8mm Forum: Please help my ST-1200 has started jumping when it hits a splice

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Posted by Jason Clark (Member # 1064) on April 10, 2008, 03:28 PM:

Just the other day my Elmo ST-1200 started jumping when it hits a splice. Ive watched some of these films several times and have not had this problem before. Does anyone know what might be causing this or how I can fix it.
Thanks for your help,
Jason

Posted by Joerg Polzfusz (Member # 602) on April 11, 2008, 06:29 AM:

Hi,

just a wild guess: Is the pressure plate at the filmgate (between lamp and lens) in the correct position and does it work as expected?

Jörg

Posted by Jason Clark (Member # 1064) on April 11, 2008, 09:24 AM:

Im sorry im really new at all of this, im not sure how to tell if its working properly or in the right position. How can I tell and how would I adjust it?

Thnaks
Jason

Posted by Jim Schrader (Member # 9) on April 11, 2008, 09:44 AM:

Hello I have a few questions for you, are they tape or cement? is it doing at all splices or certain ones? did you make them? or someone else? some things you can try keep track of the ones that give you problems, place them in a good quality splicer and see if the sprocket holes line up with the splicers sprocket dimples if the splice makes a small bridge and does not lay flat you will have to redo it. good luck

Posted by Jason Clark (Member # 1064) on April 11, 2008, 01:31 PM:

All of the splices are tape and it only does it at certain ones. These are splices that ive done myself that had been running fine a couple of weeks ago. Its like the projector is getting more sensitive to them, could something be getting loose?

Posted by Joe Taffis (Member # 4) on April 11, 2008, 02:41 PM:

Jason, what kind of tape splices are you making, and what kind of splicer are you using? Ciro, Quik Splice?

Posted by Dan Lail (Member # 18) on April 11, 2008, 03:09 PM:

Jason, run one of the films with the jumpy splice. When the first jumpy splices passes through stop the projector and pull enough film off the takeup reel to find the jumpy splice. Using a dental pick or very small sharp pick punch through the perforations where the splice is and then rerun the film to see if it still jumps.

When splicing I always push the spliced film onto the little metal prongs on the splicer to make sure the perf holes are open.

Also keep the film path and record heads clean. I use Filmguard beacause it cleans and lubricates.

Posted by Jason Clark (Member # 1064) on April 18, 2008, 11:49 AM:

Things have been crazy around here. It took me forever to get around to checking the splices but I finally did. A couple of the splices were a little off so I fixed them and it helped a bit but it didnt solve the problem. All of the sprocket holes looked fine and no tape was hanging over the side. Im using a kodak splicer with kodak splice tape. Is there some adjustment I can make that will just make it a little less sensitive?
Thanks,
Jason

Posted by John Whittle (Member # 22) on April 18, 2008, 05:53 PM:

If the splices are good, then you need to check the mechanism. Check the gate and claw protrusion. If there is a manual advance see how many pieces of film the claw will pull thru the gate. In the manual advance mode, the Eiki 16mm projector claw should clear 6 pieces of film (.30). Of course it doesn't go that deep at speed but that's the manual advance spec. If the gate isn't seated properly then the film is too far from the claw and when you get to a splice it might "miss". So check you last few maintenance steps and if you cleaned the gate make sure the parts are all back where they belong.

John

Posted by Kevin Faulkner (Member # 6) on April 18, 2008, 06:14 PM:

Joerg and Johns suggestions are good places to start. If you open the gate does the pressure plate move in and out freely. Its sprung and should move in and out smoothly. Also is it fixed top and bottom properly. I have seen an Elmo where one of the 2 securing screws and its associated spring had disappeared.

When the claw comes out to engage the sprocket to pull the film down it should protrude by 1mm through the film gate.

Kev.

Posted by Roy Neil (Member # 913) on April 18, 2008, 07:57 PM:

I use FilmGuard to lubricate my prints.

I also use it clean the film path after each reel.

If I was to guess Id say the side guides in the gate are dirty and need a good scrubbing.

The entire film path can get very dirty with Super 8 due to the magnetic striping; it often leaves residue behind especially in the gate and soundhead areas.

Alcohol will work as well if you do not have FilmGuard, I would avoid FilmRenew as it can damage plastics.

Posted by Kevin Faulkner (Member # 6) on April 19, 2008, 06:24 AM:

Roy, That is also a good suggestion and one I had forgotten about. If there is a build up of oxide on the edge guides the splice could catch momentarily on it's way through the gate.

Isopropyl Alcohol is also very good for cleaning the entire film path and is what I have been using for years. Also sold as tape head cleaner.

Kev.

Posted by Jason Clark (Member # 1064) on April 21, 2008, 03:28 PM:

Well I give it a good cleaning and took a look at the gate and claw. As far as I can tell everything is just fine which seems to bring me back to the splices. I started a film and waited until the splice was in the gate, stopped the projector, and pulled the lens back. When I looked at the film the splice wasnt laying flat, maybe I just have a bad splicer because I dont know how I could splice it any differently. I also noticed a frame of film was creased causing it to start jumping. Is it normal for the projector to be that sensitive?
Thanks,
Jason

Posted by Chip Gelmini (Member # 44) on April 21, 2008, 04:31 PM:

A good splice never separates from the butt line...where the two frames come together. Really good pro splicers will allow slight overlapping to prevent this. My theory is the films are pulling apart throwing off alignment of sprockets......I have ST1200HD machines and the Ciro super 8 M-3Special splicer and I never have this problem.

CG

Posted by Dan Lail (Member # 18) on April 21, 2008, 04:33 PM:

Jason, try Roy's suggestion by putting the film on rewinds and spraying Film Guard onto a soft cotton cloth(old tee-shirt?) and holding the dampened cloth around the film with light pressure and rewinding it. Be sure and check the cloth every few hundred feet for dirt and turning the cloth over to a clean side. Then run the film throught the projector. This will work wonders and improve the picture with a wet gate look.

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