Editing Reel

{{Short description|Device used to store elongated and flexible objects}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Refimprove|date=January 2012}}
[[File:ElectricWireOnReel.JPG|thumb|upright|A 250 V 16 A electrical wire on a reel]]
[[File:AutomaticlyOperatingIrrigationReel.jpg|thumb|upright|An irrigation reel with travelling sprinkler]]

A '''reel''' is a tool used to store elongated and flexible objects (e.g. [[yarn]]s/[[rope|cord]]s, [[ribbon]]s, [[electric cable|cable]]s, [[hose]]s, etc.) by wrapping the material around a [[cylindrical]] core known as a ''[[bobbin|spool]]''. Many reels also have [[flange]]s (known as the ''rims'') around the ends of the spool to help retain the wrapped material and prevent unwanted slippage off the ends. In most cases, the reel spool is hollow in order to pass an [[axle]] and allow it to spin like a [[wheel]], a winding process known as ''reeling'', which can be done by manually turning the reel with [[handle]]s or [[crank (mechanism)|crank]]s, or by [[machine]]-powered rotating via (typically [[electric motor|electric]]) [[motor]]s.

==Construction==
{{Unreferenced section|date=January 2012}}

The size of the core is dependent on several factors. A smaller core will obviously allow more material to be stored in a given space. However, there is a limit to how tightly the stored material can be wound without damaging it and this limits how small the core can be.

Other issues affecting the core size include:

* Mechanical strength of the core (especially with big reels)
* Acceptable turning speed (for a given rate of material moving on or off the reel a smaller core will mean that an almost empty reel has to turn faster)
* any functional requirements of the core e.g.
** For a reel that must be mechanically turned the size of the grips that mount it on the mechanical turning device.
** The size of the mountings needed to support the core during unwinding.
** Anything mounted on the cores (e.g. the sockets on an [[extension reel]])

With material such as [[photographic film]] that is flat and long but is relatively wide, the material generally is stored in successive single layers. In cases where the material is more uniform in cross-section (for example, a cable), the material may be safely wound around a reel that is wider than its width. In this case, several windings are needed to create a layer on the reel.

==Uses==
[[File:Badge reel.JPG|thumb|right|upright|A badge reel]]
Examples of reel usage include:
* [[Hose reel]]s that store and prevent kinking of [[fire hose]]s or [[garden hose]]s
* [[Bobbin]]s that hold [[yarn]]s or [[thread (yarn)|thread]]s for [[sewing machine]]s and [[weaving machine|weaver]]s
* Retractable [[tape measure]]s
* [[Fishing reel]]s that store and pull in [[fishing line]]s when [[angling]]
* Film reels that carry [[film stock]]s
* Many [[audio recording]]s of the late 20th century (and some today) use [[reel-to-reel audio tape recording|reel-to-reel magnetic tape]]
* [[Kite line]]s are frequently operated from reels
* Specialized reels for holding tow line for [[hang glider]], [[Glider (aircraft)|glider]], and [[sailplane]] launching
* Laying of [[communications cable]]s use giant reels
* [[Winch]]es that wind cables/chains for [[sail]]s or [[anchor]]s on [[ship]]s
* [[Windlass]]es that are used to wind and pull [[rope]] or chains in order to lift weights on implements such as a [[crane (machine)|crane]], a [[well]] or a [[drawbridge]] 
* Webbing barriers that allow mobile post positions collect tensionally excess webbing
* [[Tow truck]]s hold steel cable on reels
* [[Rope]], [[wire]] and [[electrical cable]] is often supplied on reels
* [[Badge reel]]s are used to hold [[access badge]]s, [[smart card]]s and other externally tethered small items such as [[Key (lock)|key]]s and [[nail clipper|clipper]]s
* A [[cave diving]] reel is a safety equipment used for running a [[distance line]]<ref name=GUEguideline1>{{cite journal |author1=Devos, Fred |author2=Le Maillot, Chris |author3=Riordan, Daniel |title=Introduction to Guideline Procedures Part 1: Equipment |journal=DIRquest |publisher=[[Global Underwater Explorers]] |volume=5 |issue=3 |year=2004 |url=http://www.gue.com/files/page_images/expeditions/Mexico/guideline1.pdf |access-date=2009-04-05 |archive-date=2021-06-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210609033303/https://www.gue.com/files/page_images/expeditions/Mexico/guideline1.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

{{Anchor|Film reel}}

==Motion picture terminology==
<!-- Section is linked from "Short film".-->
{{Redirect|Film reel|reels used to process film|Developing tank}}
[[File:35mm reels and boxes.jpg|thumb|35mm film reels and boxes]]
[[File:16mm_film_reel_(6498649123).jpg|thumb|16mm empty film reel with its metal container]]

It is traditional to discuss the length of theatrical [[Film|motion picture]]s in terms of "reels". The standard length of a [[35 mm movie film|35 mm film]] reel is {{convert|1000|ft|m|0}}, which runs approximately 11 minutes for [[sound film]] (24 [[frames per second]])<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QKQFAQAAIAAJ&q=11+minutes |title=Journal of the Society of Motion Picture Engineers, Volume 26. Ed. Society of Motion Picture Engineers, 1936. P. 93 |access-date=2023-03-14 |archive-date=2023-07-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230701083654/https://books.google.com/books?id=QKQFAQAAIAAJ&q=11%20minutes |url-status=live }}</ref> and about 15 minutes for [[silent film]] at the more or less standard speed of 18 frames per second.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Kawin|first1=Bruce F.|title=How Movies Work|date=1987|publisher=[[University of California Press]]|isbn=9780520076969|page=[https://archive.org/details/howmovieswork00kawi/page/46 46]|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/howmovieswork00kawi/page/46}}</ref> Most films have [[Cue mark|visible cues which mark the end of the reel]]. This allows [[projectionist]]s running reel-to-reel to change over to the next reel on the other [[Movie projector|projector]].

A so-called "two-reeler" would have run about 15–24 minutes since the actual short film shipped to a movie theater for exhibition may have had slightly less (but rarely more) than {{convert|1000|ft|m|0|abbr=on}} on it. Most modern projectionists use the term "reel" when referring to a {{convert|2000|ft|m|0|sing=on}} "two-reeler", as modern films are rarely shipped by single {{convert|1000|ft|m|0|sing=on}} reels. A standard Hollywood movie averages about five 2,000-foot reels in length.

The "reel" was established as a standard measurement because of considerations in printing motion picture film at a film laboratory, for shipping (especially the film case sizes) and for the size of the physical film magazine attached to the motion picture projector. If it had not been standardized (at {{convert|1000|ft|m|0|abbr=on|disp=or}} of 35&nbsp;mm film), there would have been many difficulties in the manufacture of the related equipment. A 16&nbsp;mm "reel" is {{convert|400|ft|m|0}}. It runs, at sound speed, approximately the same amount of time (11–12 minutes) as a {{convert|1000|ft|m|0|adj=on}} 35&nbsp;mm reel.

A "split reel" is a motion picture film reel in two halves that, when assembled, hold a specific length of motion picture film that has been wound on a plastic core. Using a split reel allows film to be shipped or handled in a lighter and smaller form than film would on a "fixed" reel. In the [[Silent film|silent era]], the term was used to describe a single reel that accommodated two or more individual titles.<!--In the early silent era, it was not uncommon for studios to distribute to theaters a split reel that housed up to three or four very short films.!-->

As [[digital cinema]] catches on, the physical reel is being replaced by a virtual format called [[Digital Cinema Package]], which can be distributed using any storage medium (such as hard drives) or data transfer medium (such as the internet or satellite links) and projected using a [[digital projector]] instead of a [[Movie projector|conventional movie projector]].

A [[newsreel]] is a short documentary film.

A [[showreel]] or demo reel is a short film showcasing a person's or organization's previous work.

==See also==
* [[Spindle (tool)]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{Commons category inline|Reels}}

[[Category:Bulk material handling]]
[[Category:Film and video terminology]]
[[Category:Packaging]]
[[Category:Portable tools]]