8mm Forum: Bell Howell 33ST problem

»	8mm Forum » 8mm Forum » Bell Howell 33ST problem

UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!

Author

Topic: Bell Howell 33ST problem

Barry Fritz
Phenomenal Film Handler

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

posted May 05, 2016 04:57 PM

Just picked up this projector. All seems to be working fine except it is not feeding correctly. I am holding down the yellow auto feed button but the film does not tread from the lower loop into the sound head. I removed the front covers and noted that a spring arm was sitting in a curious position (see red arrow in pic number 1). Also note the end of the leader (white arrow). When the leader was advanced, it fed down between that roller and the white nylon gizmo, which is supposed to hold the film against the sound head.
It seemed to me that the spring arm was supposed to be situated into the slot on the brass metal piece that has the roller attached to it. The second pic shows this situation, but the leader now hits the roller and starts to jam. Ideally it should feed atop that roller and into the sound head area. Does anyone have this model or a 33SR that they could look at and see if I have this set up correctly? Thanks.

| IP: Logged

Janice Glesser
Film Goddess

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

posted May 05, 2016 05:54 PM

Barry...just a thought... try using a piece of film rather than leader. The bottom loop turn is pretty much a 90 degree angle and if the leader is too stiff it may not feed properly....or maybe bend the leader a bit.

Here are some pics of my 33ST. It's difficult to see the film path...but this will help to make sure your feed elements are in the proper position.

Also on the 33ST You have to hold down the top feeder/looper button until the film reaches securely to the takeup reel.

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

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

| IP: Logged

Barry Fritz
Phenomenal Film Handler

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

posted May 05, 2016 07:10 PM

Hi Janice. I just tried a film with no leader, and same problem. In your pic of the sound head area, I do not see the black piece of plastic that presses the film against the curved pathway. In my pic, it is the piece parallel to the white arrow. Is it there on your machine and just not visible in the pic? If you have the machine out, can you tell me if the spring arm in my second pic is the same as on your machine? I can't see it in your pic.
I am holding the top feed/looper button down. Thanks a bunch. Don't seem to be to many of these machines around.

| IP: Logged

Janice Glesser
Film Goddess

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

posted May 05, 2016 08:28 PM

OK Barry...I took the picture above with the machine running so you couldn't see the shoot guide because it was retracted.

Here is how it looks with just the top button held down and the shoot guide in position...no film running. Perhaps the guide and the shoot are misaligned.

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

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

| IP: Logged

Barry Fritz
Phenomenal Film Handler

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

posted May 05, 2016 09:25 PM

Ok, I see it. Something is not right here. I manually pushed some film through the passage under the sound head and up to the rear sprocket so it could grab the film. Turned it on with the looper button held down. Rear sprocket grabbed the film but then it bunched just under the film gate and broke. Took the sound head off and nothing looks unusual there. Seems as though it is to tight under the sound head.
Based on you last pic, it appears that your roller and the plate it is attached to are lower than mine is.

| IP: Logged

Barry Fritz
Phenomenal Film Handler

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

posted May 22, 2016 01:42 PM

Still no luck getting this to work. OTC listed a Service Manual for a 33STS and I ordered it from them. Got an email saying they were sorry because they couldn't find it. Bummer.

| IP: Logged

Barry Fritz
Phenomenal Film Handler

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

posted May 24, 2016 11:10 PM

Thanks to a video from Janice Glesser of her 33ST threading, I was able to determine the problem with my machine. The apparatus below the sound head with the little rubber roller is supposed to drop down when the control knob was in the auto-threading position. This was done by interaction between a lever of sorts and a nylon part on the control knob shaft. That nylon part on my machine was cracked and not rotating properly. I used J-B Weld in an attempt to repair the crack but was concerned with how well Weld would stick to nylon. So, in addition, I added to snap rings to the part to hold it together. It is threading wonderfully now. I hope the repair holds up. Below are pics of the nylon part before and after.
BEFORE

AFTER

| IP: Logged

Pasquale DAlessio
Film God

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

posted May 25, 2016 02:54 AM

I love these stories with happy endings! [Wink]

| IP: Logged

Barry Fritz
Phenomenal Film Handler

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

posted May 25, 2016 10:52 AM

Me too! Pat, I was going to compliment you on your new avatar but now I see you are back to the old one.

[ May 25, 2016, 08:13 PM: Message edited by: Barry Fritz ]

| IP: Logged

All times are Central

Printer-friendly view of this topic

UBB.classic^TM 6.3.1.2