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Topic: Christie MUT assistance needed ASAP!!! Help!

Aaron Sisemore
Flaming Ribs beat Reeses Peanut Butter Cups any day!

Posts: 3061
From: Rockwall TX USA
Registered: Sep 1999

posted 06-28-2001 09:02 PM

In Fairfax we have three AW3 make up tables that all seem to have the same problem now. They work great for making up prints but WILL NOT work to break down. One of them has just had its little round module replaced, another one apparantely blew the plug up (as if shorted) when they tried to plug it into the platter tree (the platter still operates normally). One of the tables is the 'old style' with two AW3 motor control cards in it rather than the round module, This one will run fine for make up but if you attempt to break down, the spindle doesn't turn and the platter disk will begin rotating in the opposite direction of normal. This is pretty urgent, as we have several prints that have to be broken down and now we have no way of doing so. Getting parts from Christie is fine, but I now don't have the time to wait for them. Besides borrowing other peoples' tables (which would be the competition's as the nearest theatres to Fairfax of ours use a different platter) what can I do?

Aaron

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Jerry Chase
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1068
From: Margate, FL, USA
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 06-28-2001 09:55 PM

Why not remove the motor and let the platter free float? You'll need to break down carefully and hand brake, but it'll get the job done.

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Brad Miller
Administrator

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

posted 06-28-2001 10:55 PM

Egad, I've had to do this before and it SUCKS!

OPTION #1

Drag your motorized rewind bench (don't even say it isn't motorized) and line it up as perfectly as possible with the lowest roller on the takeup side. Set your MUT up so that the adjustable roller lines up with the takeup arm for the platter with the print (so the roller is holding the arm so it cannot move toward the motor at all). Now VERY CAREFULLY start breaking down THROUGH the takeup film path.

The tricks to remember is

#1 You must make sure that the MUT is positioned so that the takeup arm which the film is traveling through absolutely can NOT come free and slam up against the platter motor.

#2 Start the rewind bench slowly and try and stop slowly. If you pass the splice, just set an obstacle in the brain and let the film wrap back onto the platter.

OPTION #2

Set the MUT between the edge of the platter and rewind bench and use the rollers on the MUT instead of the takeup rollers on the platter. The only problem with this idea is that you must have a good arms reach to be able to hand brake the platter AND be able to reach the speed control on the rewind table.

It sucks, but it'll work if you HAVE to.

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Rick McCluney
Film Handler

Posts: 66
From: Ocean Springs, MS, USA
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 06-28-2001 11:08 PM

Have you checked to see if you are getting power to the motor on the table? Sounds like it could be a bad connection.

Rick

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Aaron Sisemore
Flaming Ribs beat Reeses Peanut Butter Cups any day!

Posts: 3061
From: Rockwall TX USA
Registered: Sep 1999

posted 06-29-2001 12:11 AM

Luckily I have found a working MUT in storage and took it out there and everyone's happy. But I do have three MUTs here that are not working, Now I need to troubleshoot them to determine what the hell is wrong. Any ideas are greatly appreciated.

Aaron

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Matthew Bailey
Master Film Handler

Posts: 461
From: Port Arthur,TX
Registered: Sep 2000

posted 06-29-2001 06:40 AM

I have an AW3 manual I f you like I could send a copy of the MUT &
AW3 schematics

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Gordon McLeod
Film God

Posts: 9532
From: Toronto Ontario Canada
Registered: Jun 99

posted 06-29-2001 10:56 AM

Aaron check the toggle switch for breakdown I have seen some of them short and internally burn when people have toggled them under load.
If they shorted that could explain the burnt plug as well

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Will Kutler
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1506
From: Tucson, AZ, USA
Registered: Feb 2001

posted 06-29-2001 02:01 PM

Double check that the platter wiring matches the electrical schematic to make sure everything is correct. It was standard practice at my old theater to hold the platter motor away from the deck by using a dry-erase marker or similar during break-down. We always let the platter deck free-float, and used our free hand (with a glove or towel) to control braking. We never had a problem!, and break-downs always went quickly w/o damaging prints! Double check that toggle switch (off, load platter, load spindle). Double check that the mut brake switch is not malfunctioning and causing an excessive load?

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Aaron Sisemore
Flaming Ribs beat Reeses Peanut Butter Cups any day!

Posts: 3061
From: Rockwall TX USA
Registered: Sep 1999

posted 06-29-2001 02:36 PM

To clarify:

the three tables in question (now excluding the one with one of the pins of the plug melted off) operate the platter itself at a good rate of speed, making building up no problem. However the spindle motors on all three tables are inoperative. Initial wiring checks appear OK, One of the tables which did work fine in both modes had stopped altogether, and replacing the round controller module restored the make-up portion, but the spindle motor was still disabled. Wiring appeared OK in that case as well.

Now that they have a working table, I am not worrying about it right now, as I have bigger fish to fry around here (like a Monee with a totally siezed framing carriage, which will be replaced with a semi-rebuilt Century DAW2 as soon as the shaft adapter shows up at the office) but thank you for all the assistance and I will look into the problems in more detail as I get to them.

Aaron

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Brad Miller
Administrator

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

posted 06-29-2001 02:45 PM

Will...BAD PRACTICE!!! The Christie platter, along with SPECO was designed to be able to provide a constant backtension on the film (provided the operator is smart enough to depress the "makeup" button before breaking down-something which can be overlooked). Holding backtension by hand is a poor way to break down film and can cause cinch scratching. That's not being very "shit hot" to the prints. You can search the archives here for other discussions on this. Let the machine do it's job next time and do not pull the motor away from the platter deck.

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Ken Layton
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1452
From: Olympia, Wash. USA
Registered: Sep 1999

posted 06-29-2001 05:42 PM

One of the SC146D triacs on the makeup table speed control board could be bad.

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Mike Judge
Film Handler

Posts: 50
From: Seattle, WA
Registered: Aug 2000

posted 06-29-2001 06:41 PM

That's my pet peeve with people when they disengage the motor on a Christie to break down 'faster.' I'm sure if it were supposed to be able to be disengaged, they would have made it so, like a Strong platter (blah, ick, boo) I've been spoiled with Christie. I remember hearing about this problem at another theatre, but I can't remember the fix. I'd like to hear it though when you get it.

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