Spool or Reel?

#1 by Robert Crewdson , Sat May 26, 2018 5:39 pm

I know this has been discussed before elsewhere over time, but I find it difficult to keep writing spools, when I want to say reels. I think in future I shall stick to reels. Is one any more correct than the other?; a projector has a take up reel; a fishing rod has a fishing reel, and you can either say a spool of cotton, or a reel of cotton.


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RE: Spool or Reel?

#2 by John Hourigan ( deleted ) , Sat May 26, 2018 5:56 pm

Oh my — this was one of those burning issues back a few months ago. I just stick to “reel.”


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RE: Spool or Reel?

#3 by Tim Duncan , Sat May 26, 2018 6:00 pm

I remember a former admin correcting us on that topic. I honestly use the word 'reel' with my American friends, but I tend to say 'spool' around the English collectors, as I have been told that is the English term. So does that make me two-faced? :-)


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RE: Spool or Reel?

#4 by Douglas Warren , Sat May 26, 2018 6:04 pm

I use the term reel, as it's what I've gotten used to over the years.


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RE: Spool or Reel?

#5 by Robert Crewdson , Sat May 26, 2018 6:07 pm

Thanks guys for your input, I shall stick to reel as well, and hope we don't hear from the PC Police. In our house we said cotton reel, and my grandmother worked in a cotton mill up to her marriage in 1916, and father worked in a cotton and later silk mill before he went into the army in WW2.



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Last edited 05.26.2018 | Top

RE: Spool or Reel?

#6 by Maurice Leakey , Sat May 26, 2018 6:15 pm

A spool contains the film for projection.
A reel is the determined standard length of each part.
However, there are wide differences of opinion, but as a long time cinema projectionist I stick by the above.


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RE: Spool or Reel?

#7 by Eivind Mork , Sat May 26, 2018 6:16 pm

I would presume spool is an English term and reel is American as already stated here.

I say reel, but spool is much closer to the Norwegian term "spole"


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RE: Spool or Reel?

#8 by Vidar Olavesen , Sat May 26, 2018 6:25 pm

Reel is 200’ says some, which confused me. I said it was one reel, but got corrected, my 400’ was two reels. I use reel myself, still ... Eivin, film rull is more like film reel too, I tend to use rull more than spole


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RE: Spool or Reel?

#9 by Tim Duncan , Sat May 26, 2018 6:30 pm

So now we've got four options: rull, reel, spole or spool...
Does anyone else have one to add to the list before we take a vote? :-)


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RE: Spool or Reel?

#10 by Eivind Mork , Sat May 26, 2018 6:36 pm

I think we go for the Norwegian ones ;-)


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RE: Spool or Reel?

#11 by Mats Abelli , Sat May 26, 2018 6:41 pm

Or the Swedish, Eivind. Rulle or filmhjul. As English is not my native language, I have observed that reel is used commonly in American English and spool in British English.


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RE: Spool or Reel?

#12 by Gwyn Morgan , Sat May 26, 2018 6:48 pm

I have to concur with Maurice on this.I was taught that a “reel” was a specific length of film which came wound on a plastic bobbin,usually five spools ,maybe more /less dependant upon length of film time wise.
Theses reels of film were then wound onto a spool containing a number of reels,so a five reel feature went on an a large extended spool or two smaller extended spools.
But I guess unless you are still using 35mm then you can call them what ever you like especially when the film smells or the spool is twisted!!
A 400/600 plastic spool of super 8mm film in my book is a spool but I know that it is commonly called a reel of 400/600 so each to his own📽📽



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RE: Spool or Reel?

#13 by Eivind Mork , Sat May 26, 2018 7:03 pm

Spool Magic Film Forum? :-)


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RE: Spool or Reel?

#14 by Robert Crewdson , Sat May 26, 2018 7:03 pm

Then you get some using the term projector bulb, and others say lamp; I prefer to say bulb, as in light bulb.


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RE: Spool or Reel?

#15 by Eivind Mork , Sat May 26, 2018 7:09 pm

Yes, I say bulb too. But then again we say "Exciter Lamp", not "Exciter Bulb". Not even sure what exciter means, although I know which lamp/bulb we are talking about.


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RE: Spool or Reel?

#16 by Robert Crewdson , Sat May 26, 2018 7:49 pm

This got more interesting than I expected. Spool Magic Film forum doesn't seem so appealing Eivind.


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RE: Spool or Reel?

#17 by Martin Dew , Sat May 26, 2018 8:06 pm

Someone said that spool is the physical round thingie and the reel is the film sitting on it.

The Eskimos apparently have 50 words for 'reel'. 😉


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RE: Spool or Reel?

#18 by Maurice Leakey , Sat May 26, 2018 8:39 pm

In the days of nitrate 35mm a reel was somewhat under 1000ft. This was due to strict fire regulations which limited the amount of film at any one time in the projection room.

When safety film was introduced in the late 40s early 50s the standard length of reel increased to just under 2000ft. Then, when there were no nitrate prints remaining the regulations were relaxed until eventually we rewound films in the projection room, and also kept the films there.

But the NO SMOKING rule was always adhered to !


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RE: Spool or Reel?

#19 by Greg Perry , Sat May 26, 2018 9:28 pm

I like hearing about film and projection history. I could be mistaken, but I think we all generally understand what is being referred to based on the context in which the term is found.

Either way is fine by me: when I see "spool" my mind translates it to "reel" as that is the word that I use. As Maurice and others have pointed out, reel has another meaning with respect to length of film--for example, a Laurel & Hardy two-reel comedy--regardless of the size of "spool" it is mounted on. FWIW, I think of a spool of thread for sewing which is why it is more natural for me to use the term "reel" for films.

It seems over time and across geographic boundaries, specific terminology has morphed and we just go with what works for each of us...


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RE: Spool or Reel?

#20 by David Ollerearnshaw , Sun May 27, 2018 3:35 am

Spools Reels Core what will they think of next?


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RE: Spool or Reel?

#21 by Bill Phelps , Sun May 27, 2018 5:04 am

I find myself typing reel/spool normally so I can cover both bases and whoever is reading can choose the word they like calling it. I have been some what lazy about this recently but will try to be better about it. Personally, to me a spool has thread on it. This is always a fun debate though.


 
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