8mm Forum: My Rank Aldis Automatic (Bauer P6)

This is topic My Rank Aldis Automatic (Bauer P6) in forum 16mm Forum at 8mm Forum.

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Posted by Paul Mason (Member # 4015) on May 25, 2014, 03:06 PM:

Hi Everyone,
I recently bought a Rank Aldis Automatic 16mm projector. It's an early M15 model without still picture device. I took the back cover off before plugging in and found the motor belt had broken so I replaced it. When I switched on I found the mechanism is stiff and it won't run at full speed. It obviously needs lubricating. I'm assuming that I put the motor belt on properly. I'm not sure where the grease mentioned in earlier forum posts should be applied. Can anyone tell me what to check and where? Many thanks.

Posted by Mark Todd (Member # 96) on May 26, 2014, 05:06 PM:

Just bear in mind Paul some older models have asbestos in. Worth checking.

Best Mark.

Posted by Paul Mason (Member # 4015) on May 27, 2014, 09:05 AM:

Mark,
Thanks for the warning. Where would the asbestos be located? Around the lamphouse?

Posted by Mark Todd (Member # 96) on May 27, 2014, 10:05 AM:

Hi Paul somewhere there I think but someone else will know I,m sure..

It was on the early P6,s ( some ranks possibly ) the later p6`s it was not in.

Nice machines if you get a good one.

I would only guess, but being a rebadged P6 you would think it was maybe a bit later in the run at least.

Best Mark.

PS Don`t worry too much its best avoided but wouldn`t be much anyway.

Posted by Lee Mannering (Member # 728) on May 27, 2014, 10:40 AM:

You are OK with that one Mark [Smile]

Posted by Paul Mason (Member # 4015) on May 28, 2014, 09:29 AM:

A thought. According to http://www.olafs-16mm-kino.de/bauer_p6.htm the early P6 from roughly 1966 to 1968 had 110V 500W lamps with a change to the A1/223 24V 250W lamp in 1968. Is the 110W lamp version (500W seems inadequate) the one with asbestos as the heating from 250W is somewhat less?

Posted by Paul Mason (Member # 4015) on May 30, 2014, 05:44 AM:

Any suggestions for lubricating the mechanism or adjusting the motor/fan belt? Thanks.

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on May 30, 2014, 09:26 AM:

Oldtimer Cameras have a 76 page Service Manual for the Rank Aldis @ £19.95
http://www.oldtimercameras.com/stock/Model.asp?Model=818&ModelPage=true

Posted by Paul Mason (Member # 4015) on May 30, 2014, 03:20 PM:

That sounds a good idea Maurice. I'll post a message on how I get on. Thanks.

Posted by Paul Mason (Member # 4015) on June 22, 2014, 05:29 AM:

I haven't bought a service manual yet but prompted by another posting on this forum, I found the lubrication charts on Olaf's German website. Using this I located the oil reservoir and cloth wick near the shutter. It was bone dry, so I added a goodly quantity of 3-in-1 oil to the reservoir. It worked a treat and I was able to project a short film last night. Rewinding is still weak and I'm sure some other lube points need attention with the right types of grease etc but it's a hopeful start.

Posted by Paul Mason (Member # 4015) on July 08, 2014, 08:49 AM:

Projector still running well forward at 24 fps but rewind sometimes works, sometimes not. The toothed rewind belt seems very slightly slack but is in good condition. The projector sometimes hesitates before starting forward so a brief change to reverse seems to re-engage the drive. Apart from age and wear I will have to apply some lubrication at other points I suppose.

Posted by Paul Mason (Member # 4015) on July 28, 2014, 05:06 AM:

The Rank Aldis has a 50mm F1.6 lens made in Japan and I turned my attention to achieving a cheap upgrade to the lens with a shorter focal length for a bigger picture in my small living room. The barrel diameter required was 42.5mm so an Eiki Prominar projector lens would have been ideal. Unfortunately the only Prominar lenses I found on the net were also 50mm or longer. Instead I bought a Paillard Bolex F1.1 17-34mm zoom lens originally from a Bolex Multimatic Super 8 projector also with a 42.5mm barrel. Unfortunately it has a short back focus which meant problems focussing to screen more than 3 or 4 feet away. It's coverage is barely sufficient for 16mm and the best picture I got was at maximum zoom of 34mm with some uneven brightness and vignetting in the picture corners. All in all an interesting experiment but I'm going to look for a short focal length or zoom Isco or Prominar.

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on July 28, 2014, 06:03 AM:

Here's something. A 35-65 Bauer zoom lens. It's €80 Buy It Now.
http://www.ebay.de/itm/Objektiv-Zoomobjektiv-fur-16mm-Filmprojektor-Bauer-P6-P7-und-P8-Swiss-Made/251583213498?_trksid=p2045573.c100034.m2102&_trkparms=aid%3D555012%26algo%3DPW.MBE %26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20140107091039%26meid%3D8631641923965535901%26pid%3D100034%26prg%3D20140107091039%26rk%3D3%26rkt%3D8%26sd%3D310785333261

Posted by Paul Mason (Member # 4015) on July 28, 2014, 06:38 AM:

Thanks Maurice. Looks superb so £63 may be worth it. I notice that both Bell & Howell and Bauer seemed to source their zoom lenses from Switzerland.

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on July 28, 2014, 08:50 AM:

My Bauer P8 came with a zoom lens. It seems that the Swiss made zoom lens for the Bauer and the Bell & Howell are virtually the same.

I also have two Bell & Howell zooms in 1.3 and 1.6 versions. The lenses are very well made.

The advantage in having a zoom lens is a larger picture in the home, and with the lens in its opposite position, a more easily managed scope picture size.

Posted by Paul Mason (Member # 4015) on August 03, 2014, 01:22 PM:

I managed to find a 35mm F1.3 Isco Gottinger lens for £25 as I was happy to sacrifice the zoom at the lower price.

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