8mm Forum: Elmo ST-800 feed problem

This is topic Elmo ST-800 feed problem in forum 8mm Forum at 8mm Forum.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
https://8mmforum.film-tech.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=008584

Posted by Jon Byler (Member # 3933) on September 22, 2013, 04:48 PM:

My Elmo ST-800 has developed a feed problem, where the pinch rollers are not being separated properly for the film to feed. I found someone on YouTube who had the same problem, video of which is here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URQzmN43_tQ

There are a number of follow up videos where she goes into more detail and comes up with a fix, but the fix doesn't seem to be addressing the problem, which is that the linkage isn't being push far enough. She ended up gluing some washers to the end of the linkage to allow it to open properly, which I suppose I could do, but I'd much rather get to the root of the problem.

Has anyone else experienced similar problems with their elmo super 8 projector? It was working fine yesterday, and today was not. There are no parts rattling around in the case, so I imagine it is something to do with lube or maybe something got bent? A bent piece seems far fetched as I haven't been applying any sort of force to the control knob, and nothing has been dropped.

Here's a link to the video of the temporary fix before she put the washers on:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtqgLzmOjBw&feature=relmfu

Posted by Pasquale DAlessio (Member # 2052) on September 22, 2013, 05:50 PM:

Well done! I fixed one a while back that had the same problem.

Posted by Janice Glesser (Member # 2758) on September 22, 2013, 06:12 PM:

Hi Jon...that was my video you are referring to. Here is a link to the original thread here in the forum detailing the problem I had with my ST-800.

http://8mmforum.film-tech.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=006833

If your projector has been working ok up until now...it's possible... but seems highly improbable that it would have the same problem as mine. If you read through the thread you will see that the fix I opted for was a work-a-round. The alternative would have involved extensive disassembly and I was not willing to venture in that direction.

Just a thought...In your case it could be the leader causing the issue. Elmos are very finicky and prefer original film leaders.

If that's not the case...then you may have to open the back and observe the mechanism as I did.

Posted by Jon Byler (Member # 3933) on September 23, 2013, 12:01 AM:

Hi Janice,

I ended up managing to solve my problem, in great measure due to your videos. I was going to post a picture, but I'm not sure how to do that from my phone, so that will have to wait. Funnily enough, based on some other stuff I had read of yours re: lamp replacement, I had a good guess that it was your video, as most people don't have it in them to just dive right in and try to fix stuff like that. Keep that up! I hope you have passed that spirit on to others, it is all too rare, and extremely important.

What happened on mine is that the end of the control bar somehow ended up on wrong side of the little pivot arm that you had to glue the washers to. So basically the control lever from the main operation switch was pushing against nothing back there behind the flywheel. I took of the pivoting arm and put it back in the right place, and everything worked as it should. And amazingly enough, I didn't loose any parts, nor have too many screws once I was done putting it all back together [Smile]

I still can't figure out how this happened, and or that it worked for the 5-10 times that I ran films through the projector.

All's well that ends well, I suppose! And after that success I also managed to make my AL-16 run properly too - mostly a matter of not RTFM... Go figure. All in all a good night with more projectors running than when I started [Smile]

Posted by Janice Glesser (Member # 2758) on September 23, 2013, 12:33 AM:

Outstanding Jon!!! It is mysterious how the pivot arm got out of position...but luckily it was an easy fix. So glad the videos helped. My problem had a much more serious origin and film still at times needs to be feed by hand....but I really like the ST-800 and am willing to baby it.

UBB.classic^TM 6.3.1.2