Strong Super 80 / Century JJ Alignment

[Ryan Gallagher]

So at least one of our setups needs realignment. Knew this was probably true because of how non-perfect it was when trying to tune a field.

But today we confirmed it while putting in a new lamp (trying to separately track down the slight intensity waver / arc wandering on that unit).

We do not have the factory "tools" (plug and string method) available referenced in the Manual Page 4
http://www.film-tech.com/warehouse/manuals/SUPER80.pdf

What we thankfully DO HAVE is one of the laser alignment kits. (Red laser / Red Housing + multi reflector compatible plug with centering hole).

Are we lacking anything we would need to fully perform the job if I used these steps? Missing any steps?

1. I know I can place the reflector opening 34in from aperture as suggested.
2. I can "home" the Cathode X & Y adjustment to relatively center.
3. I can adjust the lamp house to center the laser in the reflector insert provided by the laser kit.
4. I can further adjust the lamp house to allow the laser to pass through the full depth of the reflector insert guide hole.
5. I can reinstall the lamp and adjust the anode support to permit the laser to hit the anode pin center.
6. I can perform the Cathode adjustments to optimize the beam from there.

I've seen reference to a Kinoton alignment tool that reflects light off the reflector for focusing a reflector. This seems a bit like an alternate method rather than a 2nd step method... but such a tool might be easy to fabricate or 3d-print.

Any other sage tips or methods?

Aside, how does one move the Century JJ momentum driven dowser out of the way so that you don't have to run the motor during the laser portion of the alignment? Obviously the OEM Plug and String method would require the shutters not be whirring about.

Aside Aside. Should the 35/70 "Lens Eccentric" knob be on the intended format when doing this alignment? I assume yes.

Our other projector has a lens turret. How to first confirm the lens and turret position are dead correct before using it as a reference with the laser? I do not have any sort of test aperture plate with a centered hole in it at this time. (Yes I will go read the turret manual for clues).

[Ryan Gallagher]

As for the turret unit. I expect I need to redo the centering steps on page 33 first prior to lamphouse realignment.
http://www.film-tech.com/warehouse/manuals/STRCENJJ.pdf

I do not trust the turret/lens centering currently. On that projector they have historically done slight tilt and pan adjustments to center FLAT vs SCOPE on the screen. I'm assuming the turret/lens centering is what is actually incorrect, shouldn't have to pan or tilt the pedestal between formats!

[Sam Chavez]

First thing I would do is check where the projector is hitting the screen with the existing plates and masking (if any) or you'll end up needing to file new plates if you have any around. Fix the position as best you can, kicking the base is allowed, and note where the centering eccentic ends up. Then go on and align the lamp house however you can with the tools at hand. In the end you may need to move the Super 80 frame around to get the best light and focus with and without a lens installed. There's nothing elegant about any of this. The metal reflector could be bent and not round and there is only so much you can do about this.

Have fun!

[Ryan Gallagher]

First thing I would do is check where the projector is hitting the screen with the existing plates and masking (if any) or you'll end up needing to file new plates if you have any around. Fix the position as best you can, kicking the base is allowed, and note where the centering eccentic ends up. Then go on and align the lamp house however you can with the tools at hand. In the end you may need to move the Super 80 frame around to get the best light and focus with and without a lens installed. There's nothing elegant about any of this. The metal reflector could be bent and not round and there is only so much you can do about this.

Have fun!

It is kinda fun when the gremlins remain occupied elsewhere! For the non-turret unit we have been happy with the image centering on screen. So it's really just the lamphouse/reflector/lens relationship task I think for field improvements. We do have mostly correct aperature plates for Flat and Scope and masking spikes to reference for any repositioning of the image. A prior projectionist utilized the eccentric knob to mark a scope and flat setting, not just a 35/70 position. Unsure if that is typical or not?

Turret unit, while closer on the lamphouse/field, will be more of a chore to tune-out those those pedestal adjustments. I expect one starts in SCOPE, get that where you need it, and then work the rest of the turret/lens centering procedure to get FLAT to center up without moving the ped. Lock those in and move on to lamphouse.

Long overdue stuff for this booth!

[John Eickhof]

Sams directions are good, I would actually align the lamp on 35mm first, is it on a century pedestal? if so, the lamp table is adjustable side to side up and down with the four bolts underneath, I prefer the string kit as it works very well, once you have 35mm dialed in then set up for 70 by removing heat filter in the front snood, insert the beam spreader in its place then all you should have to do is adjust focus on the bulb, the lens eccentric should be centered and you can remove the fire shutter temporarily on the gear side by removing the two captive screws that hold the shutter and its guard in place. once your all lined up, tighten all hardware down and get to running the show!

[Sam Chavez]

Sounds like Ryan has got the right idea and is up to the challenge. Welcome to the Carl Brenkert Society!

[Ryan Gallagher]

Sams directions are good, I would actually align the lamp on 35mm first, is it on a century pedestal? if so, the lamp table is adjustable side to side up and down with the four bolts underneath, I prefer the string kit as it works very well, once you have 35mm dialed in then set up for 70 by removing heat filter in the front snood, insert the beam spreader in its place then all you should have to do is adjust focus on the bulb, the lens eccentric should be centered and you can remove the fire shutter temporarily on the gear side by removing the two captive screws that hold the shutter and its guard in place. once your all lined up, tighten all hardware down and get to running the show!

Noted on the fire shutter. Cheers! Of course your advice involves having all the bits and bobs!

The Super 80s sit atop the original Brenkert pedestals (with custom extra wedge below that, steep angle booth).

The 70mm spreaders are MIA or we never had them. Was intending to manually widen the field focus as best as we can for 70mm week, unless you know a source or good alternative to the spreaders?

I'm tempted to pick up a 3d printer just to print the "string method" pieces. LOL But sure I can get close with the laser. Better than it is anyway.

[Ryan Gallagher]

check where the projector is hitting the screen with the existing plates and masking (if any) or you'll end up needing to file new plates if you have any around.

Sam, forgive my naivety, but i'm unclear on what part of this process would potentially invoke having to change the filing on aperture plates? (Though we do have some fresh ones if the need arose).

Edit, Ohhhh... maybe if all masking was not movable? We have a flat screen but motorized top and manual sides.

[Sam Chavez]

You just need to verify where everything is pointing. Way less work if you never have to file. And you shouldn't with moveable top and side masking and eccentric lens carriage.

[Mark Gulbrandsen]

Here is a video I shot many years ago of what a Kinoton laser alignment tool projecting back from the reflector on to it's face. Yea, I should have stuck a ND filter on my phone, and I should have made an actual video of the alignment process. This was just some equipment sitting in my shop at the time to show what it does. I made drawings of the laser unit and they are some place on my NAS. Would be very easy to make on a small 6" lathe. I aligned a lot of lamp houses with it before digital conversions began to take over my life.

[Ryan Gallagher]

Here is a video I shot many years ago of what a Kinoton laser alignment tool...

Yeah I encountered that in my googling yesterday. Cheers.

As far as turret barrel alignment, I had this thought too yesterday, anything wrong with this logic?

Since I have access to a non-collet JJ that is "good", could I simply put a piece of tape over an the appropriate aperture plate. Use the laser tool (centering laser, not the kinoton one) and then mark that reference point at the aperture for both flat and scope. Move relevant plate to the Collet equipped projector... and then adjust the collet alignments using the laser to land it on the same reference mark for each format respectively? Any adjustment to compensate for off-axis differences could be done with the pedastal? Essentially make their aperture to lens "centering" relationship identical?

Or should I be expecting the off axis difference to require a slightly different aperture to lens relationship to begin with?

[Ryan Gallagher]

I guess that method is equivalent to image alignment using pan/tilt on pedestal.
Compared to leaving the pedestal more perpendicular and doing adjustments via the lens/collet on the off axis unit would be equivalent to the digital concept of "lens shifting" to correct it.

I guess both would be viable, unsure which approach is optically better relevant to keystoning etc. My hunch is since we have the option to lens shift the off axis unit via collet adjustments, that would be "better"? But once you go down the lens shifting path I'm not sure a laser sitting in a lens collet remains as effective for lamphouse centering?

[Paul Finn]

Wouldn't an "Align-O-Tron" alignment tool kit easily provide an accurate lamp house/projector alignment as requested in this application?

Paul Finn

[Ryan Gallagher]

Wouldn't an "Align-O-Tron" alignment tool kit easily provide an accurate lamp house/projector alignment as requested in this application?

Thanks Paul. I was so focused on the Strong manual steps and description of the process I forgot to even see what the Align-O-Tron manual looked like. Some useful tips and photos in there, and hints of additional tools that make sense, that we should keep in our align-o-tron case... such as a pinhole aperture or the small mirror used to bounce the laser back on itself.

I have or can get what I need for that approach to re-alignment, and everything as far as the sequence of relationships is starting to crystalize in my head.

Aperture/Gate to Lens 1st, Lens to House/Reflector 2nd, Lens to Lamp 3rd, Lamp to Reflector 4th, Image to Screen/Masking 5th, Turret Adjustments to Masking 6th.

The final steps may have to be repeated for Academy and 70mm and marked, as I don't think our lensing is perfect to avoid some adjustment when going to those formats. In hindsite that also may be why our turret unit needs pans and tilts between Flat and Scope. Perhaps the turret was better set for Academy or 70mm. But I'd rather move the pedestal for those rare-bird formats and have flat/scope dialed in.

And as I have a fL meter, I might as well meter before and after on scope to see what kind of boost the alignment gives us.

[Ryan Gallagher]

Here is a related alignment thing that i'm trying to wrap my head around:

A non-turret JJ includes the lens eccentric knob for the switch between 35mm and 70mm, which actually shifts the lens center. However one with a dual lens turret installed does not have an equivalent easy method to adjust when swapping one of the turret lenses to 70mm. It is adjustable of course, but it is more of a turret setup permanent thing for flat and scope.

What if any lens adjustments when using the turret barrel dedicated to flat normally for the 70mm lens "should" be done? Or perhaps better to leave the turret alone mark a different pan position on the pedestal if needed?

Having only one turret makes this booth a little quirky, among other differences between the two JJs.

Edit: Or perhaps we should switch to having one turret position be dedicated to 70mm, and the other barrel swaps between flat and scope?