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Author Topic: Threading Strong platters Ken Lackner Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1907 From: Atlanta, GA, USA Registered: Sep 2001 posted 12-27-2002 07:58 PM                     When the film is returning back to the takeup platter, I know that it is threaded over both rollers at the top of the tree only if the film is being taken up on the top deck. Otherwise the second roller is skippled, or else damage to the film will occur. But what is the purpose of that roller? It doesn't look like any damage will occur if it is skipped when threading to the top deck. Am I missing something?  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 12-27-2002 08:08 PM                     Look at the alignment between that top roller and the pivoting roller for the top deck once you've got 2 hours worth of film there. Not good. Strong can get away with the bottom two decks using the one common roller because there is so much distance between them. Sort of like having a platter that is 4 feet away from the projector vs. a platter 10 feet away from the projector. The farther platter setup can have it's rollers very much so "not aligned" and not damage film.  |  IP: Logged Ken Lackner Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1907 From: Atlanta, GA, USA Registered: Sep 2001 posted 12-27-2002 08:32 PM                     Thank you Brad! That answers a question I've had burning in the back of my head for three years and just never thought to ask.  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 12-29-2002 10:36 AM                     Of course, you could just skip all of the rollers and take up directly on the platter Steve  |  IP: Logged Steve Kraus Film God Posts: 4094 From: Chicago, IL, USA Registered: May 2000 posted 12-29-2002 10:44 AM                    I'll stick to my vertical running, double-rimmed, 2000' capacity platters, thankyouverymuch!  |  IP: Logged System Notices Forum Watchdog / Soup Nazi Posts: 215 Registered: Apr 2004 posted 10-06-2007 05:59 PM                 It has been 1742 days since the last post.  |  IP: Logged Dominic Espinosa Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1172 From: Boulder Creek, CA. Registered: Jan 2004 posted 10-06-2007 05:59 PM                     Well here's a fun one for ya. I have a theater with some newish strong platters and I can't figure a good way to thread these guys. If I thread the platters, bypassing the projector, when I return to take up the leader a few turns the rewind platter is engaged. And this happens with the slightest bit of tension on the film. On some of the longer threads (platters far away) the weight of the film engages take-up. So how does one thread up on these bad boys? Any tips? I prefer the old alpha style potts platters...  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 10-06-2007 06:52 PM                     ..flip up the makeup switch (which is below each return roller on the tower) on the rewind platter. That'll keep the deck from taking off while lacing the projector..  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 10-06-2007 07:55 PM                     Monte... I think he has the 35AP's... not the mannual switch version. On this platter system tilting the roller on the column where the film comes down and makes a 90 degree bend to go out on the platter is what turns the take up mode on or off. So its just a matter of re-organizing your threading pattern to avoid tilting that roller assy. Mark  |  IP: Logged Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 10-06-2007 08:39 PM                     Flipping the toggle switch to makeup on the AP will kill the deck so it will not pull the film On many I believe that is I position with O for operate  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 10-06-2007 11:23 PM                     Yea Mark, the way he was talking that he has the AP-3 units. One moves that makeup switch to the "on" position to open the circuit for the switch in that hindged, swivel roller so the rewind platter doesn't take off when locking the film onto the ring. Also, doing this, keeps the payout platter operational to allow film payout for theading since the "yo-yo" roller assembly is in the locked position. Done this method for years on these AP-3 units and have 14 of these AP units now that I play with. Yes, granted, the A-3 units with the rotor selector switch, one doesn't have to do this trick being totally manual on all functions.  |  IP: Logged Paul Van Dusen Film Handler Posts: 82 From: Roanoke, VA Registered: Feb 2006 posted 10-07-2007 02:05 AM                        I've seen these but never used them, i have the strong platters with the manual switch. That being said I'm not even sure if what I'm about to say is possible on this particular model, but couldn't you just disengage the motor?  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 10-07-2007 02:23 AM                     ...you disengage the motor, then you've got a freewheeling deck and film would unwind from the ring from any reverse tension on the film which equals a mess piled on the floor. Trust me, been there and done that .. Oh, there's many ways to get around that rewind platter from taking off on you when lacing, but this method of turning off the makeup switch is what I found the easiest to work with for nothing more aggravating is when you're just about done lacing uo a machine and the rewind platter takes off and you can't get to it before it stretches everything out of proportion.  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 10-07-2007 09:37 AM                     Ya don't need to fip the switch to off if you thread bottom to top. Just leave the take up loop slack till the end... give it a little pull and the take up will start. Keep pulling on the film and raising the tree a bit so the platter moves slowly and its dynamics don't let it get away from you. MArk  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 10-08-2007 01:22 AM                     Oh, fully agree with you Mark, but it could be that Dominic could be reverse threading his units, then is when I would definitely flip the switch... .or.. ..don't lace up the "W". Just lace across and under on the two top rollers on the "W". Then, after all has been laced up in the machine, then lace up the "W" by backing the rewind platter up to get some slack, then tighten up the "W" to be ready for the show.  |  IP: Logged

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