8mm Forum: Elmo ST1200 plays slow

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Posted by Miles Shephard (Member # 5938) on June 06, 2017, 12:22 AM:

Hi.

I'm new to this forum, but have always loved Super 8mm. A little bit about me - I'm originally from Yorkshire, but have lived/worked in LA now for 20 years. Started collecting Super 8mm features on eBay (never could afford them as a kid). Bought 2 Elmo ST1200's 13 years ago and they played beautifully for a long time.

7 years ago I took them both in to be serviced and have them looked at - because one just stopped playing altogether, the other ran very slowly. Picked them up and was told they were fine. Stupidly I never tried them out (got suddenly very busy at work and then forgot about them). Last year I unusually had time to play some movies for my family but sadly discovered that both Elmo's weren't 100%. One was playing about 10fps, the other slower till it eventually stopped.

I took them to another specialist in LA and this time I checked them out before I took them back. Though they appeared now to work fine it was obvious (when listening to the audio) that they were playing slightly slower than they should - just enough to make all the female voices sound like old men. Although the repairer tried to correct this he somehow couldn't (even after repeated returns to the store).

My question is this - is this something anyone has experienced with Elmo's before (BTW warming up makes no difference, the films all play a lot slower all the time).

Second question is can it be fixed?

Third question is do you know who could fix them in LA? Otherwise I'll have to buy another projector.

Thanks everyone and I look forward to hopefully some positive answers as I have some great movies I want to play this summer.

Posted by Dominique De Bast (Member # 3798) on June 06, 2017, 01:22 AM:

Welcome to this forum, Miles. I have several Elmo projectors, among them a ST 1200. It is the only Elmo machine with a "speed problem". It runs fine at 24 fps but will almost not move at 18 fps (so I never use it at that speed). Like yours projectors, my ST 1200 has been fixed but the repairman could not make it run at 18 fps. I don't know if it's a common problem with those Elmo models, all I can say is that I don't remember having read other complains about that.

Posted by Miles Shephard (Member # 5938) on June 06, 2017, 01:36 AM:

Thanks for that. So you're saying they're basically unfixable?

Does the ST1200HD or the GS1200 have similar issues?

Posted by Dominique De Bast (Member # 3798) on June 06, 2017, 01:48 AM:

I said mine was. At least for the 18 fps speed.

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on June 06, 2017, 02:48 AM:

Miles
An old posting with pictures may be of help regarding speed issues.
http://8mmforum.film-tech.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=006770

Posted by Dominique De Bast (Member # 3798) on June 06, 2017, 03:22 AM:

Interesting link, Maurice, regarding the heat shield. I was shown spare heat shields last week and they were all "cracked". I was said it's on purpose to avoid explosions. The man who showed me them said that many people come to him to replace the glass because they believe it's broken. I'm not 100 % it was Elmo because I was shown several projectors but there is a good chance it was that make as the man was currently working on a ST 180.

Posted by Miles Shephard (Member # 5938) on June 06, 2017, 04:02 AM:

Thanks for the post/link Maurice. I actually read it just prior to joining this group. Remember both my Elmo's run slow. And both were looked at by a Super 8 repairer here in LA. So not sure what the issue is.

Was thinking about taking to another guy - saw an add for Photo Center Inc
Marvin Meister
7961 Beverly Bl
Los Angeles, CA 90048

Haven't tried him yet. But thinking of. Just wanted to see if it was worth it or not.

Posted by Miles Shephard (Member # 5938) on June 06, 2017, 09:26 PM:

Still hoping anyone else in this group has any further insight into what this slow playing could be (on both my Elmo ST1200's)? bear in mind they were both fully serviced and "repaired."

And if it's something that's fixable.

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on June 06, 2017, 09:35 PM:

My best guess with the frame rate this slow is the rubber roller is barely touching the shutter wheel and there is some huge amount of slippage!

What happens if you grab the FPS lever and push it upward while in the 24FPS position? Does it then grab and run faster?

Posted by Miles Shephard (Member # 5938) on June 07, 2017, 12:34 AM:

I'll try that tomorrow. On both projectors.

Posted by Rob Young. (Member # 131) on June 07, 2017, 06:13 AM:

That glass is designed to be split. It does indeed prevents cracking when it heats up. On later models, Elmo stuck a notice on the lamp house explaining this, as many owners did indeed think it was broken. It isn't.

Miles, the ST100 is a very "mechanical" projector, unlike, say the GS1200, so in most cases, the problem will be fixable.

If you are confident, take the back cover off (two cross head screws) and have a look at the rubber drives. There is one for 18 fps and one for 24 fps. The speed lever on the back of the machine changes them over to press against the projectors round shutter.

See if the shutter is lined with rubber as was the case of later ST120HD machines, and check if the drives are engaging and aren't turning to goo.

Send us some pictures too.

I'm sure the experts here can help you.

Posted by Dominique De Bast (Member # 3798) on June 07, 2017, 07:03 AM:

Rob, thank you for having tranlated what I wrote in English [Smile]

Not easy at all to use always the proper terms in a foreign language...

Posted by Rob Young. (Member # 131) on June 07, 2017, 08:31 AM:

Dominique, I was simply adding to the fact that the lamp house glass glass is meant to be split.

I think that your posts are always very clear and helpful my friend.

Posted by Dominique De Bast (Member # 3798) on June 07, 2017, 11:56 AM:

Rob, it was not ironic. It happened several times before that members rephrased in correct English things I wrote. That's really appreciated as it is a big help to improve my English. I learned many things on this site, not only about cine [Smile]

Posted by Jim Schrader (Member # 9) on June 07, 2017, 01:38 PM:

Milles, look up elmorepair.com they maybe able to help fix your unit and there in California too.

Posted by Joseph Randall (Member # 4906) on June 07, 2017, 08:34 PM:

Miles,

I assume you have tried new belts?

Posted by Miles Shephard (Member # 5938) on June 07, 2017, 11:33 PM:

Both ST1200's came direct from a repair specialist I sent them to - fully cleaned, lubricated and fitted with new belts. He just couldn't get them to play at the correct speed.

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