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

» Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE   » Operations   » Film Handlers' Forum   » Simplex 35 PR-1014 Film Path Questions

Author Topic: Simplex 35 PR-1014 Film Path Questions Pete Lawrence Expert Film Handler Posts: 192 From: Middleburg, PA Registered: Aug 1999 posted 10-15-2003 03:47 PM                     I’ve been cleaning up a pair of Simplex 35 PR-1014 heads and a few questions have come up. The book (from the manuals section here) describes adjustments to the gate and trap, but leaves many things unanswered. There is no clear “point of reference” regarding the position of the film in the trap. Am I right in assuming the film path should be centered on the bands? I believe that would make for the best stability and least wear. The film is slightly wider than the distance between the outer edges of the bands so the guide rollers can work. The intermittent sprocket position is adjustable and the lateral guide rollers are adjustable, but the book doesn’t mention the film position on the bands. I don’t have a piece of steel alignment “film” but it looks OK with regular film. The aperture plate left-right position is not adjustable unless you file a little off the end that hits the stop. I have a couple of new un-filed 1:85 plates (G-2306) and they line up pretty close to the lines on a loop of RP-40 (1995 vintage), but it’s not quite perfect. The aperture cutout measures correctly within a couple thousandths but I have no reference as to where it should be positioned on the plate. I’ve heard stories that plates from the manufacturer do vary from batch to batch. Anyone have information as to where the opening should be on the plates? Should they be trusted? I’ve also found a few things assembled wrong. The intermittent shoe was in upside down for one. The manual says it’s edge should be aligned with the edge of the intermittent sprocket, then locked in position with the mounting screw. Both of the ones I have don’t “lock” and allow the shoe to slide side to side quite a bit. Everything is correct according to the parts books. What’s wrong here? What I’m getting at, is there a starting point of reference that film position in the trap is adjusted from? If so, it’s not clear from the manuals. I don't want to be cutting up plates if the position of the film in the gate is wrong to begin with.  |  IP: Logged Michael Schaffer "Where is the Boardwalk Hotel?" Posts: 4143 From: Boston, MA Registered: Apr 2002 posted 10-15-2003 04:03 PM                        You can get aperture plates with a pinhole in the center. That helps you line everything up as you can project the test film and then see if the center markings on the test film are visible through the hole.  |  IP: Logged Pete Lawrence Expert Film Handler Posts: 192 From: Middleburg, PA Registered: Aug 1999 posted 10-15-2003 06:51 PM                     I hold here in my hand a brand new, genuine G-2475 (#52-20005) "pinhole" aperture plate drop-shipped directly from Strong. More like a bullet hole than a pin hole. But guess where they put the hole. Dead center between the sprocket holes, NOT in the center of the image frame! Fine if you intend to run silent films but otherwise useless, in my opinion. At least it was only $10 and I can file it out and use it as a regular plate.  |  IP: Logged Michael Schaffer "Where is the Boardwalk Hotel?" Posts: 4143 From: Boston, MA Registered: Apr 2002 posted 10-16-2003 12:55 AM                        Ooops! I checked with my cinema dealer and found that the "pinhole" aperture plate in the parts catalog is indeed like you described it. Apparently Strong don`t offer a true pinhole plate with the hole in the middle of the sound film frame. That`s a shame. They are enormously helpful for purposes like yours. I am not a huge fan of the traditional string method but use Greg Mueller`s Align-O-Tron instead. It also gives you insight into the position of the film in the gate as you can thread the test film and then project the laser beam through it to see if the film is centered in the gate.  |  IP: Logged

All times are Central (GMT -6:00)

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.