8mm Forum: Bell & Howell

»	8mm Forum » 16mm Forum » Bell & Howell

UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!

Author

Topic: Bell & Howell

Luis Caramelo
Master Film Handler

Posts: 494
From: Funchal
Registered: Feb 2011

posted February 20, 2014 11:50 AM

Hi!friends there,s any one of you who has a bell &howell tqi 652,if so,can tell me about it,s quality?
many thanks.

regards;
luis caramelo

| IP: Logged

Maurice Leakey
Film God

Posts: 5895
From: Bristol. United Kingdom
Registered: Oct 2007

posted February 20, 2014 02:53 PM

Excellent Bell & Howell quality, but beware of possible trouble with the worm gear.

--------------------
Maurice

| IP: Logged

Paul Mason
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 540
From: Aldershot, Hampshire, UK
Registered: Nov 2013

posted February 21, 2014 03:57 AM

The auto threading is very reliable normally but after long periods of disuse may not work properly.

--------------------
Paul.

| IP: Logged

Luis Caramelo
Master Film Handler

Posts: 494
From: Funchal
Registered: Feb 2011

posted February 22, 2014 02:22 PM

hi!thanks for the informations,maurice and paul,after i had been informe,i,ll decide between elmo/eiki.

many thanks:
regards:
luis caramelo

| IP: Logged

Maurice Leakey
Film God

Posts: 5895
From: Bristol. United Kingdom
Registered: Oct 2007

posted February 22, 2014 02:56 PM

I consider that Bell & Howell models are far superior than Elmo or Eiki/Elf projectors. Spares are also more readily available for the Bell & Howell machines.

If the Bell & Howell projectors are given a good service and the worm replaced they will probably go on for another fifty years. I can't say that for the latter two makes.

--------------------
Maurice

| IP: Logged

Simon McConway
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1085
From: Doncaster, UK
Registered: Jun 2004

posted February 22, 2014 03:22 PM

The earlier, British made Bell & Howells, have much more resilient worm gears, that are often not even showing the slightest signs of cracking today. Models such as 642 (manual thread) and the 652 are testament to this fact. Sadly, the later Japanese machines seemed to have worm gears that have almost all cracked now.

| IP: Logged

Adrian Winchester
Film God

Posts: 2941
From: Croydon, London, UK
Registered: Aug 2004

posted February 22, 2014 11:01 PM

Maurice - although I've never owned a B&H, I'm astonished if spared are more readily availabe than for Eikis. I know from experience that a very wide range of spares are still available direct from Eiki, via agents such as Richard Patchett. It helps that the 'last generation' of Eikis were on sale as recently as 2003 - a lot later that B&H projectors.

--------------------
Adrian Winchester

| IP: Logged

Maurice Leakey
Film God

Posts: 5895
From: Bristol. United Kingdom
Registered: Oct 2007

posted February 23, 2014 02:20 AM

Adrian
Gordon Ogbourne has many spares for Bell & Howell.
http://www.pathefilm.freeserve.co.uk/cel8/cel17.htm
I agree with Simon that the British made Bell & Howell have worm gears that are still OK.

--------------------
Maurice

| IP: Logged

Paul Mason
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 540
From: Aldershot, Hampshire, UK
Registered: Nov 2013

posted February 23, 2014 10:54 AM

Production was transferred from Mitcheldean to Japan around 1964 to make way for Rank Xerox photocopiers. My experience bears out Simon's comment about the Japanese made B&H machines. I have a Japanese 8D644 which needed a new worm gear and once this was done now performs excellently. The TQ3 series worms seem to be the shortest lived of all.

--------------------
Paul.

| IP: Logged

Janice Glesser
Film Goddess

Posts: 3468
From: Sunnyvale, CA USA
Registered: Sep 2011

posted February 23, 2014 01:40 PM

I'm looking at a Bell & Howell 3585. It looks pretty much the same as the Eiki Nt-0....Did the same company make this model projector for both companies? Anyone know what is the history on the worm gear is for this model?

--------------------
Janice

"I'm having a very good day!"
Richard Dreyfuss - Let It Ride (1989).

| IP: Logged

Maurice Leakey
Film God

Posts: 5895
From: Bristol. United Kingdom
Registered: Oct 2007

posted February 23, 2014 02:17 PM

Janice
This is only badged as a Bell & Howell. As you surmised, it was made by Eiki. There will be no problems with this model's worm gear.

--------------------
Maurice

| IP: Logged

Janice Glesser
Film Goddess

Posts: 3468
From: Sunnyvale, CA USA
Registered: Sep 2011

posted February 23, 2014 02:20 PM

Thanks a bunch Maurice...just the info I needed.

--------------------
Janice

"I'm having a very good day!"
Richard Dreyfuss - Let It Ride (1989).

| IP: Logged

Adrian Winchester
Film God

Posts: 2941
From: Croydon, London, UK
Registered: Aug 2004

posted February 23, 2014 11:11 PM

The 3585 was actually the same as the SNT, which was the generation after the NT, and significantly better due to various design refinements. You may have found one in 'B&H' black/grey rather than the Eiki gold colour. If you get a good one, it can a very fine projector. It was a matter of Eiki providing the projectors in relation to B&H contracts in the USA, although I've never fully understood why that meant the buyers had to receive Eikis pretending to be B&Hs!

--------------------
Adrian Winchester

| IP: Logged

Maurice Leakey
Film God

Posts: 5895
From: Bristol. United Kingdom
Registered: Oct 2007

posted February 24, 2014 02:42 AM

I suppose Bell & Howell wanted to keep their loyal customers as long as they could. It would be interesting to know if they undercut the Eiki prices for the very same projector.

--------------------
Maurice

| IP: Logged

Paul Mason
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 540
From: Aldershot, Hampshire, UK
Registered: Nov 2013

posted February 24, 2014 03:18 AM

I understand that Eiki bought the Bell & Howell AV division. B&H's production was ended both in Chicago and Japan at the same time while Eiki basically continued using the B&H brand for several years (1986-1990 approximately). This is quite usual where the new owner wants to make use of existing customer loyalty to the brand. I imagine schools and colleges might have a buy B&H policy.

--------------------
Paul.

| IP: Logged

Janice Glesser
Film Goddess

Posts: 3468
From: Sunnyvale, CA USA
Registered: Sep 2011

posted February 24, 2014 10:06 PM

Thanks for all the back story guys....very interesting!

--------------------
Janice

"I'm having a very good day!"
Richard Dreyfuss - Let It Ride (1989).

| IP: Logged

Allan Broadfield
Master Film Handler

Posts: 452
From: Bromley, Kent
Registered: Nov 2010

posted February 26, 2014 05:10 AM

I bought my TQ3 second hand several years ago. Had it serviced for rewind problem last year (now ok), and also thorough check done. Worm is in perfect condition. This has apparently been a problem with these machines, but you presumably wouldn't buy one without checking as you would with possible faults on any projector?

| IP: Logged

Paul Mason
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 540
From: Aldershot, Hampshire, UK
Registered: Nov 2013

posted March 04, 2014 03:33 AM

Beware if you buy a cheap Bell & Howell on Ebay probably 90% of them have a cracked worm gear which stops the sprockets turning, they run extremely roughly or can fail at any time. Professional replacement is around £150. I can recommend Kevin Brown who did an excellent job on my 8D644.
Kevin Brown - Cine Repairs

--------------------
Paul.

| IP: Logged

Allan Broadfield
Master Film Handler

Posts: 452
From: Bromley, Kent
Registered: Nov 2010

posted March 04, 2014 05:50 PM

Yes agreed, Kevin Brown did my TQ3 rewind repair. Would definitely recommend.

| IP: Logged

All times are Central

Printer-friendly view of this topic

UBB.classic^TM 6.3.1.2