|
|
 
|
|
Author
|
Topic: 2 best purchases: Film Cleaner & Spool Tower
|
David E. Nedrow
Master Film Handler
Posts: 368
From: Columbus, OH, USA
Registered: Oct 2008
|
posted 10-09-2010 01:23 PM
OK, over this whole project -- renovating an old single-screen theatre -- the two best purchases I've made were a Kinoton Spool Tower and a Kelmar film cleaner , along with FilmGuard.
In the 80's, after being closed for 20 years, the theatre was re-opened and the booth became a single projector, platter-driven operation.
In order to play archive product, I needed to install a second projector, but the platter took up WAY to much space for that to happen. Because the staff is basically me and my wife for the time being, I still needed a long play feed/takeup system to simplify day-to-day operations.
That's where the spool tower comes in. It takes up very little floor space, and can be rolled into a corner when not in use. It's also really nice for breaking down prints, as it keeps a constant tension on the film regardless of winding speed.
I was leery about the film cleaner, simply from a "what if it does more damage than it helps" perspective. Plenty of people here have said what a great job it does when combined with FilmGuard, so I went ahead and bought one for the "primary" projector that is used for our regular features. It's GREAT. We ran INCEPTION, EAT PRAY LOVE, THE AMERICAN, etc., for weeks, and each of them looked as good at the end of their run as they did at the beginning, with one exception.
For INCEPTION (the first film to go through the cleaner) I used the green media, which was a mistake. There is no place (quilting) for any grit to go, so we did end up with a couple of minor, brief scratches. I also saw some buff marks on the film, which I believe are very light scratches caused by the green media. It seems as though the green media is more abrasive than the Film-Tech pads. I'm guessing the Jacro pads are similar to the Film-Tech pads, insofar as they appear to be "quilted" as well. Fortunately, the way the pad is constantly fed through, any scratch caused by the cleaner will only last a few seconds at most. Lesson: use the Film-Tech cleaning pads. I haven't had a single scratch since switching to those in the second week of INCEPTION.
So, in summary, for my purposes both the Kinoton spool tower and the Kelmar film cleaner, combined with FilmGuard, are purchases that I would have ZERO problem repeating. In fact, I think I've figure out a way to get a second small auditorium in an adjoining store front, and, when we get to that point, I will be purchasing a vertical, over-under, Kinoton tower to use in that booth.
| IP: Logged
|
|
|
|
All times are Central (GMT -6:00)
|
|
Powered by Infopop Corporation
UBB.classicTM
6.3.1.2
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.
|
Home
Printer-friendly view of this topic