8mm Forum: Calvin 8mm sound projector

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Posted by Tom Beauchamp (Member # 361) on April 04, 2005, 12:13 PM:

There is another Calvin projector on E-bay. I know some one was interested earlier. It is an early sound projector so I am guessing that it does not take dual film types. Any info on this one? Seems to be in good shape other than it is very heavy.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7504865379&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1

Posted by Jan Bister (Member # 332) on April 04, 2005, 11:04 PM:

Looks interesting alright, and probably very attractive with reels on it. The way the film is supposed to be threaded looks a bit odd (having to go through the sound unit, then all the way AROUND it and up to the take-up reel). And how come the diagram (above the switches) shows one soundhead but the projector itself actually appears to have two of them there?

And why is it everytime eBay sellers take a picture of a running projector, it's sitting on top of a washing machine!? [Big Grin]

Posted by Jean-Marc Toussaint (Member # 270) on April 05, 2005, 01:55 AM:

Tom,
Beautiful machine. Compact std 8mm sound projectors are scarce, you should definitely go for it.
(And, Jan, it's odd because I've asked myself the very same question [Wink]

)

Posted by John Whittle (Member # 22) on April 05, 2005, 11:41 PM:

I think this was the first commercial regular 8mm sound projector made in the USA. It was designed by Calvin Motiion Picture Labs of Kansas City and built by MovieMite using the Kodak Showtime projector with the addition of the sound head pick up.

Calvin entered into this as a way to sell commercial films users to start using 8mm sound film. It wasn't very successful. It wasn't until the introduction of the Fairchild Cinephonic camera/projector system that regular 8mm took off in the US. (The Elite was introduced in Norway before the Cinephonic and the Kodak Sound 8 after the Cinephonic).

I've only seen a few of these units over the years, but many suffer from slow film speed due to the Kodak film drive system (rubber puck on the shutter) and the additional load placed by the Moviemite additions (those are MovieMite reel arms with 8mm shafts). (I remember one at Tall's Camera Supply in Seattle back in the mid 1960s and one at Frank's Highland Park Camera in the 70s--neither worked and this one will probably need a complete amp rebuild at the least).

John

Posted by Dan Lail (Member # 18) on April 06, 2005, 12:49 AM:

It sure looks good cosmetically. Even the cover with that faux alligator finish. [Cool]

John, are there any reliable standard 8 machines to look for to show sound films on? [Confused]

Posted by John Whittle (Member # 22) on April 06, 2005, 02:11 PM:

The best machine to look for (and probably the hardest to find) is the Kodak Sound 8 Model "C". The only way you can tell is if you get them to look for the serial number (stamped on the elevator foot). There are models A, B, and C. The C was the last one and has a 24 volt lamp instead of the impossible to find DHJ lamp. The amps are all hybrids (combination of transistor pre-amp and tube output) and don't seem to have much punch (although I have rebuilt any yet so maybe there are a few bad caps in the board).

The Fairchild is a nice little projector, but they have a little polyurtheane timing belt that drove the feed and take up sprockets off the main shutter drive and they all seem to have turned to goo. If you get one and drive out the pins and clean it up and replace the belt, it's a nice projector. It has a 120 volt tru-flector lamp, but they aren't impossible to find.

There is also the Sears regular 8 projector which is a nice machine, self threader and was built by Bell & Howell. For some reason Bell & Howell never sold this under their own name. It also ahs a 120 volt tru-flector lamp and generally run all.

All these machine suffer from poor rewind speed however.

John

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