Chip Gelmini
Phenomenal Film Handler
Posts: 1733
From: Brooksville, FL
Registered: Jun 2003
|
posted October 26, 2004 10:55 AM
Becuase they suck.
After trying for several months to figure out why these leaders cause film jams in my machines, I have now decided to stop using it. Even after 2 coatings of filmguard, these leaders had so much static cling, they even clinged to the "concrete walls" of the basement. This I could not believe.
They were lubricated, properly trimmed, and yet in every machine there were jams at the bottom sprocket on the ST800; & 1200 (D & HD) projectors. Even the Bell and Howell 1733 machines, my very first units.
I have just completed changing leaders on 236 reels of my collection. And since that time, I have run 4 shows and have had NO film jams during or after autoload (after being when the machine jumps in to forward mode at initial kick).
Simply select a faded polyester digest as scrap film (faded so bad you can no longer run it) and cut into the strips you need. Allow one foot extra space (after the #11 on countdowns [i.e. 12/start/head/picture]) and attach the new polyester leader strip here. That should be enough for autoload, and run down to # 8 in the top loop [which is 6 seconds to first picture frame in most cases].
This has made a noticeable difference. I am still using Neumade as tails because it is already threaded it goes through OK at the end of the reel. Don't know why exactly, but I bet it has something to do that it is not under the heavy demand of autoload function.
I strongly recommend ANYBODY using Neumade Fiesta leaders during autoload to change it as soon as you can as I am very pleased with how much better it is without it.
Comments appreciated.
Chip Gelmini
| IP: Logged
|