8mm Forum: Super 8mm viewer, reel and spindle-size problem

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Topic: Super 8mm viewer, reel and spindle-size problem

Wayne Archer
Junior
Posts: 2
From: Rockport, TX, USA
Registered: Jul 2015

posted July 10, 2015 04:48 PM

I bought a Minisette viewer on eBay, hoping to view some old Super 8 films, but to my surprise found that the center hole on the film reels is too big to fit as it should on the spindle. The spindle rods on the viewer are about 1/4 inch in diameter, but the center hole on the film reels are about 1/2 inch in diameter. So that when I put a reel on the spindle, it fits so loosely that the reel doesn't turn when I turn the viewer handle. Everything else seems to be working fine.

I tried different ways of wrapping paper and tape on the spindle, so as to make it effectively bigger, so it would nicely fit the hole on the film reel, but all those efforts were unsuccessful.

I used to have a viewer a long time ago (as well as a Super 8mm projector), and don't remember ever having this problem.

Is there some kind of adapter (like there used to be for 45rpm vinyl records, to make them fit on the spindles made for 78 or 33rpm records)? ... Or does anyone have a suggestion as to how I can solve this problem and be able to view my films on that viewer?

Thanks!

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Janice Glesser
Film Goddess

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

posted July 10, 2015 05:02 PM

You viewer has a standard 8mm spindle and needs a super 8mm adapter or you need a standard 8mm adapter for your film reel.

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Janice

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

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Barry Fritz
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1061
From: Burnsville, MN, USA
Registered: Dec 2009

posted July 10, 2015 05:58 PM

Go to a hardware store and buy about a foot of 1/2 inch outside diameter clear plastic tube. Cut off a section of about a half inch long. Sand the outside of the tubing a little bit and slip it over the spindle it'll work fine.

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Clinton Hunt
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 845
From: Waharoa,North Island,New Zealand
Registered: May 2010

posted July 10, 2015 11:24 PM

As a newbie when I first came across this I tried to make it work! But it doesn't so you need to get the centre adapters or come up with a brilliant idea. [Smile]

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Cheers from me in New Zealand :-)

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Terry Sills
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1423
From: Weymouth,Dorset,England
Registered: Oct 2012

posted July 11, 2015 03:31 AM

Wayne
The early Minette editor/viewers were Standard 8 only, which it sounds like you have. I don't think it will be an easy task to covert/adapt for Super 8 unless you can pick up some Minette Super 8 spares from someone here on the Forum. Why not just keep it for Standard 8 film and look for a Super8 editor, or even better a dual guage one. Then at least you could sell the Minette.

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Thijs de Kort
Film Handler

Posts: 51
From: Tilburg, Netherlands
Registered: Jun 2015

posted July 13, 2015 02:05 AM

Hey Wayne,
If you are looking for a viewer you can try here
http://shop.van-eck.net/viewers/p-1a/ they are quite expensive but are always in perfect shape and form
Thijs

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Janice Glesser
Film Goddess

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

posted July 13, 2015 09:23 AM

Wayne, unless you can find an exact adapter to fit on your Minisette viewer.. I would just order some of these off ebay:

http://www.ebay .com/itm/6-x-Super-8-to-8-mm-Movie-Film-Reel-Adapter-for-Projector-fits-Dual-8-Regular-8-/251847482330?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3aa3479bda

--------------------
Janice

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

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Wayne Archer
Junior
Posts: 2
From: Rockport, TX, USA
Registered: Jul 2015

posted July 17, 2015 05:41 PM

Thank you so much, Janice Glesser. I just went to that eBay link and it looks like that's exactly what I need. I will order some!

Thank you to everyone else, too, for such good replies to my question. I really do appreciate all of them.

Thanks also, Terry Sills and Thijs de Kort for your info and suggestions.

Barry Fritz, I will try your method, too!

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Barry Fritz
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1061
From: Burnsville, MN, USA
Registered: Dec 2009

posted July 17, 2015 10:11 PM

Wayne, note that the adapters Janice recommended are intended to be inserted onto the film reels, they are not intended to be left on the viewer spindle.

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