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Author Topic: The worst reel design of all time Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 06-09-2017 02:00 PM                     I've seen a LOT of bad reel designs over the years, but I think this one takes the cake. I'm sure even halfway decent projectionists knows not to wind film onto a reel if it isn't clean of dust and dirt. I'm also sure everyone here has had to get a rag of some sort and wipe clean the flanges of a reel before they wound film onto it just from general dust collection. As anyone who used the WB/New Line ELRs (Extended Length Reels) from about 15 years ago knows that while the outside flange of those reels was semi-solid and relatively easy to wipe clean, the inside flange of those had a waffle design which was a dirt trap and was absurdly difficult to clean once any dust collected in there. And then today a friend sends me this nightmare design of a reel. What ass came up with this? Sadly I'm noticing the center hub of this reel has EXACTLY the same design as the standard 6k (24 inch) Cinemeccannica reel, so I have a feeling this is an actual Cinemeccannica reel! Has anyone ever seen a worse design?  |  IP: Logged Dennis Benjamin Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1445 From: Denton, MD Registered: Feb 2002 posted 06-09-2017 02:05 PM                        It looks like they took two sides of a house fan and attached them together to make a reel. To further illustrate my point, look at the screws in the middle of the reel. They look like something bought from the store. Are they all the same size?  |  IP: Logged Bill Brandenstein Master Film Handler Posts: 413 From: Santa Clarita, CA Registered: Jul 2013 posted 06-09-2017 02:16 PM                     If it were cut square and a thin layer of material were added, it would make a heck of an air filter.  |  IP: Logged Mitchell Dvoskin Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1869 From: West Milford, NJ, USA Registered: Jan 2001 posted 06-09-2017 02:47 PM                     I have a friend who has one of those official Cinemeccanica reels. I believe, but not sure, that they require the European 9mm spindle center.  |  IP: Logged Jim Cassedy Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1661 From: San Francisco, CA Registered: Dec 2006 posted 06-09-2017 02:56 PM                     The only worse design was the square reels they must have made to fit the old Powers Cameragraph projectors:  |  IP: Logged Bobby Henderson "Ask me about Trajan." Posts: 10973 From: Lawton, OK, USA Registered: Apr 2001 posted 06-09-2017 03:30 PM                     The only logic I can see with making a reel full of waffle holes is bean counter logic. It doesn't take as much material to mold or cast something like that as opposed to something more solid. Those reels do look like they would be great at catching dust. I'll bet they also cause more wear and tear to the edges of film.  |  IP: Logged Frank Cox Film God Posts: 2234 From: Melville Saskatchewan Canada Registered: Apr 2011 posted 06-09-2017 05:04 PM                        What about shipping weight, or ease of seeing how much film is on the reel? Neither of those reasons is particularly compelling, though. The prettiest reel that I ever saw came in a can from Technocolor as part of a feature played at one time. It was made of stainless steel, was super-shiny and the sides were molded or cut into a pattern that was really amazing. When I saw it I thought this reel is a work of art, and I still do. It looked brand new and I've never seen another one like it again. The only thing wrong with it was that the hole where the drive pin goes was located in a non-standard position and I had to do something to my make-up table to allow the pin to engage the reel. I can't remember exactly what I did, though. Bent a coat hanger to make my own drive pin at a different location, maybe. But the reel itself was beautiful.  |  IP: Logged Kenneth Wuepper Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1026 From: Saginaw, MI, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 06-09-2017 09:32 PM                     A reason to do the "Waffle" or "Honey Comb" is to create stability and reduce warping of the large surfaces. The reel needs to be light to reduce inertia on start up while it is empty. There does not appear to be a slip mechanism to allow the flanges to rotate freely on starting the machine.  |  IP: Logged Leo Enticknap Film God Posts: 7474 From: Loma Linda, CA Registered: Jul 2000 posted 06-09-2017 10:14 PM                        If one of those becomes gross and disgusting from extended storage in a dusty atmosphere, about the only way you'd be able to get it properly clean is full immersion in a swimming pool. Even a high pressure hose would likely miss some surfaces.  |  IP: Logged Rex Oliver Film Handler Posts: 65 From: Greenville, NC. USA Registered: Apr 2013 posted 06-10-2017 12:32 AM                     Can agree--what a dumb design-yes looks like a fan grill.Guess the only way to clean the dust off these is not with a cloth-but the dust brush on a vacuum cleaner.  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 06-10-2017 11:14 AM                     Agreed! But the Cinerama reels leaning just to the left are awesome! Mark  |  IP: Logged Scott Norwood Film God Posts: 8146 From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 06-10-2017 11:20 AM                        quote: Rex Oliver Guess the only way to clean the dust off these is not with a cloth-but the dust brush on a vacuum cleaner. Would it be possible to remove the screws, take the thing apart, and attack it with a garden hose? I would think that this would work fine as long as there are no other metal parts in it and it dries completely before film is wound onto it. I have done this with box fans--take the covers off, hose them down, and re-attach them. Obviously, it wouldn't work with this reel if it already had film on it.  |  IP: Logged Jim Cassedy Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1661 From: San Francisco, CA Registered: Dec 2006 posted 06-10-2017 11:27 AM                     I don't see any type of sound head on that projector, or am I missing something?  |  IP: Logged Don Furr Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 509 From: Sun City, Ca USA Registered: Nov 2002 posted 06-10-2017 02:32 PM                     Jim maybe it's a 70mm only projector. That's one I don't recognize. I still don't see any mag head!  |  IP: Logged Martin McCaffery Film God Posts: 2481 From: Montgomery, AL Registered: Jun 99 posted 06-10-2017 04:11 PM                        Bet those reels make a great sound when they get going fast.  |  IP: Logged

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