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» Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE   » Operations   » Film Handlers' Forum   » Holmes Type 8 Portable 35mm Projector (Page 1)

 
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Author Topic: Holmes Type 8 Portable 35mm Projector
Ken Layton
unregistered




 - posted 05-30-1999 02:32 AM            Edit/Delete Post 
I have rebuilt and used the Holmes machines in the past and found them to be
quite reliable and dependable. Some sources of parts I have found are:
Marty Bahn & Company (Miami, Florida. Advertises in BIG REEL).
International Cinema (also in Miami. Try Website:www.ICECO.com)
HADDEN Theater Supply
10201 Bunsen Way
Louisville, Ky. 40299
Louis Bornwasser, Owner
(502) 499-0050
Fax: 502-499-0052

Bruce
unregistered




 - posted 05-30-1999 02:33 AM            Edit/Delete Post 
At last! Another Holmes man! Mine is not painted nicely yet, but it runs well and
has steady sound. Pretty good for a 60 pound boat anchor.

A good friend just bought a Simplex, and I had trouble just carrying the head out
to his truck, much less the rest of it. Hope he gets his running as fast as I did. (5
weeks)

Mitchell Cope
unregistered




 - posted 05-30-1999 02:33 AM            Edit/Delete Post 
I bought an AVE 35mm Standard "Transportable" projector from a guy who had
purchased it from Marty Bahn & Company. From the manual it looks like Marty
had bought many of these projectors as he was changing the name from AVE to
MBC in the manual. The former owner, though, thought Marty had died. The
number I have for MBC in Miami has been disconnected, (305) 940-8871. Do
you know if MBC is still around? If so, contact information would be appreciated
as I will sometime in the future need parts. Thanks.

Ken Layton
unregistered




 - posted 05-30-1999 02:34 AM            Edit/Delete Post 
The last address I have for them is: MARTY BAHN & COMPANY, 585 NW
25 Terrace, Boca Raton, Florida 33496, phone: (407) 998-0022. I hope this
helps out. It's been awhile since I saw an ad from them.

Mitchell Cope
unregistered




 - posted 05-30-1999 02:34 AM            Edit/Delete Post 
Thanks Ken, but that number has been disconnected too. If anybody knows the
whereabouts of Marty's inventory, I'd sure be interested.

Richard Fowler
unregistered




 - posted 05-30-1999 02:35 AM            Edit/Delete Post 
I have not seen Marty for five years. He was working on a project for
Disneyworld at the time.
An AVE transportable is a japanese Shinko projector and parts are available.
Contact Rangertone in New York.
Final note, Marty also distributed another MBC portable which was ( and still is )
manufactured in Spain by Wassman.

Mitchell Cope
unregistered




 - posted 05-30-1999 02:36 AM            Edit/Delete Post 
Thanks Richard. Do you happen to have a number or email address for
Rangertone? My web search finds a Rangertone in New Jersey that was into
organs and subsequently 35mm magnetic recording. Is this the same? I cannot
seem to locate a phone number. Thanks.

Ken Layton
unregistered




 - posted 05-30-1999 02:36 AM            Edit/Delete Post 
From my old 1993 copy of BOXOFFICE magazine buyers guide, there is this
address for Rangertone:
RANGERTONE RESEARCH, INC.
115 Roosevelt Ave.
Belleville, NJ. 07109
(201) 751-6833
Fax: (201) 751-9741
George Zazzali, President
Daniel Zazzali, Vice President

Be advised that there are now several area codes for New Jersey, so you may
have to try one of the others as it may have been changed over the years. At one
time Rangertone was affiliated with Atlantic Audio-Visual (at the same address).
Both Atlantic and Rangertone specialised in 16mm Xenon conversions and
portable 35mm machines.

Mitchell Cope
unregistered




 - posted 05-30-1999 02:37 AM            Edit/Delete Post 
Thanks Ken. The correct number for RANGERTONE RESEARCH, INC. is:

(973) 751-6833

I talked to them and ordered a couple of aperture plates and a parts manual for
my Shinko 35mm Transportable Projector (a.k.a. A.V.E. 35mm Transportable
Projector).


Ken Layton
unregistered




 - posted 05-30-1999 02:44 AM            Edit/Delete Post 
I rebuilt the original Holmes amplifier for the type 8 projectors a few years ago for
my local film society. That old amp sounds pretty good when you put in new
capacitors!
Marty Bahn & Company in Florida was at one time modifying the gate casting to
take the Century projector slip in aperture plates. Also they had a modified lens
holder casting that would allow a scope lens to fit nicely. I have also seen
homemade solar cell setups for this machine, but the amplifier must be modified to
remove the +90 volts from the input jack. Otherwise your solar cell would go
BOOM! The Holmes uses a BXC Exciter lamp. Projection lamps for this machine
varied depending on the machines' serial number. Use DTJ, DSB, or DTA lamps
in machines with serial numbers 9500 to 18416. Use a DFD with serial numbers
18417 and up. DTJ and DSB are ordinary projection lamps. The DTA is a
halogen type with longer life.

Bruce McGee
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1776
From: Asheville, NC USA... Nowhere in Particular.
Registered: Aug 1999


 - posted 09-18-1999 08:42 AM      Profile for Bruce McGee   Email Bruce McGee   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Holmes is great! I cant beat the new image since I took the whole gate apart and found that I had not included a large spacer washer between the lens barrel and the frame when I put it together back in April.
Side-to-side movement is improved, however, the shedding from polyester stock is unchanged.

Are the aperture places replaceable on this boy? Mine has the original flat rounded cornered one that makes me think I am watching old school flicks. Most of the prints I have are 1:85. My scope stuff is being cropped too. I dont really want to try and file the edges of the frame opening out.

Also, is there a way to get the film to move to the right just a bit? The spring loaded guide on the top of the gate has the spring on the rear side pushing the film guide toward you. Is this right? It was this way when I got it. Sometimes I can see the edge of the film to the right of the image. A certain 13 reel feature is the worst for this. Things appear on the right side constantly.

Please help, or should I give up and get a real projector? Remember! There is a space problem here!

Bruce

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Scott Norwood
Film God

Posts: 8146
From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas)
Registered: Jun 99


 - posted 09-18-1999 09:45 AM      Profile for Scott Norwood   Author's Homepage   Email Scott Norwood   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
13-reel feature...hmm...what would that be. Umm...probably either GWTW or 70mm Lawrence of Arabia. Actually, with GWTW, R7 and R8 will fit on a single 2000' reel. That's the way that the print arrived when I ran it last fall. It also arrived pretty much trashed and with no head or tail leaders on any reel. Needless to say, I was Not Happy... Thanks, Bruce, for bringing back a bad memory. <grin>

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Brad Miller
Administrator

Posts: 17775
From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall)
Registered: May 99


 - posted 09-18-1999 03:04 PM      Profile for Brad Miller   Author's Homepage   Email Brad Miller       Edit/Delete Post 
I think you should just junk it and get a real projector. Considering your space requirements, I think the Norelco AAII would be your best alternative. It only weighs about the same as 5 cars and takes up half a city block.

Let's see, the spring loaded guide rollers you are referring to are the "lateral guide rollers". I have never seen nor worked with a Holmes, but typically there is a tiny allan wrench screw you can loosen to shift this guide horizontally. Generally, there is a screw on the back side to "freeze" it from wandering off of alignment, and then there's the actual screw to move the roller side to side. Be careful, as if your Holmes has those little jewels on each end, you can easily lose it if you loosen the two screws more than a turn or two at a time. I recommend you work in a well lighted area on top of something like a lid to a banker's box, so if you lose it, it will just drop into the box and not on your carpet!

One more thing to remember. When you're finished, the soundtrack edge guide roller should be able to spin freely, but should not have ANY side to side movement to it. If you do, you will see the picture shaking from side to side as you watch your films. Adjust accordingly.

Do you have a manual or any good close up pics of this machine? It would be much easier to assist if I could describe the gate and trap. Hopefully someone out there knows these machines well enough to assist better than I have been able to.

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Bruce McGee
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1776
From: Asheville, NC USA... Nowhere in Particular.
Registered: Aug 1999


 - posted 09-18-1999 04:01 PM      Profile for Bruce McGee   Email Bruce McGee   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
There's not an allen screw on anything in this machine. The lateral guide roller is fitted between 2 ears sticking up on the aperture casting. There is a single shaft threaded through the centers on the rollers. There is no adjustment. The non-soundtrack side has a small spring pushing the guide back. I can gently push the guide and make the views of the side of the 13 reel epic disappear. Oh my gosh, I think I figured it out. Skinny washer!!!

More later.

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Ben Wales
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 602
From: Southampton. England
Registered: Jul 99


 - posted 09-18-1999 06:27 PM      Profile for Ben Wales   Email Ben Wales   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Wha'ts the age of the Holmes 8?.
I have found a Holmes 35mm which was first installed on a Cunard Liner in about 1927, it was in thae last owner's shed for over 20 years!, it must have been hand cranked as the motor looks like a add on.

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