8mm Forum: Bolex M8 8mm 1950's Projectors?

This is topic Bolex M8 8mm 1950's Projectors? in forum 8mm Forum at 8mm Forum.

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Posted by Tom A. Pennock (Member # 202) on February 27, 2009, 01:39 AM:

I just bought a couple of these off e-bay. I just wondered how many other people have this Bolex model on here? I like this projector because of it's retro look. I probably will just display it and sometimes show the family home movies on it from the 1960's. I just had to have a couple of these. Can these be fixed easily? Or is service a problem?

Thank's for any and all information about these Bolex projectors. This really was the Rolls Royce of 8mm projectors in the 1950's.

Best, Tom

P.S. I did read that the earlier models had an olive green color to them. My units are both silver ones.

Posted by Claus Harding (Member # 702) on February 27, 2009, 11:43 AM:

Tom,

I have one of those in the (post '56) silver color. They are beautiful industrial designs as well as very well-built projectors. The motor is beefy and the overall feel is of great solidity.
This may be the website you have already seen, but here they show the serial numbers so you can see when yours were built:
http://www.bolexcollector.com/projectors/m8.html

The M8 has one feature you should know about so you don't think it's a defect:
If you run the variable speed control down to very low settings, the motor will start to run in a stuttering fashion to warn you to turn the speed up a bit as the cooling is getting insufficient. Just turn it up a bit and it runs normally again.

Rewind is a belt you sling around a capstan in front and around a pulley on the payout arm.

It is not a quiet projector; it sounds like a giant hairdryer, getting louder the faster it goes, but somehow with that machine, to me, it's just part of its charm.

The fixed lens with it is of good quality, but is not very wide to compensate for the less-than-enormous light output, so the picture won't be large. You should use this one in a completely darkened room for best results.

I don't know about repairs, but oiling points on the unit are clearly marked in red, so if you get the little oil pipette with one of the machines, it makes oiling simple.

Congratulations on getting a pair of fine M8s; let us know how they are when you get them.

Claus.

Posted by Barry Johnson (Member # 84) on February 28, 2009, 08:17 AM:

Fix them? They practically never go wrong as examples of the oldest M8R's are still operational-I keep bidding on them but always get outbid! One day perhaps one will be added to my collection.

Posted by Paul Adsett (Member # 25) on February 28, 2009, 03:54 PM:

Claus,
Thanks for that great Bolex link, I had no idea that web site existed and have spent the past 2 hours enjoying it. I really like the section on the Bolex advertisements, and I particular like this one! [Roll Eyes]

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