8mm Forum: Pathe Baby Projector

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Topic: Pathe Baby Projector

Michael Wright
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 184
From: Chorley, Lancashire, England
Registered: Dec 2008

posted November 22, 2012 04:38 PM

I've just become the proud owner of this wonderful machine! On opening the lamp house I noticed the bulb filament looks to be intact. Does anyone know what voltage these are rated at? Being 80+ years old I don't think it would be wise to connect it to the mains, do you? Another thing that is curious is the instruction book that came with it. It was issued by Pathe of France Limited rather than Pathescope? I expect it could do with a good lubrication before I try to put a film through it. Is there anything else I should look out for, I would hate to damage it. Thanks MIKE

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Paul Adsett
Film God

Posts: 5003
From: USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted November 23, 2012 01:36 PM

Hi Michael, and congratulations on aquiring a Pathe Baby. These were made by PATHE in France, not Pathescope in the UK. In fact the Baby was the first 9.5mm projector.
Yes, a good cleaning and lubrication is the first thing to do. Just a drop of machine oil on all the bearings and moving parts. Best to use grease on the helical gear inside the machine.
The next thing you must do is get rid of that lethal resistance inside the bottom of the machine, and convert the whole projector to safe 12 volt halogen lighting. This is relatively easy to do, and will give you a much brighter picture than the original baby lamps, with absolute safety. Ken Valentine in the UK can do Baby lamp conversions, and I have done my own very succesfully. I do have a conversion kit that I sell, but it is pretty expensive as I have to get a special lamp holder adaptor custom manufactured, and machine shop rates these days are astronomical. So I think your best bet is Ken. You can read about my conversion here:
http://www.pathefilm.freeserve.co.uk/cel8/cel18.htm

--------------------
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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Michael Wright
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 184
From: Chorley, Lancashire, England
Registered: Dec 2008

posted November 25, 2012 06:01 AM

Hi Paul, thanks for your good advice, Does Ken have an email address? Thanks again MIKE

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Ken Finch
Jedi Master Film Handler

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

posted November 25, 2012 10:45 AM

Hello Michael, Welcome to 9.5mm fraternity. The advice you have been given so far is correct. A lamp conversion is your best bet. But here is a bit more detailed information for u.k. people. I am assuming you have a hand cranked model and not one with the motor attachment, The lamp conversion is quite easy to do using a small 12 volt 10watt halogen bulb easily obtainable from B&Q etc or Maplins as are the little bulbholders and the low voltage lighting transformers. You should not use a bulb of any higher wattage as the heat from it is likely to blister the film when showing the notched titles. The lamp holder can be glued to the top of a short piece of plastic tubing, also found in B&Q which is of suitable diameter to fit in the original lamp holder with the innards discarded except for the tightening screw, thus allowing you to align the lamp filament in the right place. I hope this makes sense to you. Contact me if you need any more help. The website you have been given is that of one of our Group 9.5 member dealers. Ken Valentine does not have a website, but Grahames does have his address. Incidentally, is the shutter/flywheel o.k? They were a Mazak casting which distorts and disintigrates over a period of years. Ken Valentine did have some brass replacements available recently. The Pathe Baby was made in France by Pathe but were sold and assebled here in the u.k. by Pathescope, and also for a short period by Pathex in the U.S.A. At one time Pathe had branches in a number of countries selling projectors and printed films in different languages. Best wishes Ken Finch.

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Michael Wright
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 184
From: Chorley, Lancashire, England
Registered: Dec 2008

posted November 26, 2012 08:13 AM

Hi Ken thanks for the info about the lamps. The shutter is missing on my projector. I thought about trying to make a replacement but I didn't realise the shutter also acted as a fly wheel as well. If Ken V has a spare shutter I would be interested. Are they easy to fit? Thanks MIKE,

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Ken Finch
Jedi Master Film Handler

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

posted November 27, 2012 12:07 PM

Hi Michael, The shutter is not difficult to fit but the casing round the mechanism has to be removed to fit it. they are held on the shaft with grub screws. The only real tricky bit is fitting it so that the main shutter blade covers the "pull down" action of the claws. Best of luck Ken.

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Andrey Anisimov
Junior
Posts: 1
From: Russia
Registered: Feb 2013

posted February 01, 2013 09:58 AM

Hello!
I'm from Russia, I collect cameras and projectors.
Most of my units of Soviet manufacture.
But here I was offered to buy cinema Pathe Baby.
And more than 100 clips from movies. I have not yet decided to buy this projector.
While I do not have the opportunity to test the projector, so I want to ask some questions.
What type of bulb is used, it is possible to replace the lamp with a modern equivalent?
Is there any difficulty in the repair of mechanical parts? Movies 9.5 20's rare? What is the
about the price of the projector and films in the U.S. and UK auctions?
If you give more tips, will be grateful.
Thank you.
Used an automatic translator.

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Andrey Anisimov

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Ken Finch
Jedi Master Film Handler

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

posted February 01, 2013 10:18 AM

Hi Andrey. If you look at the past posts regarding the Pathe Baby you will find the answers to most of your questions. Prices of the films and projectors vary enormously. Original bulbs are very rare. The main problem with these projectors is that the metal shutters distort and disintigrate. Hope this helps. Ken Finch.

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Paul Morf
Junior
Posts: 3
From: Golden, Colorado
Registered: Apr 2013

posted May 07, 2013 01:38 PM

Hello! I am a 7th grade student at a Montessori School in Colorado and am new to the 8mm Forum. I am a part of our school’s theater group- The Community Theater Guild. My teacher has an old Pathe Baby Projector, a while ago, we turned it on and tried to run it to see what condition it was in. The lamp was intact and we threaded a 9.5mm film through it. The problem is that what I have learned is called the shutter or flywheel, is not intact. I have done some research, and learned that the material they were made out of would expand over time and crack. Do any of you know where I could find a replacement shutter/flywheel in the US?

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