8mm Forum: Cleaning film gate

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Topic: Cleaning film gate

Albert Jacobs
Junior
Posts: 5
From: Silver Spring, MD, USA
Registered: Jul 2014

posted July 30, 2014 09:36 AM

I have a Chinon 4000GL which has automatic loading. There seems to be no access to the film gate without taking it all apart. Is there a special way to clean the dust out of the gate? I have tried a heavy blower with minimum success. Is there a film that can be run through the gate to clean out the dirt like a head cleaner on VHS?

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I have no idea what you are talking about. I am just interested in getting information about 8mm film and what others are doing. Have no idea what ICQ ID or AIM ID are. If this not good enough, then......

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Janice Glesser
Film Goddess

Posts: 3468
From: Sunnyvale, CA USA
Registered: Sep 2011

posted July 30, 2014 10:42 AM

Welcome to the forum Albert. When I have trouble getting to the gate...I remove the lens. Then I place a small piece of clean cloth (I like to use cut up pieces of old t-shirts) and wrap it around the end of a long wooden skewer. I spray the cloth with alcohol then feed it in through the lens holder into the frame opening on the gate. If it's really dirty you might also have to remove the lamp and clean it out from the other side too. Replace the lens and lamp and you're set to go.

[ July 31, 2014, 10:00 AM: Message edited by: Janice Glesser ]

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Janice

"I'm having a very good day!"
Richard Dreyfuss - Let It Ride (1989).

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Albert Jacobs
Junior
Posts: 5
From: Silver Spring, MD, USA
Registered: Jul 2014

posted August 01, 2014 02:23 PM

Thanks Jannice I certainly will try that. It sounds like a wonderful idea, wonder why I didn't think of that. I guess that's what the Forum is all about.

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I have no idea what you are talking about. I am just interested in getting information about 8mm film and what others are doing. Have no idea what ICQ ID or AIM ID are. If this not good enough, then......

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Jim Schrader
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1628
From: Savage, MN, USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted August 01, 2014 05:13 PM

or try a can of compressed air a couple of blasts should remove any stubborn fluffs. [Smile]

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jim schrader
"Let's see “do I have that title already?"

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Paul Adsett
Film God

Posts: 5003
From: USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted August 01, 2014 07:57 PM

or better, do both. Clean and polish the gate with a cotton swab and furniture polish, then blow out any remaining lint or dust with the compressed air spray.

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The best of all worlds- 8mm, super 8mm, 9.5mm, and HD Digital Projection,
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Janice Glesser
Film Goddess

Posts: 3468
From: Sunnyvale, CA USA
Registered: Sep 2011

posted August 01, 2014 08:04 PM

Paul, for me cotton swabs tend to fray and pieces of cotton get stuck between the metal forming the frame opening. Maybe using the furniture polish prevents this.

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Janice

"I'm having a very good day!"
Richard Dreyfuss - Let It Ride (1989).

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Paul Adsett
Film God

Posts: 5003
From: USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted August 01, 2014 10:48 PM

Janice, I don't use actual cotton swabs like Q-TIPS. Instead I use cosmetic apliques, which are similar, but have a flat and pointed end, and do not seem to fray nearly as much.

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The best of all worlds- 8mm, super 8mm, 9.5mm, and HD Digital Projection,
Elmo GS1200 f1.0 2-blade
Eumig S938 Stereo f1.0 Ektar
Panasonic PT-AE4000U digital pj

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Janice Glesser
Film Goddess

Posts: 3468
From: Sunnyvale, CA USA
Registered: Sep 2011

posted August 01, 2014 10:58 PM

Thanks for the clarification Paul. I'm not sure I've seen those...how about a pic [Smile]

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Janice

"I'm having a very good day!"
Richard Dreyfuss - Let It Ride (1989).

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Paul Adsett
Film God

Posts: 5003
From: USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted August 04, 2014 06:47 PM

Here is a picture of the Cosmetic Applique that I use for film gate and film path cleaning. It is NOT a Q-tip. As you can see one end is pointed and the other end is flat. The flat end is great for cleaning flat surfaces and sound heads, and the pointed end is great for getting into corners and crevices. I usually dampen both ends with Pledge or Favour furniture polish.
The cotton is much more dense than a Q-tip and frays very little, although I still blast the gate with air after wiping it.
These are sold at the cosmetic counter at PUBLIX, about $1.50 for a packet of 100.
I guess they are used by ladies such as Janice to apply eyebrow and other types of makeup.

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The best of all worlds- 8mm, super 8mm, 9.5mm, and HD Digital Projection,
Elmo GS1200 f1.0 2-blade
Eumig S938 Stereo f1.0 Ektar
Panasonic PT-AE4000U digital pj

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