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Author Topic: I (Literally) Found a Projector
Claus Harding
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1149
From: Washington DC
Registered: Oct 2006

- posted November 14, 2009 10:41 PM      Profile for Claus Harding   Email Claus Harding   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
It is a brand I have never heard of: Fodeco.

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I was at a friend's apartment building, down in the storage area, when I spotted this incredibly dirty little carrying case sitting in a corner next to an old mousetrap. I opened the lid, and what do you know...yet another projector [Big Grin]
It was abandoned, so I of course took it home (cue my wife rolling her eyes again [Roll Eyes] )

After a good cleaning (and extricating the metal belt which someone had managed to drive into the machine itself) I plugged in and it roared to life with no problems; the bulb lit up fine too.
Fodeco was made in NJ, as the sign says:

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I Googled it, and found an image suggesting the machine is from 1946. Otherwise, I didn't find any information.
It is definitely a cheap projector. The white 'decoration' around the bottom is a design element, not a missing strip or anything like that. You can just picture them peeling off the masking tape after painting it.

It has the cheapest loop rollers I have ever seen. As the image implies, they go 'Boinng' when you press on them [Eek!]

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Still, I like the look and the color of the unit. The lens is a 1-inch, 1.6 and the lamp is a 750W old-style 'chimneystack' bulb.

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If anyone has any history on this brand, I'd love to hear about it. Meanwhile I have to find a roll of sacrificial Reg-8 to feed the little beastie; I have to see it run at least once.

Claus.

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"Why are there shots of deserts in a scene that's supposed to take place in Belgium during the winter?" (Review of 'Battle of the Bulge'.)

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Wayne Tuell
Master Film Handler

Posts: 488
From: Minden, NV
Registered: Jul 2009

- posted November 14, 2009 11:06 PM      Profile for Wayne Tuell   Author's Homepage   Email Wayne Tuell   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
That is a clean looking machine for being left alone all these years. I can donate some reg. 8mm film for that machine. Drop me a note with your address.

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www.16mmDrive-InFilms.com

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Claus Harding
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1149
From: Washington DC
Registered: Oct 2006

- posted November 15, 2009 11:54 AM      Profile for Claus Harding   Email Claus Harding   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Wayne,

Thanks, I have sent you an e-mail.

Claus.

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"Why are there shots of deserts in a scene that's supposed to take place in Belgium during the winter?" (Review of 'Battle of the Bulge'.)

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Wayne Tuell
Master Film Handler

Posts: 488
From: Minden, NV
Registered: Jul 2009

- posted November 16, 2009 08:07 PM      Profile for Wayne Tuell   Author's Homepage   Email Wayne Tuell   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Sacrificial film is in the mail. Let's just hope that the projector gods spare the celluloid and the projector works as great as it looks. [Wink]

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www.16mmDrive-InFilms.com

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James N. Savage 3
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1375
From: Washington, DC
Registered: Jul 2003

- posted November 17, 2009 02:13 PM      Profile for James N. Savage 3     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Clause-

Great find!

And let me know if you need some regular 8 film to test. I work in D.C. five days a week, and live only minutes outside of the district.

Enjoy!

James.

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Claus Harding
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1149
From: Washington DC
Registered: Oct 2006

- posted November 17, 2009 09:46 PM      Profile for Claus Harding   Email Claus Harding   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
James,

Thanks so much, but I have a roll coming from Wayne.
Let's see how it runs... [Smile]

Claus.

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"Why are there shots of deserts in a scene that's supposed to take place in Belgium during the winter?" (Review of 'Battle of the Bulge'.)

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Barry Fritz
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1061
From: Burnsville, MN, USA
Registered: Dec 2009

- posted January 10, 2013 05:28 PM      Profile for Barry Fritz   Email Barry Fritz   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Hi Claus. I have had two of these for awhile. One is maroon and the other is dark blue. Finally got the blue one cleaned up and I tried it out. It works great. Did yours work?

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Hugh Thompson Scott
Film God

Posts: 3063
From: Gt. Clifton,Cumbria,England
Registered: Jan 2012

- posted January 10, 2013 07:06 PM      Profile for Hugh Thompson Scott   Email Hugh Thompson Scott       Edit/Delete Post 
It looks a well made little machine, I somehow don't think it'll
damage your film,it looks very well finished, well done Claus.

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Pasquale DAlessio
Film God

Posts: 3523
From: Bristol,RI, USA
Registered: May 2010

- posted January 10, 2013 07:18 PM      Profile for Pasquale DAlessio     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Claus

What an interesting find. Looks like a great little machine. By the way, I sent the tape to you yesterday.

PatD

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Barry Fritz
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1061
From: Burnsville, MN, USA
Registered: Dec 2009

- posted January 10, 2013 08:09 PM      Profile for Barry Fritz   Email Barry Fritz   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I wonder if anyone checked the date of your original post, Claus [Eek!]

Actually, it is not well made. It is almost made from tin. Mine works well though, with just the claw and take-up moving the film...no sprockets. Saw an ad for it where it was priced at $89.00

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Claus Harding
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1149
From: Washington DC
Registered: Oct 2006

- posted January 10, 2013 08:50 PM      Profile for Claus Harding   Email Claus Harding   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Nice to see "ye olde post" dug up from years ago [Big Grin]

The Fodeco should still be in perfectly good shape; it's sitting in storage with the rest of my machines after my move. It most certainly was a "budget" affair, what with the cheap tin and rollers and so forth, but hey, someone probably got some good times out of it running their vacation films on it.

Claus.

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"Why are there shots of deserts in a scene that's supposed to take place in Belgium during the winter?" (Review of 'Battle of the Bulge'.)

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Barry Fritz
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1061
From: Burnsville, MN, USA
Registered: Dec 2009

- posted January 10, 2013 09:03 PM      Profile for Barry Fritz   Email Barry Fritz   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
You seem to have the "upgrade" paint on yours. I like the silver in the roller/ lens area. Mine don't have that.

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Richard Bock
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 239
From: El Cerrito,CA,USA
Registered: Jan 2010

- posted January 10, 2013 09:35 PM      Profile for Richard Bock   Author's Homepage   Email Richard Bock   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Great looking projector and you cleaned it up real good Barry. That projector was meant for you. I mean who ever FINDS a projector much less a dime!

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Hugh Thompson Scott
Film God

Posts: 3063
From: Gt. Clifton,Cumbria,England
Registered: Jan 2012

- posted January 11, 2013 05:40 AM      Profile for Hugh Thompson Scott   Email Hugh Thompson Scott       Edit/Delete Post 
I don't know about "tin", but the main body looks to be from pressed steel, much like the french Heurtier projectors.Nice to
see rollers instead of plastic tracks.

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Barry Fritz
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1061
From: Burnsville, MN, USA
Registered: Dec 2009

- posted January 13, 2013 04:10 PM      Profile for Barry Fritz   Email Barry Fritz   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
You are correct, Hugh. It is the front and back cover that is kinda tinny. The frame is adjusted by movement of the claw. The motor brushes don't come out for replacement. Pretty basic machine.

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Jake Mayes
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 119
From: Bath, UK
Registered: Sep 2012

- posted January 16, 2013 11:05 AM      Profile for Jake Mayes   Email Jake Mayes   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
That looks nice, great find! If only the claw and the take-up move the film without a sprocket drive, doesn't that cause damage over repeated plays? A problem than plagued 9.5 mm users on quite a few projectors, mind you their perforations were down the middle of the frame not the side... Mind you that one is simple and clean, you will probably get fine results from that! Can you post a pic of the lamp? Is it like the one in the older B&H models?

Jacob [Smile]

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