A Cheap, Easy DIY Minox Developing Reel

I’ve had a 1950s-vintage Minox Model B camera for awhile, but haven’t used it much, mainly because it’s so darned expensive to shoot with. There’s only one lab in the US that still offers reliable processing, and they charge about a dollar per frame to develop a roll and print proofs. That’s pricey for such low-resolution shots. I often develop 35mm and medium-format film at home, but Minox 8×11 film won’t fit on a standard reel, and the only dedicated Minox tanks ever made are now collectible antiques. Fed up with this situation, I applied my usual scrounge-up-some-parts-and-make-them-work approach. Here’s my procedure (click the photos for details on each step).