to produce split film comparable to any splitter ( regardless of price ) on the market.

-- John Birkby (birkbyjustext@aol.com), December 08, 2001.