It appears older by some years compared to my SSLs, especially when you look at that crackle-finish paint. The Eiki logo is nice and vintage-looking; the first time I have seen one of those, not that I am an expert...
Let's hear from others, Claus.
-------------------- "Why are there shots of deserts in a scene that's supposed to take place in Belgium during the winter?" (Review of 'Battle of the Bulge'.)
Posts: 723
From: Christchurch, New Zealand
Registered: Jul 2006
posted November 15, 2008 01:30 AM
I have one of those, there mere many like that down here from the 1970s till the black slotload ones came out in the 80s. They were a manual thread but also you could push a button and some black plastic 'bits' came out of the casing to make it an auto thread, worked ok but was a bit hard on any ruff film. they also had a nice cinemascope lens holder that could swing out of the way without having to remove the lens. Also seen them as a mag/opt sound machine with extension arms to take 6000ft reels. Patrick
-------------------- "Raise The Titanic!", It would of been cheaper to lower the Atlantic!
Posts: 1236
From: Dunstable ,Bedfordshire.
Registered: Jan 2005
posted November 15, 2008 05:46 AM
Hi Eric,i've had two of these machines in the past and both were easy to use and trouble free.They were a manual load and the auto load versions,pretty quiet with good optical sound.The link Mike put up states it had the 250w lamp in but i think they had the 200w originally and the later RM models are 250w.I now run two RM Elf/Eiki machines and they are very similar and would run the earlier ST/m models again no problem ...Mark.
Posts: 791
From: Northridge, CA USA
Registered: Jun 2003
posted November 15, 2008 10:05 AM
This is the ST series (the first self threader was the S series but it didn't work and was quickly replaced by the ST).
A few things about this machine. 1. Motor belt is missing. This leads me to think that the arm belts are probably gone as well. These early polyurtheane belts all turned to goo in the 1970s. Do not replace with rubber. They dive into these pulleys and jam the projector.
2. While designed for the 200Watt lamp, they will handle the 250Watt but make sure you have the ceramic base and not the plastic one for the lamp to plug into. Most likely it's been change.
3. The power supply for the amp does not come from the transformer that also supplies the lamp like in the R series and later. Rather it's from windings around the motor. This is the same as on the MS-860 series and was brought back on the light weight SL series. Not a stable power source in my experience since amp output and especially the exciter lamp will vary with projector load. The later amp design on the R series (not the totally integrated amp module version, but descretes) is a better design.
4. The Cam and Cam plate can be troubling on some of these machines. Many were recalled by the importer (IAV) and Eiki replaced many cam tanks for unsteady picture so be wary.
5. The machine is missing the Cinemascope holder bracket. The two holes in the case below the lens are for attaching the bracket which holds the scope lens and allows it to be swung up into position already aligned and focused. This is a must have if you have any scope prints. Fine a projector with the bracket since getting a bracket used from someone will cost you more that the price of the projector if you can find one.
Posts: 5895
From: Bristol. United Kingdom
Registered: Oct 2007
posted November 15, 2008 10:59 AM
I have the M1.
The manual threaders were M-0, M1, M2 & M3. Self Threaders were ST-0H, ST-1H, ST-2H & ST-3H.
The M-0 and ST-0H had 8" x 5" internal speakers and the rest had an 8" round speaker in the removable side cover.
The "2" models were opt/mag playback, and the "3" models also had magnetic record.
As a matter of interest the 200w EJL lamp used in these projectors can also be used in the Super 8 Elmo GS-1200 although it's not quite up the preferred ESC.