8mm Forum: Looping a super 8 film??

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Posted by Ed Naujokas (Member # 2078) on June 10, 2010, 06:01 AM:

Hi there,
I am trying to find a way to endlessly loop my super 8 film through a projector? Ive got a bolex 18-3TC Multispeed projector and its a standard 3mins 30 roll of super 8 film. Ive been trying to search on the internet but cant seem to find anything about it, there must be a way to loop it? Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated! I read about a special super 8 loop cartridge but cant seem to find anywhere to buy one?

thanks!
Ed

Posted by Christian Bjorgen (Member # 1780) on June 10, 2010, 07:02 AM:

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on June 10, 2010, 08:24 AM:

Elmo made continuous play units which mounted to their projectors and allowed films to be looped.

I'm not sure how common they are or if other manufacturers also made them. It just seems like a specialty item that wouldn't have sold a huge amount.

Posted by Jean-Marc Toussaint (Member # 270) on June 10, 2010, 11:08 AM:

Euro Cine Services in France make custom looping devices but they cost a lot.
Christian's idea is great if you know your way around tools and can locate a bunch of rollers. I think you need to add at least two spring-mounted rollers. Let's hope the top sprocket of the projector will have enough torque to drag the 15 meters of film through all the rollers.

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on June 10, 2010, 11:18 AM:

Very True,

-and also let's hope the extra film tension at that sprocket doesn't cause extra wear on leading edges of the holes and start elongating them after multiple passes.

Posted by Ricky Daniels (Member # 95) on June 11, 2010, 05:57 AM:

Ed,

Make yourself a 'loop-box', I used to use them all the time in film dubbing theaters.

No need for rollers, etc, a 'loop-box' is basically like a super 8mm film box with one edge removed and this edge forms the top edge opening with the opposite edge as the base, obviously with some supports to hold the box upright! The film falls into the 'loop-box' and forms layers on top of itself.

For example for 8mm film take 2 sheets of clear rigid perspex of the same size e.g. 1m x 1m and take 3x 1m x 12mm x 12mm battens and place these around 3 of the edges but sandwiched between the perspex (imagine a square U shape), either glue or drill and bolt these in place. Add supports to hold the 'loop-box' upright with the 12mm wide opening at the top and place the 'loop-box' behind the projector with the opening in-line with the film path.

Film exiting the projector drops into the 1m x 12mm wide opening and the film layers itself within the 'loop-box'. Film exiting the 'loop-box' comes from the furthest edge from the projector, across the top of the projector feed arm and into the projector. You may need an empty reel on the feed arm to guide the film into the film projector.

Good luck.

Rick

Posted by Randall McGehee (Member # 5980) on July 31, 2017, 03:52 PM:

Ok well I need Christian or Ricky to draw a picture of how this Loop-Box would be constructed! Or maybe a picture of one in action!

Posted by Paul Browning (Member # 2715) on August 01, 2017, 01:10 AM:

Noris made one, very simple unit, Elmo's is a clip on unit, hard to find and they get snapped up straight away for big money. Is it not the same as the 8 track continuous loop system that just folds back on its self.

Posted by Brian Fretwell (Member # 4302) on August 01, 2017, 04:42 PM:

Technicolor made a special projector (or 2) that took 50ft loop cartridges, but I doubt they could be adapted for the Bolex. If the could it wouldn't be easy.

Posted by Bryan Chernick (Member # 1998) on August 03, 2017, 11:33 PM:

You could get a Videotronic projector. I have the Regular 8mm version, the Super 8 ones are much easier to find. I have put my own film into the cartridge on mine but I think it's harder to do in the Super 8 version.

Videotronic Super 8

Posted by Clinton Hunt (Member # 2072) on August 04, 2017, 02:38 AM:

I have the Videotronic super 8mm repeater projector and I tried to work out how to load a film or even repair my broken cartridge!!!
Still don't know :-(

Posted by Gregory Oliver (Member # 5803) on August 04, 2017, 09:59 AM:

I had some Yelco projectors that came out of an adult bookstore/arcade and the films were spooled in cartridges similar in design to 8-track audio configuration. They'd removed all of the leader and tail and spliced the ends together. Downside was the constant rubbing on the film's surface scratched the living daylights out of the image. I got rid of the projectors, but still may have a cartridge or two laying around.

Posted by Bryan Chernick (Member # 1998) on August 04, 2017, 10:33 PM:

quote:
I have the Videotronic super 8mm repeater projector and I tried to work out how to load a film or even repair my broken cartridge!!!
Still don't know :-(

I don't know how the Super 8 version works but I just spliced my film onto the end of the film that comes out of the cartridge the spooled the other film onto a rewind. When the end of my film came out the other end I spliced the ends together. It may be harder to do it with the Super 8 based on how the cartridge is designed.

Posted by Renzo Dal Bo (Member # 5688) on August 05, 2017, 05:39 AM:

Hi,
There is a swiss company that nowadays build a continuous loop projection device to play 8mm or Super 8 film in an endless loop that can be used with every projectors.
Look at their site: www.looper8.ch
You can download their catalog, the user manual and a lot of detailed photos about this tool, useful to understand how it works.
Elmo built two different devices for endless loop film: the EF-50 for 50ft films and the EF-400 externally motorized for longer films.
Instead Noris built the "Noris Infinator" similar to the smaller Elmo's tool.

Posted by Bryan Chernick (Member # 1998) on August 05, 2017, 12:28 PM:

Renzo, that Looper 8 looks very similar to how my Regular 8 Videotronic projector works. The film sits flat and is wound in from the outside and pulled out from the center. On the Videotronic the film lays on a rotating tray, it looks like the Looper 8 has rollers that would allow the film to rotate freely without needing it to rotate.

If you use any of these types of devices it's recommended to keep the film well lubricated because it slides against itself while it's being pulled to the center of the reel.

Thanks for sharing that!

Posted by Gregory Oliver (Member # 5803) on August 18, 2017, 10:10 AM:

I found one of the cartridges from the Yelco projector, a regular 8mm film spliced end to end for continuous play.

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