I have an offer from an estate sale of a mint condition Siemens 2000 16mm projector, late 1950s. Haven't looked it over in detail yet but it's probably an early model. From my quick inspection it looks like the lamp house is lined with a thin asbestos sheet. Can anyone confirm? As usual when dealing with estate sales the machine has not been used for some yrs and I'm a bit wary of running it up to speed only to have the room filled with noxious particles. :-)
And if this is the case, it looks (from quick inspection) like a simple job to remove and replace the thin asbestos layer with something less carcinogenic. Has anyone reading actually done this?
Posts: 540
From: Aldershot, Hampshire, UK
Registered: Nov 2013
posted August 04, 2014 04:47 AM
The hazard from asbestos chiefly arises when it is disturbed and microscopic dust is emitted from the broken edges so I would on no account touch the asbestos layer. Running the projector may be OK if the asbestos is undamaged but I would not run the risk. It may be possible to hermetically seal the asbestos but this is not something I know how to do.
Posts: 5895
From: Bristol. United Kingdom
Registered: Oct 2007
posted August 04, 2014 10:30 AM
Don't touch the purchase.
I once was given one that hadn't been used for years. It ran for about two or three seconds, then quickly increased its speed, and some three or four seconds later there was a huge bang, it stopped, and then clouds of blue smoke were emitted.
Very frightening. It went straight into the dust-bin.
posted August 04, 2014 02:34 PM
Hello Phil, congratulation to your Siemens 2000. Yes, asbestos sheets 1mm thick are just around lamp house. Go outside - not in house - when removing it. Bent steel holders very gently and carefully, otherwise they break off during rebending when you insert asbestos-free heat shields. There is a small asbestos washer underneath ceramic 3-pole plug (first pull off wire wound resistor, do not try to turn, that will break ceramic plug!)
Posts: 540
From: Aldershot, Hampshire, UK
Registered: Nov 2013
posted August 05, 2014 01:44 AM
Phil, Even outside it is still risky. Why not get a licensed asbestos disposal firm to deal with it using Josef's instructions as they will have the correct PPE.