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Author
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Topic: Holmes "Educator Model, Type 8" Repairs
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Jesse Acorn
Film Handler
Posts: 2
From: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Registered: Sep 2015
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posted 10-05-2015 10:47 PM
Hello all,
I’m working on the cleaning, repair, and (eventual) restoration of a Holmes "Educator Model, Type 8" 35mm projector, which I received in poor, albeit technically “working” condition. The previous owner did a remarkably sloppy job of rewiring and repainting it, replaced the original lamp house with one from a 16mm projector, got metal shavings all over the place from drilling holes, and seemingly never cleaned anything. The film path was so dirty and oily that I decided I wouldn’t run anything until after finishing cleaning and repair, despite that it would have been possible. The lens had also been replaced with one from a 35mm slide projector, and there are a few minor missing parts. Despite all this, I'm determined to get it running.
This is the first 35mm projector that I’ve worked on, although I have repaired 8mm and 16mm projectors and reel-to-reel tape machines before. I’m doing as much as I can on my own, but of course, I have a number of things that I’d like to get some advice on. I’ll go one step at a time.
The first thing is that I’d like to re-lubricate the gearbox. The following questions come to mind:
- How should I go about cleaning out the old lubricant from the gearbox efficiently and thoroughly? I’ve been using paper towels and cotton swabs soaked in isopropyl alcohol (or acetone, where necessary) to clean oil and grease on the outside, but it’s not very effective or efficient, particularly with removing the solidified soap component of the old grease.
- Once the gearbox is clean, what type(s) of lubricant should I use to re-lubricate the gears? The only reference I could find with respect to this (aside from the original manual, which simply states “special lubricant”) is on Ed Jurich’s website about restoring a very similar Holmes unit, here. In this case, the gears are coated with some type of Lubriplate grease, and then Slick 50 “One Grease” is packed to fill the remaining space. This looks like a possibly good solution, but I have noticed that some members here strongly dislike Lubriplate, and there are also varying opinions about Slick 50 elsewhere. I really don’t have the experience to know what to listen to, but I’d like to hear some suggestions anyway. I'd also appreciate lubrication suggestions regarding other parts of the projector.
To give an idea of what things are like, I've uploaded some images of the gearbox right after the cover was removed, here. The existing brown/black grease is definitely past its prime; it's become hard and chunky.
Anyway, I would greatly appreciate any advice received!
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Bruce McGee
Phenomenal Film Handler
Posts: 1776
From: Asheville, NC USA... Nowhere in Particular.
Registered: Aug 1999
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posted 10-06-2015 07:54 AM
I rebuilt my first one in 2000. I cleaned out as much of the hardened grease as I could, and repacked it with regular axle grease.
It can be overfilled, and I found this out when I discovered grease under the gearbox. It had blown out past a seal. Didn't hurt the machine, though. I had to clean up the grease, but it ran and ran.
Best of luck to you with your machine. One thing I like is the use of standard bearing sizes throughout.
The main drive shaft in the bottom of the machine is the only problem that I saw, and this problem is only on machines that use a standard induction motor. The machine puts a lot of strain on the main drive, and it wears. My machine is loud, but runs great.
What parts are you looking for? If you need to, put an ad in the buy and sell section of this site. I have parts, but not much lamphouse parts, if that's what you are needing.
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Jesse Acorn
Film Handler
Posts: 2
From: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Registered: Sep 2015
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posted 10-07-2015 12:32 AM
Bruce,
Thanks for the info! Out of curiosity, what was the kind of grease that you used, specifically? It doesn't seem like there are many products with the name "axle grease" these days, though it seems that "wheel bearing grease" may be synonymous.
Anyway, I'd like to get one or two more opinions before I decide on something (after all, the grease may stay in there for another ~70 years!) I'd especially be interested in thoughts on the way Ed Jurich did it.
As for the missing parts, I'm keeping a list that I'll probably put up on the buy and sell section eventually. Many of the missing parts that I've discovered so far are cosmetic or not extremely important (such as the small door and hinges for the rear wall, the threading lamp & socket, feet for the chassis, power cord, etc.)
However, there are some that are more important, such as the "Film Tension Skids" for the gate, which are missing, as well as of course the original lamp house and lens. I've decided to try to work with the existing lamp house and lens for the moment, since when I tried it out briefly (without film), they did appear to produce a sufficiently bright and sharp-edged image, though it was on the wall so perhaps hard to tell for sure. The skids may be a problem though. It looks like the previous owner just ran film without them, which I'd imagine may have made for inconsistent focusing, since there isn't anything else to hold the film firmly against the lamp side of the gate.
It also does not have its original audio amplifier, but I would like to replace the original photocell tube with a solar cell at some point anyway. It is mentioned at the end of the "Holmes type D/type 8 parts manual", hosted here in the Warehouse section, that Marty Bahn & Company once stocked drop-in solar cell replacements for the Holmes' photocell tube. I wonder if these can still be found, or if an equivalent can be assembled from readily available parts? Anyway, that's not so much of a concern quite yet, but I thought I'd mention it nonetheless.
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