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Author Topic: Modernising a 9.5mm Pathescope Gem.
Lee Mannering
Film God

Posts: 3216
From: The Projection Box
Registered: Nov 2006


 - posted November 08, 2012 03:22 AM      Profile for Lee Mannering     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
THE MISSION. To refurb a Pathescope 9.5mm Gem.
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At long last I’m finally getting round to doing the strip down and rewire of my beloved Pathescope Gem 9-5 projector. I spent a fun evening stripping it down and managed to complete the rewire, replacing the rubber motor mounts, started on the QI lamp conversion and did a lube on it. It shouldn’t take that much longer to complete this now.
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Well on the way with this now and the QI lamp upgrade is complete and everything tested OK. Drive belt sitting ready to fit and pop the claw back on then can give the Gem a good soak test.
YAY!
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And finally..
There’s something rather special about rekindling a bit of a classic and my Gem upgrades are now complete right down to the last imperial chrome plated screw going back into place. I completed the upgrade with a much better quality lens over the old glass bottle Pathescope fitted to these Gems although the original art deco lens does look pretty it has to be said, and lastly a new take up and rewind belt. I’m rather proud of this little Gem and the rewire, lube, motor brush check, motor mounts, new belts and QI lamp conversion plus better lens which were well worth doing.

ITS ALIVE!
 - It gets a test drive today when we have our Bram Stoker night and screen my 9-5 doc 'Truth is stranger than fiction' filmed around Whitby.

Trivia.
In 1950 a Gem would have cost you £37-10-0
Today a new Gem would have I guess set you back well over £1000
[Eek!]

[ November 08, 2012, 09:53 AM: Message edited by: Lee Mannering ]

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Paul Adsett
Film God

Posts: 5003
From: USA
Registered: Jun 2003


 - posted November 08, 2012 10:35 AM      Profile for Paul Adsett     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Well done Lee! As you say, restoring an old projector is a wonderfully satisfying experience.
The Gem has always appealed to me with its unique art-deco design. Maurice Thornton and Colin Cowles demonstrated one to me at The Curzon cinema collection in Cleveland UK last May, and I was very impressed at how sweetly it ran and what a fine, steady, picture it produced.
But why does its big brother sound version, the Son, have such a bad reputation? [Confused]

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The best of all worlds- 8mm, super 8mm, 9.5mm, and HD Digital Projection,
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Dino Everette
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1535
From: Long Beach, CA USA
Registered: Dec 2008


 - posted November 09, 2012 12:25 AM      Profile for Dino Everette     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Paul, I think the problem with both the Gem and the Son lie within the threading paths.. I know I picked up a Gem as one of my first 9.5 projectors because of its obvious beauty, but since most of the films now are not in the best most perfect condition, the threading path is none too forgiving....I still have mine, but I don't run anymore film through it...When they are running well, they do purr.....And Lee well done on the restoration and mod, it looks beautiful....

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"You're too Far Out Miss Lawrence"

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Lee Mannering
Film God

Posts: 3216
From: The Projection Box
Registered: Nov 2006


 - posted November 09, 2012 02:49 AM      Profile for Lee Mannering     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Thanks. I’ve always had a soft stop for the Gem and upgrading the lamp and lens is well worth doing. We had our show and the Gem worked fine with a nice bright picture on screen. Here is a clip of it showing part of one of my own 9.5mm films. http://youtu.be/BU5i1bHcJSA

The only real downside to the Son sound machine I found was the much underrated motor which Pathescope fitted. It’s OK in the Gem as it is only running at silent speed, but in the Son pounding away at 24 frames per second and the motor exceeding its capabilities no wonder they started to fail. In fact the design team had a better motor on paper for the Son but it was said at the last minute they cut some corners so a cheaper motor was fitted. The film path having a single drive sprocket can cause problems with poor condition films, but if you thread the film to the right of the guide wheel just after it passes under the lamphouse it helps a great deal I found.

[ November 10, 2012, 11:22 AM: Message edited by: Lee Mannering ]

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Dino Everette
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1535
From: Long Beach, CA USA
Registered: Dec 2008


 - posted November 13, 2012 12:24 AM      Profile for Dino Everette     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Lee that is a wonderful film (both the 9.5 film and the video), and almost has me motivated to restore mine as it has the usual deteriorated motor mounts. have you ever tried yours with a sound attachment? I have one, but it too is on the "when I find the time" list of repairs to be made.

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"You're too Far Out Miss Lawrence"

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Paul Adsett
Film God

Posts: 5003
From: USA
Registered: Jun 2003


 - posted November 13, 2012 10:52 AM      Profile for Paul Adsett     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Lee, that movie was great, I really enjoyed it. But how did you keep the Gem in sync with the CD sound track?

Dino,
Yours is the first photo I have seen of the GEM with its sound attachment. I must say it complements the projector very well.

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The best of all worlds- 8mm, super 8mm, 9.5mm, and HD Digital Projection,
Elmo GS1200 f1.0 2-blade
Eumig S938 Stereo f1.0 Ektar
Panasonic PT-AE4000U digital pj

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Lee Mannering
Film God

Posts: 3216
From: The Projection Box
Registered: Nov 2006


 - posted November 14, 2012 03:41 AM      Profile for Lee Mannering     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Thanks for that.
To keep the Gem in sync you must have a motor in good order, good belt and also a good variable speed control on the front. I run the Gem for 5 minutes before a show to warm up and then it’s just a case of knowing your film backwards and making minor adjustments to the speed control when needed.

The Gem speed control.
So many of the Gem’s speed controls have become worn so when doing a rebuild on this machine or a Son its worth carefully replacing the old cement which holds the winding in place. You should use ‘fire cement’ which heating engineers use and apply to each end to hold firm the wire on its retainer. If the wire is loose it will snap off and you will loose all speed control.

Bela will return in ‘Bela Lugosi meets a Eumig’

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Allan Broadfield
Master Film Handler

Posts: 452
From: Bromley, Kent
Registered: Nov 2010


 - posted November 14, 2012 04:25 AM      Profile for Allan Broadfield   Author's Homepage   Email Allan Broadfield   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Fascinating watching your 'Gem' in action. I would love to see a 'Son' in action mode but going by general opinion it seems doubtfull that there are any that would be considered a safe bet to put one's film through!

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Ken Finch
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 543
From: Herne Bay, Kent. U.K.
Registered: Oct 2011


 - posted November 18, 2012 02:54 PM      Profile for Ken Finch   Email Ken Finch   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Hi Lee, I have seen yor GEM on U tube. You have made a good job of restoring it. Still think the film path is a little tortuous, particularly as so many of those old prints are so delicate. I never liked the sharp bends to and from that small sprocket. My personal favourite 9.5mm silent film projectors are the Specto 500 and the 200B Plus ( the Plus model has a relieved gate runners). Best wishes Ken.

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Lee Mannering
Film God

Posts: 3216
From: The Projection Box
Registered: Nov 2006


 - posted November 19, 2012 06:58 AM      Profile for Lee Mannering     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Thanks Ken. Yes totally agree the Specto 500 is a very good choice although rather noisy I find compared to some of the others. I had the Gem out again last week and it does run really nice now and have some colour films I want to check when I get time on it.
Take care. [Cool]

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Lee Mannering
Film God

Posts: 3216
From: The Projection Box
Registered: Nov 2006


 - posted November 23, 2012 03:06 AM      Profile for Lee Mannering     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Checked the 50’s films now and the colour looks beautiful on the 9-5 films.
I’m out and about again giving one of my talks charting the rise of Cinema/film projecting 16mm docs, will include one of the 9-5 films and also demo the upgraded Gem.

[ November 28, 2012, 03:32 AM: Message edited by: Lee Mannering ]

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David Ash
Junior
Posts: 1
From: United Kingdom
Registered: Jan 2013


 - posted January 14, 2013 01:43 PM      Profile for David Ash   Author's Homepage   Email David Ash   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Hi Lee.
I have just watched your excellent utube video of the Gem. I am still laughing.
I have just joined this forum and was wondering if you or someone could point me in the right direction to get a circuit diagram of the 'Son' and spares (if any exist).The lamp transformer has gone down and so I shall try replacing it with a dimmer circuit as used in 12 volt ceiling downlights rated at 200 watts. Everything else is working fine except that the photo cell seems to be open circuit. I would appreciate any help that I can get on this. Failing that, It will have to be consigned to the ranks of ornamentation in the corner somewhere.
David Ash

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David Ash

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Richard Davies
Junior
Posts: 1
From: Exeter, Devon, UK
Registered: Jun 2013


 - posted June 21, 2013 09:30 AM      Profile for Richard Davies   Email Richard Davies   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Hi Lee
I have a Gem 9.5 with a QI lamp but I am new to all this having been given a box of films [Chaplin, Mickey mouse, Felix the cat and a no working Pathescope Kid. I needed something for our film club and picked up the Gem which surprisingly works quite well and produces a watchable 5' square picture. I am thinking I would like to upgrade and improve and was interested to know where you got hold of the better lens and also the belts particularly the wire take up.
Would be pleased if you could advise.
Richard

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Richard Davies

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Gustavo Maurokefalidis
Junior
Posts: 6
From: Argentina
Registered: May 2011


 - posted April 28, 2016 06:44 PM      Profile for Gustavo Maurokefalidis   Email Gustavo Maurokefalidis   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Hellow. Today y buy a gem projector. All is working but.... the film tooth dont work becouse is disconected to the shooter. ( sorry my english). I need a more detailed picture of this. Thankyou

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[ April 29, 2016, 02:36 PM: Message edited by: Gustavo Maurokefalidis ]

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Gustavo Maurokefalidis
Junior
Posts: 6
From: Argentina
Registered: May 2011


 - posted April 29, 2016 02:32 PM      Profile for Gustavo Maurokefalidis   Email Gustavo Maurokefalidis   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
The film tooth is disconected of the shooter, have you got a picture detailed ?

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