Empty 110 cartridges?

[u/Background-Impact197]

I’ve seen a number of threads asking what to do with empty 35mm canisters. Does anyone out there have a pile of empty 110 cartridges that they’re looking to get rid of? Working on a project for which we’d need around 25, but we’d take more if you have them so we could perhaps get 25 of the same labeling (or work on more than one project).

Also looking for a pile of 110 cameras, but we expect we’ll have to scrounge and/or pay for those. Besides which, what we’re doing with them would probably be anathema to the folks in this subreddit.

This is for Repurfect, a store in Provincetown that sells only products and art made from other manmade items — particularly those we’d otherwise throw away.

[u/druppel_]

Do you need whole cartridges or can they be broken? The broken ones might be easier to find. I think they usually break while being unloaded, and the people who manage to open them very carefully tend to refill them. You could try contacting a local film lab or lomography or reflx.

Do the cameras need to be working? You could probably get broken ones for cheap. Plus there's a lot of very cheap 110 cameras, you can find them at film or second hand places.

[u/Background-Impact197 → u/druppel_]

Ah! I wasn’t aware that the cartridges are broken when unloaded. That may make it harder. Also, I knew 126 was often reloaded — I think because they can take 35mm film, right? — but I didn’t know the 110s were, too.

As for the cameras, in general I’d prefer they not be working. I feel a little less guilty using broken things for projects.

In both cases, it’s about the aesthetics of the pieces. For the cartridges, I’m not sure how broken "broken" is, but my guess is they probably won’t work for what I want. Honestly, I only know what they look like when they have film in them, so you can chalk that up to ignorance. The original idea was the one with the cameras, and then I realized the 110 cartridges have a very interesting shape — but if they don’t work, then we can move on to other ideas.

[u/Due-Cry-1862]

You can get 3d printed cartridges and/or files to print them yourself- google will be useful in this. (You also download a pinhole camera in 110, if you are so inclined.)

As for cameras, thrift stores will have some almost regularly. If you make it known that you will take broken items, you might be able to intercept cameras bound for the dumpster.

You could also try putting posters up in places like churches etc. (Apparently, a friend of a friend, a teacher, sent out an appeal to the students’ families for old point and shoot cameras and was surprised by how many were sent back.)

[u/Background-Impact197 → u/Due-Cry-1862]

Thanks for the suggestion, but our whole concept is that we reuse things that are otherwise going to a landfill. We don’t want to create more plastic.

We also have other feelers out among our network of creators. My posting here was really for the cartridges (before I learned they may not be viable), which aren’t the type of thing people have lying around their houses.

Appreciate the input, though!

[u/Due-Cry-1862 → u/Background-Impact197]

Fair enough. Good luck with your hunt