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» Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE   » Operations   » Film Handlers' Forum   » Resurfacing the inspection bench? (Page 1)

 
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Author Topic: Resurfacing the inspection bench?
Christopher Meredith
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 126
From: Jackson, MS, USA
Registered: Apr 2006


 - posted 06-03-2006 09:19 AM      Profile for Christopher Meredith   Author's Homepage   Email Christopher Meredith   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
We have two Kelmar RTV-8500 inspection ebnches to which someone has apparently taken a hole saw. The surfaces of both tables are riddled with nickel and quarter size holes and it is not only unprofessional, it is dangerous as they have begun to fill with objects such as screws, bolts, and other film-scratching accoutrements.

Anyway, I am trying to think of a way to resurface these tables. I had considered the possibility of trying to order entirely new surfaces for these tables, but something tells me this would likely not incur a substantial difference in cost than purchasing a whole new table. So I was thinking that there might be a way to overlay something which would in essence cover over the old surface. But of course it would have to be white, would have to lay flat, and would have to be able to take some light abuse and heavy cleaning. [Big Grin]

Do any of you have experience doing something like this or have any ideas for what I might be able to do? Thanks!

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Gordon McLeod
Film God

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


 - posted 06-03-2006 09:31 AM      Profile for Gordon McLeod   Email Gordon McLeod   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Jusk laminate a finished piece of MDF to the top and remount the devices

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Richard Hamilton
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1341
From: Evansville, Indiana
Registered: Jan 2000


 - posted 06-03-2006 09:50 AM      Profile for Richard Hamilton   Email Richard Hamilton   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Do as Gordon says, then fire your maintenance guy for using the tables as work benches.

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Joshua Waaland
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 800
From: Cleveland, Ohio
Registered: Dec 1999


 - posted 06-03-2006 09:51 AM      Profile for Joshua Waaland   Email Joshua Waaland   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I have the same problem with my rewind bench. I already spent over $100 to replace all of the bearings in it but still need to replace the bench top itself because it is curved badly in the middle. I called Kelmar and got pricing and just as I had suspected, the price was ridiculous. I would make my own except that I don't know where to get a piece of MDF that thick. Maybe glueing two pieces together would work. I am also interested to hear what others have done.

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Frank Angel
Film God

Posts: 5305
From: Brooklyn NY USA
Registered: Dec 1999


 - posted 06-03-2006 11:12 AM      Profile for Frank Angel   Author's Homepage   Email Frank Angel   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
WTF....has some kind of brain-eating bacterium invade the spinal cords and migrate into the brainpan of certain booth operators? I too discovered a Kelmar rewind table with holes drilled right through the tabletop. The infection also seems to cause the splice jockies to make cuts with their razor blades directy onto the formica top, making it look similar to what one of the frames at the reel joints look like -- hundreds of scratches all over it.

Obviously these poor afflicted victims of this brain disease need to be immediately removed from the booth and for the protection of the rest of us, their heads should be shaved and a big red letter "A" tatooed on their foreheads and "hole" on the back of their skulls.

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Gordon McLeod
Film God

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


 - posted 06-03-2006 12:23 PM      Profile for Gordon McLeod   Email Gordon McLeod   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
At least here Home Depot sells 3/4" MDF with a white laminate top I would use PL400 and laminate it to the top of the existing top

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Richard Hamilton
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1341
From: Evansville, Indiana
Registered: Jan 2000


 - posted 06-03-2006 12:44 PM      Profile for Richard Hamilton   Email Richard Hamilton   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
quote: Joshua Waaland
I already spent over $100 to replace all of the bearings
For bearings??? Did they give you any lube with that?

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Randy Stankey
Film God

Posts: 6539
From: Erie, Pennsylvania
Registered: Jun 99


 - posted 06-03-2006 01:18 PM      Profile for Randy Stankey   Email Randy Stankey   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
 -

Been there. Done that. Bought the T-Shirt. Thank you. Please Drive through.

Maybe I should have used a larger piece of material and I should have cut out a hole for the light but I was PISSED OFF!

Kids had been sitting on the bench. It was physically cracked, almost in two. I couldn't get approval to replace it from "Home Office" and I didn't have any allowance for materials to do it right.

I scrounged one of the door panels off one of the old bulk candy displays that Cinemark used to use. It was abandoned in the store room. I just cut it to size and screwed it in place.

Had I had the temperment and resources to do it the way it should have been done, I would have taken the rewind units off and use a piece of wood the same size as the table top. I would have drilled holes for the rewinds and reinstalled them.

The light didn't work anyway. The kids broke it. The fluorescent lamp was busted off in its socket.

No way am I going to spend time fixing things up nice when people don't appreciate what they have! [Mad]

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Brad Miller
Administrator

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


 - posted 06-03-2006 03:41 PM      Profile for Brad Miller   Author's Homepage   Email Brad Miller       Edit/Delete Post 
The Neumade bench could've probably handled those 'tards sitting on it just fine. [Wink]

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John Wilson
Film God

Posts: 5438
From: Sydney, Australia.
Registered: Dec 1999


 - posted 06-03-2006 09:49 PM      Profile for John Wilson   Email John Wilson   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Or just get a piece of glass cut to cover it. It's easy to clean and if you've got something important in a memo or whatever to let everyone know, put it under the glass so they'll undoubtedly see it.

Always worked for me.

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Joshua Waaland
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 800
From: Cleveland, Ohio
Registered: Dec 1999


 - posted 06-03-2006 10:41 PM      Profile for Joshua Waaland   Email Joshua Waaland   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
quote: Richard Hamilton
For bearings??? Did they give you any lube with that?

I bought Timken bearings (made here in Canton) which are slightly more expensive. There are quite a few bearings in those rewind heads. I didn't go the cheap route on rebuilding these heads.

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Louis Bornwasser
Film God

Posts: 4441
From: prospect ky usa
Registered: Mar 2005


 - posted 06-05-2006 03:19 PM      Profile for Louis Bornwasser   Author's Homepage   Email Louis Bornwasser   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Try any reputable dealer for that table top (we are Hadden Theatre Supply; Louisville, KY) I would be surprised if the table top was really excessively priced by the time you get a discount.

BYW: I really like the GLASS or plexi idea. One of our major customers has used glass for 20 years. Louis

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Brad Allen
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 688
From: Evansville, IN, USA
Registered: May 2000


 - posted 06-05-2006 03:31 PM      Profile for Brad Allen   Email Brad Allen   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
And Kelmar should be shot for putting such a flimsy top on them to begin with. I have seen one as well that had several dozen holes busted in it.

They charge enough for the tables, a sheet of MDF wouldn't kill them.

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Christopher Meredith
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 126
From: Jackson, MS, USA
Registered: Apr 2006


 - posted 07-10-2006 06:43 PM      Profile for Christopher Meredith   Author's Homepage   Email Christopher Meredith   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Okay, well I finally did it. I figure I'd report back here to show you the results.

I bought a large sheet of white formica from Lowe's. It was big enough to do both tabletops and have a lot left over. I actually bought a sheet with some chips out of a corner so they gave it to me at a discount.

All in all, it cost less than $60 for the materials (formica sheet, contact cement) and the tools (utility knife, respirator, long ruler, all-purpose paint brush).

I wish I had gotten before pictures, but here are the afters, from my crappy camera. I think it came out ok. I have a few more pics. If I get permission, I'll put up more:

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Randy Stankey
Film God

Posts: 6539
From: Erie, Pennsylvania
Registered: Jun 99


 - posted 07-10-2006 11:37 PM      Profile for Randy Stankey   Email Randy Stankey   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Yeah! That's more like the job I should have done on the one I had to fix! [Smile]

Nice work! [thumbsup]

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