Author
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Topic: Guide Wear:Elmo ST-1200HD!
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Steve Klare
Film Guy
Posts: 7016
From: Long Island, NY, USA
Registered: Jun 2003
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posted September 08, 2016 10:33 AM
So the day has come!
After years of watching for wear on my ST-1200HD, the day has finally arrived. It's kind of like that first gray hair or the day you find a little dent in your "new" car.
-You knew it was coming, but it's still a pain!
Based on what I've read here over the years I've been watching the classic wear spots on my machines and looking for trouble.
One of the things I do at least monthly on my Elmos is force the guide sprung against the bottom sprocket downward and shine a flashlight in there looking for flats worn into the little ridge in front of the roller.
I found a small one the other day. I immediately re-ran the last print projected on this machine and found no damage, so I've caught it in time. This machine is now on injured reserve, but I need it back soon. It's my only twin track machine, and my only 1200 foot capable machine as well.
-Now what?!
I looked at my spare parts machine: that guide is worn even worse!
I'm working on finding a replacement guide in new condition, and not having tremendous luck. I haven't given up, but all the usual suspects have done their best without that "A-hah!" moment, at least so far.
-I need a plan "B". (-or would that be "C"?)
It seems to me if the problem is a tiny bit of material has been worn away, one answer should be to add a tiny bit of material back. If a year or five down the road I need to repeat this, so be it.
Has anybody ever tried applying a dot of epoxy to one of these wear spots and smoothing it to shape?
-------------------- All I ask is a wide screen and a projector to light her by...
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Steve Klare
Film Guy
Posts: 7016
From: Long Island, NY, USA
Registered: Jun 2003
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posted September 08, 2016 10:52 AM
I think a 3D printed guide is the real answer here, and given the need, I think we will see it sooner or later.
-maybe all I'm looking for is a kludge to keep me in business until then.
Leon was my first stop: he did his best, and I bet he once had them by the ton, but not anymore.
Steve Osborne also tried.
-so how about that epoxy?
I thought about taking the worst guide I have and applying a roller there, but Leon thought it would be hard to get the geometry exactly right. (This is plan "D"!)
I guess if I was designing a machine in the 1970s and we figured out a certain part I designed was going to wear out 40 years later, I'd feel pretty proud of myself!
"2016?!! People will be buying our NEW machines years before then!"
ELMO XP-1200: Introduced 2011. Mag/Optical/Dolby digital sound capable, Wifi and USB control, Ultra low hum power system, LED lighting with color compensation. (-Easy financing available!)
-------------------- All I ask is a wide screen and a projector to light her by...
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