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Topic: Christie Mini Wind

Sam D. Chavez
Film God

Posts: 2153
From: Martinez, CA USA
Registered: Aug 2003

posted 01-07-2004 09:48 PM

I am in a situation in a multi-use projection room where there may be insufficient room for an AW3. The nominal capacity of a Mini is said to be 135 minutes. There are a number of films in current release that exceed this.

I believe this was for acetate film. What is the true capacity of the mini wind for Polyester film?

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Brad Miller
Administrator

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

posted 01-08-2004 12:32 AM

What is the diameter of the decks? 44 inches or something? I can measure some prints and give you a darned good estimate if someone can verify the actual size of the decks.

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Sam D. Chavez
Film God

Posts: 2153
From: Martinez, CA USA
Registered: Aug 2003

posted 01-08-2004 12:44 AM

Thanks for the assistance. Mini wind disks are 40 inches diameter.

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Michael Schaffer
"Where is the
Boardwalk Hotel?"

Posts: 4143
From: Boston, MA
Registered: Apr 2002

posted 01-08-2004 01:06 AM

If you have space problems, why not use large reels?

With the 5000m version, you should be in good shape for 3h or so. OK, you have to rewind the reel, but the location you are talking about doesn`t sound like a multiplex.

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Brad Miller
Administrator

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

posted 01-08-2004 01:30 AM

Looks like your max time will be roughly 2hours 30 minutes to 2 hours 40 minutes, depending on how close you want to get.

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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 01-08-2004 02:46 AM

I could swear that the MW3 decks were 42" diameter.

'Amistad' (a polyester print that clocks in at 2h32m without trailers) fits on a MW3 with about 1/2" of space remaining on the edge.

Additionally, if it a used MW3, make damned certain it is a new(er) one that is built like a scaled-down AW3 (using the same parts as an AW3). The early MW3's that have all the components (except the motor control cards) on a single 'motherboard' are no longer supported by Christie, the parts (like the motherboard) are NOT available from them, and the motherboards catch fire and self-destruct if there is a catastrophic failure of a motor or controller card. I have had this happen twice, it isn't pretty.

-Aaron

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Bevan Wright
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 176
From: Fountain Valley, CA, USA
Registered: Sep 2003

posted 01-08-2004 07:04 AM

Aaron is correct on all counts. 42". 2.5hrs.

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Steve Guttag
We forgot the crackers Gromit!!!

Posts: 12814
From: Annapolis, MD
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 01-08-2004 08:43 AM

There are some manufacturers that also offer 48" (nominal) decks. In some ways I much prefer them to the standard 52" decks since they are easier to reach the centerfeeds. Strong/Potts, Kinoton and I believe Big Sky offer the smaller (but not tiny) decks.

Steve

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Gordon McLeod
Film God

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

posted 01-08-2004 09:38 AM

Ernamann makes the model15 with large underslung reels

Also the freestanding sidewinder

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John Pytlak
Film God

Posts: 9987
From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922
Registered: Jan 2000

posted 01-08-2004 09:46 AM

Again, here is the formula for calculating roll diameter if you know the film thickness and length:

quote:
35mm triacetate print film had a nominal base thickness of 0.0056 inches (142 microns). Kodak VISION Color Print Film (ESTAR) base has a nominal thickness of 0.0047 inches (119 microns). Print film emulsion thickness is about 0.0006 inches (15 microns).
The roll diameter can be calculated from the following equation:

D = Squareroot [ ( (48 x L x t) / Pi) + (C x C) ]

Where:
D is roll diameter in inches
L is length of film roll in feet
t is film thickness in inches (about 0.0053 for Kodak VISION Color Print film on ESTAR base)
C is core/hub diameter in inches
Pi is 3.14159...

So for a shipping reel with a 4-inch core, and a film thickness of 0.0053 inches, 2000 feet of film will have the following diameter:

D = Squareroot [ ( (48 x 2000 x 0.0053) / Pi) + (4 x 4) ]

= 13.3 inches

2600 feet of film will (over)fill the same shipping reel to 15.1 inches diameter.

One of the reasons for the conversion to thinner polyester film in the early 1990's was the increasing number of longer features that would not completely fit on mini-platters or some large-reel systems. Kevin Costner's "Robin Hood Prince of Thieves" comes to mind.

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