my profile | my password | search | faq & rules | forum home

» Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE   » Operations   » Film Handlers' Forum   » 16mm Film Transport (Page 1)

This topic comprises 3 pages: 1  2  3

Author Topic: 16mm Film Transport Paul Trimboli Master Film Handler Posts: 274 From: Perth Western Australia Registered: Dec 2002 posted 02-08-2003 07:18 PM                     I need some help on the design of a long play system for 16mm 6000" reels. I am thinking a tower system that uses some kind of arm with a roller and when the film drops past a certain point it detects it and the speed picks up. Any help? Where could I find a schematic for something that could control motor speed like this?? I want to show films with a portable 16mm machine and do not want to run changovers.  |  IP: Logged John Anastasio Master Film Handler Posts: 325 From: Trenton, NJ, USA Registered: Sep 2000 posted 02-08-2003 08:17 PM                        I'd keep it simple. A slip-clutch mechanism would do the job nicely for 16mm.  |  IP: Logged Kenneth Wuepper Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1026 From: Saginaw, MI, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 02-08-2003 08:24 PM                     Paul, Do you have access to an Eiki dealer? I believe that they made just the machine you are looking for. perhaps there is not a great market for feature length 16mm but that was the market they were addressing. Hope you can find it. KEN  |  IP: Logged Brad Haven Master Film Handler Posts: 300 From: fremantle, West Australia Registered: Aug 2001 posted 02-08-2003 10:31 PM                     Hi Paul, There are some 16mm towers floating around in perth, there is a good dealer in perth, i can get back to you tomorrow with their name and number, if you like? brad  |  IP: Logged Ken Layton Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1452 From: Olympia, Wash. USA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 02-08-2003 10:36 PM                     Already been done. You want to order Eiki accessory number 5350 Long Play Pedestal. It uses 6000 foot reels and has speed controls for both "project" and "rewind" positions. Order from an authorized Eiki dealer such as KMR Electronics (www.kmr.com) in Santa Ana, Calif. Some info on this unit is available at www.film-center.com under "Quick Tips".  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 02-08-2003 11:44 PM                     Personally, I wouldn't buy anything fomr Eiki ever. In a few years that product will be obsolete and parts will be NLA. Eiki is all to famous for ths scheme of things. Their products are only ok in my book. Your best bet is talk to Brad and see how he modifies an AW-3 to run 16mm. I hear its prety easy to do. Save your $$ for more important thngs. Mark @ CLACO  |  IP: Logged Steve Kraus Film God Posts: 4094 From: Chicago, IL, USA Registered: May 2000 posted 02-09-2003 01:41 AM                    Mark, the Eiki Long Play Pedestal has been around for 20+ years so I doubt parts will suddenly become unavailable (plus, how complex can it possibly be?). I built a long play device for use with portable projectors years ago. I happened to have an ancient DeVry to lend a pair of detachable reel arms. They were normally stowed inside the cover; I used the brackets from the cover as the attachment points on the long play unit. Takeup was via a DC gear motor from a surplus house. Using a platter for 16mm is clever but is clearly overkill unless there is one already present, the no-rewind concept is for some reason important, or you're screening Warhol's "Empire" (485 minutes). Otherwise for the amount of film to be handled for a normal feature screening a 6000' reel is exactly what is needed.  |  IP: Logged Paul Trimboli Master Film Handler Posts: 274 From: Perth Western Australia Registered: Dec 2002 posted 02-09-2003 06:45 AM                     Hmm, Yeah Brad if you could get me their name and number that would be great. In Austrlia most feature films are released on both 35mm and 16mm, for small country towns 35mm is just too expensive so 16mm provides a great alternative. Most films are in letterbox format. Steve how to control the take up tension and isn't it a little ruff on the film having no pay out control? Brad you know of any good 16mm portables for sale?  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 02-09-2003 07:15 AM                     I can bet that transport costs a bundle "down under" too. Steve, There was a bank I serviced on the north side of Chicago that had a pair of Eiki Pedestal machines. Perhaps you know of it..... Those machines had tons of problems with mainly the take up using large reels, and parts were no longer available for them. The Eiki Xenon machine sitting by my back door which needs only two transistors to fix is also headed for the garbage can because they were custom transistors made for Eiki that are obsolete now.....and custom made transistors are quite rare by themselves. The reel transport looks like nothing but another slip clutch type of device that I'd again, stay away from. If he's running lots of film on a regular basis, or running lots of showings daily, the platter method is the best way to go. Mark  |  IP: Logged Paul Trimboli Master Film Handler Posts: 274 From: Perth Western Australia Registered: Dec 2002 posted 02-09-2003 07:34 AM                     I guess I forgot to mention I need a system that is portable since I will be moving around with it to different shows. So a platter is out of the question. But I need some help with this so any information would be great!  |  IP: Logged Kenneth Wuepper Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1026 From: Saginaw, MI, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 02-09-2003 07:50 AM                     Mark, Tell me more about the Eiki that you are trashing. I have never heard of an entire machine being killed by two parts. The Eiki towers were first introduced in the late 1970's when I was media director for a school system. They were very useful in large lecture rooms where the entire series of films were loaded onto the big reel with red and green leaders between them. The instructor simply started the machine and ran it until the red screen appeared. The machine was then stopped and ready for the next subject lecture. (Of course the focus was remotely controlled!) Never gave a minute of trouble. KEN  |  IP: Logged Steve Kraus Film God Posts: 4094 From: Chicago, IL, USA Registered: May 2000 posted 02-09-2003 08:08 AM                    Paul: I don't recall any adverse issues with the take up tension once I went the gear motor route and the arms I used didn't even have a legitimate slip clutch (on the DeVry projector it was driven by a coiled wire belt). The gear motor on suitable voltage drove it fast enough for takeup at the start but was not so powerful as to hurt the film at slower speeds with a full reel and there was sufficient possible slippage with the drive belt. The B&H portable shown has spring-loaded snubber at the end of the film path. I'm speaking in the past tense because I eventually dismantled it when I no longer needed it and sold my 16mm big reels to the post house I worked at for use with a Hortson pedestal. (Mark and I have a sneaking suspicion that the gear from that booth--C's, R3's, CP50, A7's, the Hortson, etc. might have ended up at the bank he mentioned.) Mark: I think the fact that the platter makers, AFAIK, don't offer 16mm components attests to the fact that not too many people consider that to be the best solution to their 16mm film handling needs, ingenious though it may be. Kenneth: You didn't officially call dibs on Mark's junk Eiki. So I will.  |  IP: Logged Paul Trimboli Master Film Handler Posts: 274 From: Perth Western Australia Registered: Dec 2002 posted 02-09-2003 08:24 AM                     Can you explain to me a little more about this slip clutch, and how could I build on. I think I know what you mean, but what could I use to make one? I like the idea if the Eiki long play system, want to build something that look pretty much like that, like a double MUTT.  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 02-09-2003 08:32 AM                     The slip clutch is the same thing that you will find on any lower reel arm on a 35mm projector that is belt driven. For what it's worth, here is my first attempt at a 16mm extended play system back in 1989.  |  IP: Logged Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 02-09-2003 09:57 AM                     Years ago Atlantic Audio Visual built several long play 16mm systems that held a 26" reel in front and one behind the projector with a servo control on each arm In the middle sat a modified 16mm projector that was controled on the control plate underneth. The projectors had a small 450 or 900 watt xenon mounted above it shinning down through the top of the vent of the lampcompartment onto a 45 degree cold reflector They were actually fairly reliable  |  IP: Logged

All times are Central (GMT -6:00)

This topic comprises 3 pages: 1  2  3

Printer-friendly view of this topic

Hop To: Select a Forum: Category: Operations -------------------- Digital Cinema Forum Film Handlers' Forum Large Format Forum Ground Level Feature Info, Trailer Attachments & REAL Credit Offsets Category: Community -------------------- Film-Yak Film Handlers' Movie Reviews The Afterlife Bob Maar's Joke-A-Thon Category: Classified -------------------- Equipment and Supplies Wanted/For Sale Help Wanted/Seeking Employment Category: System -------------------- Software Beta Testing Forum

The Film-Tech Forums are designed for various members related to the cinema industry to express their opinions, viewpoints and testimonials on various products, services and events based upon speculation, personal knowledge and factual information through use, therefore all views represented here allow no liability upon the publishers of this web site and the owners of said views assume no liability for any ill will resulting from these postings. The posts made here are for educational as well as entertainment purposes and as such anyone viewing this portion of the website must accept these views as statements of the author of that opinion and agrees to release the authors from any and all liability.