8mm Forum: Places to get projectors repaired

This is topic Places to get projectors repaired in forum 8mm Forum at 8mm Forum.

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Posted by Joe Maiolo (Member # 3571) on March 04, 2013, 08:51 PM:

Hello all you film masters/gods (or whatever). My name is Joe, I live in the upper part of the lower peninsula of Michigan in the great north woods and I am new to 8mm forum. I'm what you would call a film-rank amateur, because I know absolutely nothing about films or projectors. When I was a young man I worked with my Dad who, back in the 70's, managed a movie house. He used to sell the tickets and I was the guy who stood by the metal stand with a hole in the top, where I would deposit the ticket after I had torn it in half. A person would buy a ticket off my Dad at the box office and come into the theatre where I was standing and hand me the full ticket. I would then palm the full ticket and give the customer a half a ticket that had been sold at some previous date. Then my Dad would take those whole tickets that I had palmed and sell them again and pocket the dough. My cut was an "attaboy" and maybe a free box of popcorn if the film had sold alot of tickets that night. I remember I was my old man's pride and joy when "The Godfather" and "Billy Jack" were playing. My father was a flim flam man extraordinare. I enjoyed sitting up in the projection booth and watching this guy named Leo work the projectors. He was a heavyset guy with eyeglasses and he would eat a bucket of heavily buttered and salted popcorn every night, which he would wash down with a coke in a cup that he brought from his house. A huge cup about the size of a small bucket. His chin was always greasy and his shirt was always stained. He loved to talk about comic books and movies, especially espionage movies, but he never talked about broads. He was one of those guys who collected things and never got laid. You know the type. He would sit and wait for the projector bell to go off and then switch on the second projector to continue the movie. Once in a while he let me work the projectors. It's these fond memories that has led me to purchase a projector off of eBay. Well, I ended up getting flim flammed. I bought an Elmo SC-18 HiVision projector on eBay that was supposed to be in "great working condition." I paid $199.00 for it plus $33.00 to ship (what that a good price, or did I pay too much?). When I received it the bulb came on and the motor ran but nothing else happened, other than this horrible smell that emanated from the top vent of the projector. I took off the back of it and saw that the belts had turned to mush around the sprockets and were scattered throughout the projector. The horrible smell was pieces of the rubber belt that had landed on the motor and melted from the heat. After three hours of cleaning the projector I put it away and I am now waiting on the two belts to arrive from California. Anyways, in case the replacing of the belts doesn't fix the projector entirely, does anybody know of a place where I could send it to get fixed? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Posted by Adam McCreath (Member # 3500) on March 05, 2013, 05:56 AM:

Hi Joe; I am just a rookie/novice but wanted to mention that just about every projector I've got my hands on has been in the same condition as the one you recevied. Just in the last month I think I've collected 3 projectors and every one of them had rotten, disintegrated, mushy, belts; 2 out of the 3 are now running fine after the belt changes (and I just haven't gotten to the 3rd one yet but I'm sure it will also be good to go with a belt change).

If the motor comes and on the fan spins and you have a functioning lamp; chances are once you install a new drive belt your projector will probably work just fine.

If the motor does not run than you have another probelm entierly.

Posted by Jon Addams (Member # 816) on March 05, 2013, 12:30 PM:

Welcome to the forum Joe, lots of good information here.

On another topic, you may want to consider breaking your posts into more readable paragraphs. Most people will bypass postings without breaks. They are, at least for me, very difficult to read.

Again, welcome to the forum

Jon

Posted by Jim Schrader (Member # 9) on March 05, 2013, 07:37 PM:

Hello Joe and welcome I would like to mention a service center for projectors in your backyard Michigan
Rence Camera Service & General Repair
26517 Little Mack Ave
Saint Clair Shores, MI 48081

(586) 772-8344
ask for jerry he fixed my ST1200HD elmo and did a wondeful job and it did not break my account

Posted by James Romero (Member # 2181) on March 07, 2013, 10:17 AM:

I would also like to add for everyone out there who may have a projector that needs repair ... that The Film Forever Company has qualified techs who can repair most models of Eumig, Elmo and Bell & Howell projectors both 8mm and 16mm. For instructions and authorization to ship, please write us at thefilmforevercompany@gmail.com

Posted by Pasquale DAlessio (Member # 2052) on March 07, 2013, 10:20 AM:

JOE

WELCOME TO THE FORUM!!!! [Eek!]

PATD

Posted by Barry Fritz (Member # 1865) on March 07, 2013, 11:21 AM:

Anytime you get a used projector it is a good idea to take the back off and do a visual check at the minimum before you power it up. If it has rubber drive belts, put a little pressure on them with your finger to see if the hold up. If they feel mushy, cut them and remove. It will save you a messy clean up

Posted by Bryan Chernick (Member # 1998) on March 07, 2013, 12:12 PM:

Welcome to the forum Joe, great story. When I first got my Elmo it ran great, for a less than a minute, then the belts disintegrated. After replacing the belts it runs great again.

Posted by Joe Maiolo (Member # 3571) on March 10, 2013, 09:56 PM:

I appreciate everyone who welcomed me to the forum. I bought new belts for the Elmo SC18 and it's running beautifully. I bought two b/w fight films (Marciano and Joe Louis) and a b/w film of "Public Enemy" with James Cagney. So now I'm looking for a color film with sound so I can check the audio. I found a great place to buy super 8mm films on the German version of eBay but the shipping is pretty high. Thanks again for making me feel welcome. You guys don't know how much I rely on your posts. I've learned alot.

Posted by Chris Bankston (Member # 3586) on March 10, 2013, 10:42 PM:

from one newbie to another Welcome to the club.

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