RELOADING MEC CASSETTES

The MEC 16mm cassettes are two separate, almost identical, metal cassettes -- with felt -- used in pairs. The film is pulled out of one cassette and pushed into the other -- very similar to the Mikroma cassettes. They all required double-perforations to advance the film -- you could try single perforated film, and you might get lucky!

They were used as a pair -- one was a feeder cassette, and the other a take-up cassette. While they are almost identical, there is one big difference. The feeder cassette is sealed and cannot be taken apart -- which makes sense because it came from the factory -- while the take-up spool can be taken apart -- in order to remove the film. The top and bottom caps are easily removed. A take-up cassette can be used as a feeder cassette, but using a feeder cassette as a take-up cassette is a challenge. The film is more likely to jam during the film advance, and if all of the film ends up in the cassette, you have to destroy the cassette to get the film out. The good news is that other 16mm cassettes can be used as feeder cassettes, if you need one, such as Meopta Mikroma, Rollei, Rada, Steky, and perhaps others -- although you might need to cover up the spindle holes with opaque tape.

The take-up cassette consists of four parts: an outer casing, a push-on top, a push on bottom, and an inner, brass, film holder with felt strips on each end. These can be taken apart, but should only be done for cleaning purposes.

Depending on the cassette, the easiest way to load the cassette is to push a strip of film into the feeder cassette, rather than take the cassette apart and try to load it. It's best to use cotton, lint-free gloves to avoid finger prints, and push an inch or two of film into the cassette at a time. Take a 20" strip of perforated film, and wearing clean, lint-free gloves, push the film into the cassette with the emulsion side down. If you are using SINGLE-perforated film, make sure the perforations are on the TOP-side of the feeder spool. Leave about three inches sticking out of the cassette.

If you are having trouble getting the film into the cassette, turn on the lights, and try a short test-strip in the light.

When it's time to load the camera, push the leader into an empty take-up spool. It's a good idea to mark the cassettes in some manner so you will know which has unexposed film or exposed film.

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