I has to look up something about Loading Large Format Film Holders since I just bought one from a local shop to go with a bunch of cigar boxes I plan to experiment with.
It looks less hairy than I feared, but I won’t be at all surprised if I get the film in backwards or pull the dark slide at the wrong time or not at all. And that doesn’t even cover developing the stuff afterwards.
I scored a partly full box (some would say partly empty) of Kodak Pan film (Develop before Mar 1970[!]). It’ll do for experimental purposes.
<grumble> I just noticed on looking it up that the film is 5×7: that won’t fit in a 4×5 holder now, will it? So add “read the ^&*() box” to the list of things to learn.
While I was digging through the film, I found a nice condition T-Max readyload film holder: those sell for a bundle on eBay. Perhaps I should taken the chance, but I let the owner know about it anyway. I guess the junk boxes can be rewarding for everyone.