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» Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE   » Operations   » Film Handlers' Forum   » Say goodbye to tail wraps, thrown prints and poo (aka: SAFETY RINGS) (Page 1)

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Author Topic: Say goodbye to tail wraps, thrown prints and poo (aka: SAFETY RINGS) Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 12-09-2003 08:34 AM                     A few of you have seen or worked with some of the prototypes. It is now complete with all the bugs worked out and all dealers have been notified. CLICK HERE Tonight I put one of the production units on a Strong platter (pictured) and beat the inside of it with my fist as hard as I could, with a force no print would ever have crashing into it. The entire platter itself moved about a foot across the floor. The safety ring stayed put. I think it's safe to say there is about a 99.9999999999% chance that when using this, it is impossible to toss a print! These will begin shipping next week. [ 02-03-2004, 07:23 PM: Message edited by: Brad Miller ]  |  IP: Logged Mike Olpin Chop Chop! Posts: 1852 From: Dallas, TX Registered: Jan 2002 posted 12-09-2003 09:48 AM                     Brad is a genius. How come no one thought of something like this before? BUT... How quickly does it go on the platter? It looks like it might take a minute or two. quote: I think it's safe to say there is about a 99.9999999999% chance that when using this, it is impossible to toss a print! Okay, so 33.33333333333... is = 1/3 of 100 BUT... 33.33333333333... x 3 = 99.99999999999... 1/3 x 3 = 1 So therefore, 99.99999999999... = 100.  |  IP: Logged Joe Redifer You need a beating today Posts: 12859 From: Denver, Colorado Registered: May 99 posted 12-09-2003 10:02 AM                        Yes, the design looks simple. But it's not as simple as you might be led to believe, though it is astoundingy simple to use. It has had a lot of testing. Now the majority of people never have to worry about thrown prints again, ever. Don't even bother tucking or securing the tail. I won't mention the in-house name this thing had during its production.  |  IP: Logged Dustin Mitchell Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1865 From: Mondovi, WI, USA Registered: Mar 2000 posted 12-09-2003 10:18 AM                     How long does it take to put it on the platter?  |  IP: Logged Gracia L. Babbidge Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 709 From: Bowdoin, Maine Registered: Aug 2000 posted 12-09-2003 10:27 AM                        Yay! It's about time that something like this was made. Once upon a time when I worked for a cinema part of a large chain, a fellow projectionist and myself discussed how there was a definite need for such a gizmo. We never quite figured out what would be the best way to go about constructing them though.  |  IP: Logged Mike Olpin Chop Chop! Posts: 1852 From: Dallas, TX Registered: Jan 2002 posted 12-09-2003 10:40 AM                     We need a green one.  |  IP: Logged Joe Redifer You need a beating today Posts: 12859 From: Denver, Colorado Registered: May 99 posted 12-09-2003 10:52 AM                        Dustin - There is an initial assembly of the product that will take between 5 and 10 minutes. After it is assembled, it is just a matter of lifting it onto the platter deck each show. So maybe 5 seconds per show. 10 seconds if you are slow.  |  IP: Logged Kevin Wale Expert Film Handler Posts: 167 From: Guymon, OK USA Registered: Aug 2003 posted 12-09-2003 11:32 AM                     Are they priced as such where you would put one on all the decks in house or is it intended to move it every time? I've never "thrown" a print so I'm not really understanding exactly what this thing is for. However, I don't know why I've not thrown a print before. Is it because I'm always checking the pucks to make sure they are snug? Or, have I just been extremely lucky? LOL. It looks completely logical and certainly like a great idea. I just haven't had the experience I guess to understand exactly what it does maybe. Am I just a hopeless newbie?  |  IP: Logged Jason Burroughs Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 654 From: Allen, TX Registered: Jun 99 posted 12-09-2003 11:41 AM                     About time you start to market those things Brad. They're INCREDIBLY easy to use, I'd say they take no more time to use than properly tucking a tail or taping down those suction cups, maybe even LESS time. When I first started using them, it was a little awkward, but that only lasted about half a shift, now tucking the occasional tail sucks! Only need 1 per platter tree (2 for 5 deck trees) as only the payout platter needs to have one.  |  IP: Logged Randy Loy Expert Film Handler Posts: 156 Registered: Aug 1999 posted 12-09-2003 12:08 PM                     Brilliant!!!  |  IP: Logged John Pytlak Film God Posts: 9987 From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922 Registered: Jan 2000 posted 12-09-2003 12:16 PM                        Very nice design. A very professional implementation of the "retaining ring" mentioned in my 1999 article about "platter fling": http://www.kodak.com/US/en/motion/newsletters/pytlak/sept99P.shtml#p  |  IP: Logged Scott Norwood Film God Posts: 8146 From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 12-09-2003 12:51 PM                        How often have people had thrown prints? I've worked with platters (mostly AW3s) for the last three and a half years or so (started two years prior with changeovers) on a part time basis and I've never seen a thrown print. I think I've heard of it happening once. Having said that, the platter ring sounds like a great idea for high-profile shows and those occasional extra-long, extra-staticky films (LOTR, etc.), as well as interlock shows and any other occasion where Things Must Not Go Wrong.  |  IP: Logged John Pytlak Film God Posts: 9987 From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922 Registered: Jan 2000 posted 12-09-2003 12:59 PM                        A really bad case of "static cling" or poor platter timing can cause some platters to accelerate erratically, throwing the print off center, making the speed variations even more wild. Some platter surfaces become quite "slick" and slippery with use, so the print slides easily. A well designed retaining ring is good insurance even if "platter fling" has been a rare occurance.  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 12-09-2003 02:28 PM                     We have been using an early prototype version of the safety rings at a couple of complexes down here for about a year now. (It took well over a year to get all of the bugs worked out of the design, and you wouldn't believe how difficult and precise how such a seemingly simple design had to be to function properly!) Joe is going to post a video showing how the rings are mounted/dismounted. He is in a tight booth and was new to the rings when he shot it, but even with the initial awkwardness of it, you can flip one between decks in easily under 5 seconds. I'd say average time for a projectionist who has used them for a week or two is 2-3 seconds. I'm going to seriously mistime an AW3 and shoot a quick video showing how they protect the film over the next few days. Kevin, they are only for the payout platter. The takeup platter's film pack is supported by the center ring, so there is really no issue with that. Also it would be hard to wind the film onto the takeup platter with one of these things in the way.  |  IP: Logged Steven Privett Expert Film Handler Posts: 208 From: Pasadena, TX, USA Registered: Dec 2000 posted 12-09-2003 02:56 PM                    quote: Also it would be hard to wind the film onto the takeup platter with one of these things in the way. Unless it had rollers and bearings and turned with the film being taken up on the platter. I think you're missing out on an idea that could triple your profit. Better keep working on it Brad.  |  IP: Logged

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