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

» Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE   » Operations   » Film Handlers' Forum   » Projector Sounds?

Author Topic: Projector Sounds? Braden Mailloux Film Handler Posts: 19 From: Sonoma, CA, USA Registered: Feb 2004 posted 02-22-2004 10:17 PM                    The theatre I am at is currently running simplex projectors and it seems that one of them is making some rather odd noises. They are making excessive clicking noises and when I removed the apiture plate for a second it seemed that the sound dimmed down. So something is vibrating the apiture plate. Any ideas?  |  IP: Logged Randy Stankey Film God Posts: 6539 From: Erie, Pennsylvania Registered: Jun 99 posted 02-22-2004 10:35 PM                     I don't mean to sound like I'm putting you down, but the first thing you should check is the oil level. It might not be a lack of oil but the consequences that arise from an oil problem are so severe that it warrants a check anyway. Make sure there's enough oil and that the oil pump is working. (You should see the familiar shower of oil inside the projector back.) At this point a little help on the model of the projector would be nice. There are about 6 different models of Simplex that I can think of off the top of my head. Each one of them has enough differences to make a diagnosis change when the model changes. (There's a nameplate on the front of the machine, near the focus knob that says the model name. Usually something like "PR-????") Guesses: 1) Intermittent going bad. (Hence the oil check.) Or bad intermittent sprocket. (Hooked?) 2) Intermittent pad shoe loose or improperly adjusted. 3) Some random part of the trap or gate is loose or tension settings are out of whack. 4) Some part of the turret (if applicable) is loose or maladjusted. 5) A part of your changeover (dowser) is loose, etc. 6) Foriegn material caught in the mechanism somewhere. Those are my guesses. Can you pinpoint the exact location where the sound comes from? Can you characterize the noise? Does it sound like metal grinding? Or, does it sound like your garden variety vibration noises?  |  IP: Logged Aaron Sisemore Flaming Ribs beat Reeses Peanut Butter Cups any day! Posts: 3061 From: Rockwall TX USA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 02-22-2004 11:05 PM                     Randy: Simplex 1050 with manual turret. Braden tells me that the sound is a knocking noise that occurs with every pulldown. It does not affect the picture on screen. It has been happening for 'a while', gradually increasing in volume. -Aaron  |  IP: Logged Gary Crawford Expert Film Handler Posts: 200 From: Neptune NJ USA Registered: Nov 2003 posted 02-24-2004 01:49 PM                     Bent pin striking the maltese cross? Definitely in the intermittent motion. Time to change that out. A bent pin would "knock" but the image would remain steady when the pin is out of the cross. "Ticks" turn into "knocks" which will someday become one big "clunk".  |  IP: Logged Randy Stankey Film God Posts: 6539 From: Erie, Pennsylvania Registered: Jun 99 posted 02-24-2004 09:21 PM                     I would agree that the intermittent is suspect. The question is how long it will last. I've seen intermittenst die at a moment's notice. I've seen (heard) intermittents knock, clatter and rattle for months without giving up the ghost. Surely, it'll need to be changed but it's anybody's guess as to how long it will last. I guess the question is, "Can you afford it?" Can you afford to change it out now?... Spend some cash now in order to prevent a disasterous failure? Or, can you afford to let it go until it dies and deal with a projector off-line while it's being repaired? How is the oil system holding out? I assume there's enough oil in the machine but are you sure the intermittent is getting oil? The oil hole or the spiral groove could be clogged. Can you check & clean the oil system to make sure it's pumping enough oil where it's supposed to be going. Although the damage is already done, whatever the cause, making sure there's enough oil getting to the intermittent will certainly prolong its life until you can decide what course of action to take.  |  IP: Logged Darryl Spicer Film God Posts: 3250 From: Lexington, KY, USA Registered: Dec 2000 posted 02-24-2004 09:38 PM                    I had that clicking knocking sound develope on a 1050 machine once. Turns out that the oil pumps drive gear became seperated from it's center shaft. These were the two piece designs not the newer one piece gears.  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 02-24-2004 10:10 PM                     Yes, it could just need a new cam pin, doubtful that its bent though as they are hardened pins and would be more likely to just snap off before they would ever bend. It is possible for the radius of the star to bend though... have seen this many itmes. To be safe though you still need to check and be sure that there is sufficient oil flow...continously...both on the gear window and down the intermittent oil tube. Also check to be sure the intermittent overflow hole is actual overflowing or that at least a spurt every few seconds is comming from one of or both of the holes...located just above where the cam goes through the back of the casing and into the movement. When the movement is center framed and using a flashlight you should be able to see two small holes next to each other about 1/16th of an inch in diameter each. No oil being pumped though the movement and back out this hole spells either a cloged oil passage in the movement from crud or a gear tooth remnant, or simply not enough oil making it to the movement. There have also been some movements in past years that just don't pump oil too well. This was due to the clearance being too much between the flywheel and the back of the casing. Again, I will reiterate that having a main drive seal kit and a new red rear gear cover gasket and the extra oil all this affords is a huge benefit on any Simplex. Mark @ CLACO  |  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.