8mm Forum: Elmo TRV-S8 questions

This is topic Elmo TRV-S8 questions in forum 8mm Forum at 8mm Forum.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
https://8mmforum.film-tech.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=012909

Posted by Arno Featherstone (Member # 6953) on April 20, 2019, 12:28 PM:

I just acquired this projector, it's perfect for my transfer work. It was working fine, i had a big job of about 100 rolls of super 8, some with sound. Then, all of a sudden, the image is not flowing but kinda jagged and stuttery and the audio isn't performing...belts look good, it looks fairly greased inside, what causes that? I'm new to this equipment and this forum and trying to troubleshoot. Thanks! [Confused]

Posted by Shane C. Collins (Member # 5641) on April 20, 2019, 02:10 PM:

I would check to see if there is a piece of old film stuck some where in the film path of the projector. Also you may want to clean the film path. There could be build-up from old emulsion. If you ran that many films through the projector, and didn't clean the film path, this will cause the film to jitter, and not run smoothly.

Posted by John Keleshian (Member # 6951) on April 20, 2019, 04:48 PM:

Is the image steady could have claw issues I have serviced 100's of Elmo TRV machines Check claw protrusion or look at the lower claw tip see if there is a tiny notch worn in the claw tip if there is a notch worn it it then when the claw retracts back into the machine the film gets stuck in that notch for a split second and makes the image jumpy

Posted by Arno Featherstone (Member # 6953) on April 21, 2019, 09:44 AM:

Thanks! Both great suggestions but leave me asking more questions. I don't see any piece of stuck film bit and I've never cleaned before....is it just a swab with alcohol like audio heads?
And here is what i found as a "claw" but i can't actually find it on the projector to check it out...

Posted by Arno Featherstone (Member # 6953) on April 21, 2019, 09:52 AM:

Thanks! Both great suggestions but leave me asking more questions. I don't see any piece of stuck film bit and I've never cleaned before....is it just a swab with alcohol like audio heads?
And here is what i found as a "claw" but i can't actually find it on the projector to check it out...

Posted by Shane C. Collins (Member # 5641) on April 21, 2019, 09:57 PM:

If you've never cleaned the film path, than this is probably what's causing your problems with the film transporting correctly. Yes a cotton swab and some alcohol will work just fine.

Posted by Arno Featherstone (Member # 6953) on April 21, 2019, 10:11 PM:

Thanks! Both great suggestions but leave me asking more questions. I don't see any piece of stuck film bit and I've never cleaned before....is it just a swab with alcohol like audio heads?
And here is what i found as a "claw" but i can't actually find it on the projector to check it out...

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on April 22, 2019, 02:56 AM:

Arno

Pull down the side cover, and then pull the lens assembly towards you.

The gate will now be revealed. On the part attached to the projector you will see a chromed channel in which the film lies. There are two apertures, one is rectangular for the film to be projected.

The other aperture is a vertical slot. This is where the claw is. It pulls down the film at regular intervals (depending on the projector speed) and stops to allow the frame of film to be projected.

It is not easy to get to. I clean my projector gates with an old toothbrush.

Good luck.

Posted by John Keleshian (Member # 6951) on April 22, 2019, 09:07 AM:

swing the lens carrier open and turn the machine by hand the claw tip goes in and out of the sprocket holes in the film is the film loading correctly do you have a upper and lower loop, that is the claw in the photo you can put a scrap piece of film in the gate and turn the shutter by hand and look at the claw operation to see if it is going in and out properly you should have no more than 1mm or .039 petrusion if you have more than that you need to adjust the claw on the TRV machines the nylon claw pin wears out over time and then you have to much claw petrusion

Posted by Arno Featherstone (Member # 6953) on April 22, 2019, 09:30 AM:

great suggestions...this will expose me as a true greenhorn but i don't see how to manually turn the gears, they are locked in place, and i don't see how to operate on the claw to make the adjustment. i was able to clean pathways that i could access and i believe i spotted the audio heads which probably were never cleaned

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on April 22, 2019, 09:58 AM:

Arno
You can turn the mechanism by hand by removing the back (take care of the speaker lead) and pulling gently on the drive belt.
https://www.van-eck.net/img/itable/images/film_52_TRV-S8_1450362358284.jpg
The audio heads are 18 frames away from the picture head. On the following pic they are at 45 degrees to the right of the white knurled knob.
https://www.van-eck.net/img/itable/images/film_52_TRV-S8_1450362350584.jpg

Posted by Arno Featherstone (Member # 6953) on April 22, 2019, 10:08 AM:

great suggestions...this will expose me as a true greenhorn but i don't see how to manually turn the gears, they are locked in place, and i don't see how to operate on the claw to make the adjustment. i was able to clean pathways that i could access and i believe i spotted the audio heads which probably were never cleaned

Posted by Arno Featherstone (Member # 6953) on April 22, 2019, 02:09 PM:

Thanks everybody....the winner is: a good cleaning! even the audio is improved...

Posted by Jim Schrader (Member # 9) on April 22, 2019, 02:20 PM:

on the other hand my sound sounds warped John Keleshian can this be from the speed pot going bad?

Posted by Shane C. Collins (Member # 5641) on April 22, 2019, 04:24 PM:

Arno glad to hear it's working 100% again! I figured a good cleaning would do the trick! In your follow-up post you had said that you hadn't cleaned the machine. I'm assuming you used a cotton swab? Could you see the crud after scrubbing? The other thing to remember is too much build up can scratch your film, which of course is not ideal.

Posted by Arno Featherstone (Member # 6953) on April 29, 2019, 10:29 PM:

OK...after the cleaning the film path, the audio head, everything worked for a few reels, then this scrapy sound, not pulling thru properly, i took the back cover off - there is a lot of debris with the grease and the belts probably could do with replacing, i don't know how much play there should be in them...i did notice on the inside back cover some gritty black residue like something is grinding. this is a new feature.

UBB.classic^TM 6.3.1.2