8mm Forum: Super 8mm viewer, reel and spindle-size problem

This is topic Super 8mm viewer, reel and spindle-size problem in forum 8mm Forum at 8mm Forum.

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Posted by Wayne Archer (Member # 4946) on July 10, 2015, 04:48 PM:

I bought a Minisette viewer on eBay, hoping to view some old Super 8 films, but to my surprise found that the center hole on the film reels is too big to fit as it should on the spindle. The spindle rods on the viewer are about 1/4 inch in diameter, but the center hole on the film reels are about 1/2 inch in diameter. So that when I put a reel on the spindle, it fits so loosely that the reel doesn't turn when I turn the viewer handle. Everything else seems to be working fine.

I tried different ways of wrapping paper and tape on the spindle, so as to make it effectively bigger, so it would nicely fit the hole on the film reel, but all those efforts were unsuccessful.

I used to have a viewer a long time ago (as well as a Super 8mm projector), and don't remember ever having this problem.

Is there some kind of adapter (like there used to be for 45rpm vinyl records, to make them fit on the spindles made for 78 or 33rpm records)? ... Or does anyone have a suggestion as to how I can solve this problem and be able to view my films on that viewer?

Thanks!

Posted by Janice Glesser (Member # 2758) on July 10, 2015, 05:02 PM:

You viewer has a standard 8mm spindle and needs a super 8mm adapter or you need a standard 8mm adapter for your film reel.

Posted by Barry Fritz (Member # 1865) on July 10, 2015, 05:58 PM:

Go to a hardware store and buy about a foot of 1/2 inch outside diameter clear plastic tube. Cut off a section of about a half inch long. Sand the outside of the tubing a little bit and slip it over the spindle it'll work fine.

Posted by Clinton Hunt (Member # 2072) on July 10, 2015, 11:24 PM:

As a newbie when I first came across this I tried to make it work! But it doesn't so you need to get the centre adapters or come up with a brilliant idea. [Smile]

Posted by Terry Sills (Member # 3309) on July 11, 2015, 03:31 AM:

Wayne
The early Minette editor/viewers were Standard 8 only, which it sounds like you have. I don't think it will be an easy task to covert/adapt for Super 8 unless you can pick up some Minette Super 8 spares from someone here on the Forum. Why not just keep it for Standard 8 film and look for a Super8 editor, or even better a dual guage one. Then at least you could sell the Minette.

Posted by Thijs de Kort (Member # 4897) on July 13, 2015, 02:05 AM:

Hey Wayne,
If you are looking for a viewer you can try here
http://shop.van-eck.net/viewers/p-1a/ they are quite expensive but are always in perfect shape and form
Thijs

Posted by Janice Glesser (Member # 2758) on July 13, 2015, 09:23 AM:

Wayne, unless you can find an exact adapter to fit on your Minisette viewer.. I would just order some of these off ebay:

http://www.ebay .com/itm/6-x-Super-8-to-8-mm-Movie-Film-Reel-Adapter-for-Projector-fits-Dual-8-Regular-8-/251847482330?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3aa3479bda

Posted by Wayne Archer (Member # 4946) on July 17, 2015, 05:41 PM:

Thank you so much, Janice Glesser. I just went to that eBay link and it looks like that's exactly what I need. I will order some!

Thank you to everyone else, too, for such good replies to my question. I really do appreciate all of them.

Thanks also, Terry Sills and Thijs de Kort for your info and suggestions.

Barry Fritz, I will try your method, too!

Posted by Barry Fritz (Member # 1865) on July 17, 2015, 10:11 PM:

Wayne, note that the adapters Janice recommended are intended to be inserted onto the film reels, they are not intended to be left on the viewer spindle.

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