8mm Forum: Bell and Howell 33ST

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Posted by Peter Gilabert (Member # 5948) on June 26, 2017, 09:37 AM:

Hi,
Some of you may remember me as the lead role in the post "Broke Sankyo 500".

A sad tale with a heart-wrenching ending.

After scouring the local ads, I picked up this little guy for cheap ($40!), an apparently well-cared for B & H 33ST:

I've fired her up and she sounds and looks good. I've already checked out the pros and cons of this model here. Soon as my first flick arrives, I'll know for sure.
Guess i should upload the manual when i get a chance, or if anyone needs one, let me know.

Suck it, Sankyo!
#nothingpersonalagainstsankyo

Posted by Janice Glesser (Member # 2758) on June 26, 2017, 12:34 PM:

Great little projector Peter. Probably the most quiet one out there. This was the first model projector I bought at a thrift store in Jackson, CA. This started my projector collecting hobby.If you read threads on this projector you probably read mine about the startup problem http://8mmforum.film-tech.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=006891. The repair I posted has definitely held up. I've had other 33ST projectors...one did have the same problem with the take-up reel not spinning up. Lubricating it was the solution.

Posted by Peter Gilabert (Member # 5948) on June 29, 2017, 10:38 PM:

Well I guess I jinxed myself 'cause the take up reel doesn't turn! As a matter of fact, no sound from the motor when it's in reverse at all.

Perhaps this is the same problem You had Janice. Sounds like it.

Plus the sound stopped working on the second time! I checked with earphones and that's good so maybe just a speaker connection or something?

I think I can fix it but-

Curses!

Posted by Peter Gilabert (Member # 5948) on June 30, 2017, 09:52 PM:

Janice,
I think I may actually have the same problem you had.

The little belt in the middle of this pic just sits there, not moving, while everything else tries... except the take up gears (worm and other one it turns), which don't budge at all!

I can't seem to jiggle that worm gear to get it going though, or the gear it turns. I wonder if they're kinda dried up inside like the problem you had?
(although yours turned when you touched it)

Anyway, I gotta figure out how to get it to nudge. You took yours out and put oil around the actual shaft, where the worm gear wraps around?

It doen't make a peep when I put everything in reverse, which is pretty depressing, you'd think I'd at least hear the sound of the motor trying to do something, even if the take up gear was stuck (?)

Of course, at least when I turn the shutter by hand, everything moves (except of course the stuck take up gears)

Guess I should at least try your oiling method.

Posted by Peter Gilabert (Member # 5948) on July 02, 2017, 10:08 AM:

Well,
I got it going after all!

Thanks to some help from Janice, I took the worm take up gear apart and oiled it inside (getting that c clamp back on was an adventure) and it did feel somewhat smoother...

It was still all slipping (the small belt), so I could tell I didn't have enough tension.
Went to a plumbers supply and got some smaller o rings, tried one that was just right (no one knew the sizes) and voila! everything moved!

I still don't have any reverse power but I realized if I switch reels when they've played out and just rewind by using the forward switch, I'm good to go!

It's not as magenta-esque as this looks in reality, and I did tape some blue gel I had laying around in front of the lens which helped with the color.
Guess I should try some cyan (?) colored gel...

Posted by Janice Glesser (Member # 2758) on July 02, 2017, 10:45 AM:

Peter congratulations on getting it going again. Since yours is the third Bell & Howell 33 ST that I have seen with this problem, it looks like this is common with this model.

Posted by Peter Gilabert (Member # 5948) on June 28, 2018, 02:48 PM:

Well that little pesky worm gear started seizing up again.
This time I took it if it’s spindle, greased the spindle, then realized it still was not smooth, so I realized near the end of the rod, metal meets metal and that’s where it likes to stick. So some oil did the trick and now it revolves without the belt having to be crazy tight.
These are cool little projectors when they’re happy.

Posted by Maurizio Di Cintio (Member # 144) on June 29, 2018, 02:17 PM:

This was actually manufactured by Yamawa Electric Company and represents the very last line of entry level projectors the Japanese company were able to market either under their own brand name (Yelco) or under the Bell & Howell and Noris brands (Noris closed their factory for good in mid 1980 but continued to market rebadged projectors until later in the 1980s).

Prior to introduction of this model, Bell & Howell used to re-brand Sankyo machines, albeit with slightly different cabinet (perhaps more stylish?), but Sankyo withdrew from the S/8 market about the end of 1982, so B&H had to find a different source. The model No. from Yelco is 710. This line of projectors feature a compact body with a very efficient transport mechanism; everything looks like it's been downsized but performance is certainly up to expectations. A 100 W halogen lamp with dichroic mirror and a reasonably sharp, 1.3 lens complement these machines. Yelco also had a logic-control version to this model in its range, i.e. model 720 featuring feather touch buttons (no rotary control at all) and some automatic facilities similar to those seen on some later Bauer and Silma machines (T 430 Servo, Memory 90...), but unlike the German-Italian machines, model 720 was thought of as a logic control machine from scratch, whereas the push-button controls in the above mentioned models of the Bosch Group range were an afterthought: a servomotor turns the innards of what was linked to the main rotary selector knob in previous models according to the function requested via push buttons. The circuitry in the Yelco 720, on the contrary, activates various solenoids placed strategically with no servo-motors.

Posted by Peter Gilabert (Member # 5948) on June 29, 2018, 02:52 PM:

Very interesting info there for the background enthusiast.
It’s been eating film again though; so I’m putting it aside while I buy some leader.
It seems awful finicky about have by the film in perfect condition to get it through the channel correctly.
I realize I need to trim it correctly and I suppose not press on the loop former too long, etc.
I’m spoiled by my slot loading 16mm machine. Super 8 seems like a piece of wire after one is used to a larger format.

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on June 30, 2018, 01:37 AM:

Peter
Your comment about "like a piece of wire" reminded me that many years ago a home movie journalist in the UK refereed to 8mm as "the boot-lace gauge". [Smile]

Posted by Maurizio Di Cintio (Member # 144) on June 30, 2018, 05:11 AM:

Strange: there used to be a column in the UK "Movie Maker" magazine, entitled "Boot Lace Cinema". BTW several contributirs to that magazine would be designated with a "FACI" next to their names in the mag credits; what does it mean?

Posted by Peter Gilabert (Member # 5948) on June 30, 2018, 07:10 AM:

FACI in this case I’ll guess refers to “facilitator” and “Boot Lace Cinema” more likely in this case a DIY reference to pulling yourself up by your own boot straps(?) and making your own films (something I’ve been trying to do!).

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on June 30, 2018, 08:40 AM:

Yes, Maurizio, that's what I was referring to. Bill Davison's film reviews in Movie Maker magazine.
FACI is "Fellow of the Institute of Amateur Cinematographers".

Posted by Maurizio Di Cintio (Member # 144) on June 30, 2018, 12:49 PM:

So now I am a FACI too: I subscribed a few days ago, after learning about them from that very magazine. When I first read about that Institute, I wanted to check whether they were still in operation and they are!

(sorry for hijacking this post [Roll Eyes]

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