8mm Forum: Eumig S810 D

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Posted by Ron Seagold (Member # 740) on December 13, 2006, 02:25 PM:

Hello everybody,just registered!Here is my question, I have a Eumig projector that just refuses to run at 24fps,although 16 fps appears ok.The problem seems to be lack of traction from motor pulley to drive disk,maybe the rubber coating on this disk has become hard,has anybody had this problem on this machine,there are no drive belts,just a right angle pully drive.

Posted by Paul Adsett (Member # 25) on December 13, 2006, 03:22 PM:

Welcome to the Forum Ron. The problem you describe is fairly common on well used Eumig 800's. It is in fact due to slipage at the ball and disc motor drive. Try wiping the rubber disc and steel ball with alcohol, this will probably fix the problem. If not, try sanding the rubber disc gently with very fine wet/dry emery cloth, to roughen it up a little bit. Also make sure that the gears are lubed with lithium grease.

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on December 13, 2006, 03:28 PM:

What's a good method for cleaning the sound heads on these machines? The head seems fully enclosed and I'm kind of reluctant to disassemble it and either misalign it or have it not go back together.

-Welcome, Ron!

Posted by Paul Adsett (Member # 25) on December 13, 2006, 05:22 PM:

Hi Steve,
Yes, cleaning the sound heads on the Eumig S800 series is not that easy. One of the great virtues of the Elmo projectors is that the sound heads are readily accessible for routine cleaning with alcohol. In the 900 series, Eumig used a new design sound head, where the pressure pad assembly can be quickly removed to expose the sound heads for cleaning. However, the 800 series heads can be cleaned, by one of two methods;

METHOD 1: (for a quick clean). The sound head is located right underneath the Bulb. It has a white cable coming out of it, which plugs into a receptacle on the chassis. For a real quick clean, taker a can of air duster and blast air down into the teflon film chute at the front of the sound head asembly. This will blow out any loose oxide particles in the sound head. This process is recommended after every couple of reels, to keep oxide from building up inside the head assembly.

METHOD 2: ( FOR A THOROUGH CLEAN, THIS PROCEDURE TAKES ABOUT 30 MINUTES, AND REQUIRES DISSASSEMBLY OF THE SOUND HEAD).
1. Set the control knob to the Forward position then pull off the black control knob at the side of the projector. Remove the lamp housing cover.
2. Pull off the volume control knob and the mixing control knob.
3. Undo the screw located between the volume control knob and the mixing knob, and pull the side panel forward and out to expose the inside of the projector.
4. Unplug the sound head, then undo the single screw which bolts the sound head to the chassis wall.
5. Remove the sound head.
6. Look at the sound head. There are a total of 6 screws in view. Do NOT touch the four innermost screws , they are used for the critical elevation and azimuth aligment of the sound head to the magnetic tracks on the film. Undo the 2 outer screws to remove only the MU-METAL magnetic shield, and the pressure pad assembly. You now have total access to the heads and pressure pads for a thorough cleaning with alcohol. Be very gentle in wiping the head areas. You may wish to de-magnetize the heads while you are at it, using a Radio Shack tape- head demagnetizing probe. Also polish the film channel and pressure pads with Pledge or Favor furniture polish.
7. After cleaning, reassemle the mu-metal shield and pressure pad assembly to the head, and tighten down the 2 outermost screws.
8. Align locating hole on the sound head with the pin in the chassis, and bolt back into place with the single screw. Plug the sound head back into the wall connector.
9. Reassemble the side panel, audio knobs, and Main control knob. Return the control knob to the OFF position.

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on December 13, 2006, 05:42 PM:

Thanks, Paul!

-although it sounds like disarming a bomb!

"Now, cut the blue wire!"
"Ok, here I go..."
"NO!, NO!, Wait a minute! I meant green!!... Sorry!!"

Agreed, the Elmo design is very maintenance friendly!

Posted by Ron Seagold (Member # 740) on December 13, 2006, 10:23 PM:

Thanks Paul,
I have already tried cleaning with alcohol,I will try the emery cloth,I was a bit unsure of doing this because I did not want to reduce the thickness of the coating on the disk,in fact I did think of the reverse!

Posted by David Pannell (Member # 300) on December 14, 2006, 04:15 PM:

Hi Ron - and welcome to the Forum.

Steve: about cleaning the heads too....

Paul has it spot-on. I too have an S810D. Super little machine. Actually, once you have done it, it's really not that difficult. I've done mine a few times and it becomes second nature - always bearing in mind that it is a delicate piece of electronic equipment and not to get to blasé about it.

If you don't have any alchohol - the cleaning variety I mean - (though I'm sure there is the consumable type around, particularly at this time of the year), cassette/tape head cleaning fluid with cotton buds or felt pads also works very well indeed. In fact this is what I use for both my projectors as well as for my reel-to-reel and cassette decks.

Cheers.

Dave.

[ December 15, 2006, 03:52 AM: Message edited by: David Pannell ]

Posted by Paul Adsett (Member # 25) on December 14, 2006, 04:54 PM:

No doubt about it, those Eumig 800's are great little machines, beautifully designed and built. They seem so relaxing to use as well, a lot less intense than running a GS1200. I have always thought that Eumig got their projector designs spot on for the average home user. They were a great company, and some of their designs, such as the 938/940 can only be called brilliant.

Posted by David Pannell (Member # 300) on December 15, 2006, 02:33 AM:

Say, Paul,

Do you reckon there's any merit in removing the control lever which selects between 400ft & 600ft take-up reels?

I keep my S810D in Standard 8 mode, and 90% of my Std 8 films have been re-spooled onto 600ft reels - for obvious reasons. Therefore I am almost always using 600ft take-up reels.

I realise it would make the machine non-standard, but you'd just have to swing the take-up arm to its full 600ft position.

I wondered why they put that 400ft stop there, unless it aids in the auto-threading, though I personally haven't had a problem with a 400ft spool in the 600ft position.

I'd welcome your comments.

Thanks,

Dave.

Posted by Paul Adsett (Member # 25) on December 15, 2006, 08:46 AM:

Hi David,
I feel the little 2-position latch on the Eumig 800 take up arm is reduntant. I always raise the arm to the 600ft position even if I am only using a 400ft take up reel. I can only assume that the lower position was there to facilitate 'automatic' threading onto the take-up spool, but this never works anyway, you always have to attach the film to the spool by hand.

Posted by David Pannell (Member # 300) on December 15, 2006, 09:59 AM:

Agreed!!

The 2-position latch lever and spring now successfully removed! Just drilled out the pivot rivet and lifted the lever and spring away. Retrieved the snap-ring from inside the machine - and "Bob's your uncle".

Now the bl***y thing doesn't keep getting in the way; as the spring always ensured it stayed in the 400ft position until you released it.

Dave.

Posted by Ron Seagold (Member # 740) on December 19, 2006, 06:23 AM:

Paul Adsett

quote:
No doubt about it, those Eumig 800's are great little machines, beautifully designed and built.

What is so good about these,they are poorly designed,flimsy,and not so reliable as Elmo,these are superb machines,easy to clean and maintain and run so sweetly.
I have a Eumig S810D the only reason I keep it is that it will play R8 sound sometimes, (when the crappy reduction drive does not slip).From an engineering point it is poor,but was probably adequate as a first.
Now does anybody know of another projector that will play reg 8 sound only?.

Posted by Paul Adsett (Member # 25) on December 19, 2006, 01:56 PM:

Hi Ron,
I think you are being a little harsh in your critique of Eumig's. Certainly I agree with you that they are not without problems, but neither are Elmo's - just look at the number of postings on problematic ST1200's and GS1200'S on this forum over the years.
In my opinion the Eumig 800's are very well designed and built machines. They utilise a heavy Aluminum die-cast chassis and all the components are very durable, with the exception of the sound heads which perhaps wear out a little too fast. Yes the ball-on-disc drive can sometimes give problems after many years of heavy running, but this is usually quite easy to correct. The Eumig 900's are not quite as solidly built, with more use of composite plastics to save weight (and cost) but they are solid enough to do the job, and the sound quality of the stereo versions is second to none.
No doubt about it, the Elmo ST1200 and GS1200 are top of the line machines with a more professional 16mm presence about them, but for home use a Eumig 938 or 940 might be the winner.

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on December 19, 2006, 02:13 PM:

My regular pair is an Elmo ST-800 and a Bolex SP-80 Special (Eumig 810D, Super-8 Only, Rebranded for Bolex)

They run neck and neck in a lot of ways, and use the same lamp. (Which I like: a spare for one is a spare for both)

They both seem kind to film.

The Elmo is bulkier.
The Eumig is "Hummier".
The Elmo uses readily available connectors for I/O (DINs are hard to find in the USA).
The Eumig runs quieter.

Basically a tie up to this point, what makes the Elmo my main projector is the ease of internal access and therefore cleaning the film path every time I use it is no big deal.

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