8mm Forum: Problem with Notched Films - Solved

8mm Forum

my profile | my password | search | faq | register | forum home

next oldest topic

next newest topic

»	8mm Forum » 9.5mm Forum » Problem with Notched Films - Solved

UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!

Author

Topic: Problem with Notched Films - Solved

Janice Glesser
Film Goddess

Posts: 3468
From: Sunnyvale, CA USA
Registered: Sep 2011

posted April 18, 2014 01:40 PM

Send New Private Message

Edit/Delete Post

When I first got my Baby... notched films ran fine. However now they won't run at all unless I use a rubberband to hold back the notch sensor. Once I apply the rubber band the film runs through the gate fine...but of course this defeats the purpose of notched films. The titles are only visable for a brief moment...not good [Frown]

[Frown]

Is there an adjustment I can make to the sensor?

--------------------
Janice

"I'm having a very good day!"
Richard Dreyfuss - Let It Ride (1989).

| IP: Logged

Ken Finch
Jedi Master Film Handler

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

posted April 18, 2014 02:13 PM

Email Ken Finch

Send New Private Message

Edit/Delete Post

Hi Janice, The notch sensor is very lightly spring loaded and should bear against the edge of the film. Is the spring o.k? If so does the sensor move freely along its slider when you move it gently? It may of course not line up with the edge of the film if the film is curved and does not lay flat in the gate.
I'm not to sure about adjustments without looking it up. Ken Finch.

| IP: Logged

Ken Finch
Jedi Master Film Handler

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

posted April 19, 2014 12:35 PM

Email Ken Finch

Send New Private Message

Edit/Delete Post

Hi Janice , Further to my reply sent yesterday, I have had a look at my model G and if you take off the top casing and look in the corner of the back plate, top right hand, looking from the front of the projector, there is a small screw and this may be for adjusting the tension of the spring. I have not had to touch mine as I have never had any problems. As I have said before , "If it aint broke, don't mend it. Happy Easter Ken Finch.

| IP: Logged

Janice Glesser
Film Goddess

Posts: 3468
From: Sunnyvale, CA USA
Registered: Sep 2011

posted April 19, 2014 02:41 PM

Send New Private Message

Edit/Delete Post

Thanks Ken...I'll take a look at what you described. Since it was working initially, I'm thinking something has gone a little out of adjustment. Maybe when I was having the problem with the take-up chamber. The take-up and rewind are working very nicely now. I just need to fix this notch issue.

Happy Easter to you too [Smile]

[Smile]

--------------------
Janice

"I'm having a very good day!"
Richard Dreyfuss - Let It Ride (1989).

| IP: Logged

Dino Everette
Phenomenal Film Handler

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

posted April 20, 2014 01:23 AM

Send New Private Message

Edit/Delete Post

Janice be careful before you start re-adjusting things as you may open a can of worms you do not want to.... Also do not under estimate the influence of dirt. The notching mechanism needs to slide cleanly and smoothly with just the film triggering the mech. It is possible after running a few films for dirt from the films (remember these things are really old) to get in there cause the slider to not move as easily.. I would also check the tension on the back pressure plate that keeps the film in the track.. Try running a film with your hand pushing slightly on the back (under the lamphouse) in an attempt to keep the film flat in the gate area..Sometimes the old films are slightly curled and don't want to sit flat in the gate area near the notcher and thereby miss tripping it.

--------------------
"You're too Far Out Miss Lawrence"

| IP: Logged

Janice Glesser
Film Goddess

Posts: 3468
From: Sunnyvale, CA USA
Registered: Sep 2011

posted April 20, 2014 12:02 PM

Send New Private Message

Edit/Delete Post

Thanks Dino for the heads-up [Smile]

[Smile]

The film reels I just bought are very dirty and somewhat curled. However, when I keep the notch sensor retracted they feed ok through the gate. Just the slight amount of tension from the notch sensor is enough to stop the film from advancing at all.

I've been sick the past month and haven't felt like dealing with this problem...but feeling better now. I'll be careful...no drastic adjustments...and report back.

--------------------
Janice

"I'm having a very good day!"
Richard Dreyfuss - Let It Ride (1989).

| IP: Logged

Dino Everette
Phenomenal Film Handler

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

posted April 20, 2014 01:36 PM

Send New Private Message

Edit/Delete Post

Curled films will create all sorts of problems with a Baby, best to regularly try out films you know run smoothly to see if it is the film or the projector

--------------------
"You're too Far Out Miss Lawrence"

| IP: Logged

Janice Glesser
Film Goddess

Posts: 3468
From: Sunnyvale, CA USA
Registered: Sep 2011

posted May 07, 2014 08:32 PM

Send New Private Message

Edit/Delete Post

After a few hours of cleaning and observing over a couple of days how the notch sensor worked ...I determined there was nothing wrong with it. Dino, you had said to take a look at the film in the gate. I held my fingers against the film in the gate and the film fed properly and the notch scensor was working. Turns out the upper part of the gate was not pushing firmly enough against the film. I'm guessing the upper spring isn't tight enough.

I put a piece of rolled up electrical tape under the gate to help it press tighter to the film and the film and the notch sensor worked perfectly.

Here are a couple close-up photos of where the problem is on my Baby. I need to come up with a permanent solution. Any suggestions guys? is it possible to replace the spring?

[ May 09, 2014, 01:54 PM: Message edited by: Janice Glesser ]

--------------------
Janice

"I'm having a very good day!"
Richard Dreyfuss - Let It Ride (1989).

| IP: Logged

Paul Adsett
Film God

Posts: 5003
From: USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted May 08, 2014 03:56 PM

Send New Private Message

Edit/Delete Post

Janice, the problem may lie elsewhere, namely in the two copper 'fingers' on the top of the lamphouse, that engage the V-groove above the gate, and serve to hold the lamphouse (and sprung portion of the gate) firmly against the body of the machine. These little copper fingers often get bent into the wrong position and need to be straightened out so as to firmly pull the lamphouse up into the V-groove. They can be removed from the inside of the lamhouse for straighteneing. When swinging the lamphouse into place when threading the machine, you MUST push down on the lamphouse against the spring so that the clips then enter the V-groove without getting bent.

--------------------
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

| IP: Logged

Janice Glesser
Film Goddess

Posts: 3468
From: Sunnyvale, CA USA
Registered: Sep 2011

posted May 09, 2014 10:57 AM

Send New Private Message

Edit/Delete Post

Thanks Paul for the reply [Smile]

[Smile]

Here are couple of views of the two copper fingers I think you are referring to. Do they look positioned at the correct angle or not? If not, what should the angle be? It seems like they should be at somewhat of an angle to latch snuggly into the v-grove.

--------------------
Janice

"I'm having a very good day!"
Richard Dreyfuss - Let It Ride (1989).

| IP: Logged

Janice Glesser
Film Goddess

Posts: 3468
From: Sunnyvale, CA USA
Registered: Sep 2011

posted May 10, 2014 12:33 AM

Send New Private Message

Edit/Delete Post

Paul...I think you found the issue. I removed the copper fingers part from my non-working Baby I got with that collection of films I just bought. As you can see by the photo...in comparison the fingers are more curved than on my good Baby. Using needle-nose pliers I tried to create more of a curvature. I ran a test and it seemed to have solved the problem. I'll try a couple more reels...but so far looks good.

--------------------
Janice

"I'm having a very good day!"
Richard Dreyfuss - Let It Ride (1989).

| IP: Logged

Dominique De Bast
Film God

Posts: 4486
From: Brussels, Belgium
Registered: Jun 2013

posted May 10, 2014 04:42 AM

Email Dominique De Bast

Send New Private Message

Edit/Delete Post

Fantastic, Janice !

--------------------
Dominique

| IP: Logged

Paul Adsett
Film God

Posts: 5003
From: USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted May 10, 2014 07:12 AM

Send New Private Message

Edit/Delete Post

Exactly what I had in mind Janice. I had to bend thos fingers on my own Baby to get films to run properly. I think they can easily get bent out of shape if you are not careful when threading up and ensuring that you push down on the lamphouse spring far enough so that the fingers clear the v-notch as you swing the gate closed.

--------------------
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

| IP: Logged

Janice Glesser
Film Goddess

Posts: 3468
From: Sunnyvale, CA USA
Registered: Sep 2011

posted May 10, 2014 11:11 AM

Send New Private Message

Edit/Delete Post

I can't thank you enough Paul. Without your experience I would have just been putting a band-aid on the problem...never addressing the real issue. It's amazing that one simple part out of adjustment could adversely effect so many things. I wonder why they used copper on this part? The same part on my junker Baby seems a heavier metal...not sure if it's copper too. At some point I might exchange the parts...but it seems to be working correctly now...so I don't want to mess with it [Smile]

[Smile]

Thanks again!

I hope this thread helps someone else.

--------------------
Janice

"I'm having a very good day!"
Richard Dreyfuss - Let It Ride (1989).

| IP: Logged

Ken Finch
Jedi Master Film Handler

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

posted May 11, 2014 09:03 AM

Email Ken Finch

Send New Private Message

Edit/Delete Post

Well done Paul and Janice. Its amazing how often these problems arise by such a minor defect and the remedy is so simple.
I thought I had a serious problem with my super 8 Baur 610 self threading mechanism, despite following the instructions in the manual as it appeared the thread the film into the "works" instead of the gate. Then I discovered that the top loop guide takes a few seconds to move into the correct position and I had been feeding the film in too quickly!! Ken Finch. [Embarrassed]

[Embarrassed]

| IP: Logged

All times are Central

Move Topic

Delete Topic

next oldest topic

next newest topic

Printer-friendly view of this topic

Visit www.film-tech.com for free equipment manual downloads. Copyright 2003-2019 Film-Tech Cinema Systems LLC

UBB.classic^TM 6.3.1.2