8mm Forum: New to the world of 16mm films!

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Posted by Charles Foyle (Member # 6601) on September 05, 2018, 08:14 PM:

Hello, collectors of Movies. My name is Charles, I don't know what I'm doing here, and I love vintage things in general.

Usually I collect vintage fountain pens, prewar typewriters and hand-cranked gramophones, phonographs,and Victrolas. However, at an estate sale, I came upon a dusty old 16mm projector sitting in an attic with a few old films and cans.

The machine is a Keystone L-951 "Moviegraph" in pearl gray marble, and holds 400' reels. I even found the original takeup reel from the machine! There was a Mickey Mouse cartoon from the 1930s burned in half and a 50' Castle Films wartime reel that might be WWII, or, based on the Brodie helmets, WWI.

So anyhow, since I love restoration and silent movies, I decided to shell out a princely $20 and go home with my own antique silent film projector.

So far I have gotten the machinery turning--had to remove all moving parts, polish the shafts with 6000-grit abrasives, oil, and reassemble. I washed the exterior in Ballistol gun cleaner hoping it would leave the nitrocellulose clearcoats intact. It worked perfectly and my Moviegraph looks indecently minty for such a cheap tinplate projector.

If I can add a new drive belt and some fresh films I'll be off to the races!

So how do I start collecting 16mm films? I don't want to do sound films, as I am a silent buff, and I also considered shooting my own if I can scrounge an old crank camera and get that running.

As I said, I know nothing about the world of 16mm other than what I read on the Internet. But this is fun! I shot a frame or two onto the wall and it is super clear and fresh for such old equipment and films, and my Moviegraph is clicking over nicely when I spin the flywheel. (Needs a drive belt...gonna use a big O ring.)

Any ideas on getting started?

Posted by Charles Foyle (Member # 6601) on September 07, 2018, 11:14 PM:

Update:

I went to the neighborhood hardware store and five dollars later, I had a pair of springs that became my drive belt. (Love being down South and going to the small town businesses!)

Tonight, for the first time in over half a century, I got the machinery in fighting trim.

The threading isn't as hard as it seems it should be...

I ran a 40-watt Edison type bulb instead of the General Electric original, to avoid toasting a film in case of malfunction.

Lights! Quick, focus the lenses--appears we have a picture. Frame it up, pull the handle--

The motor hums, straining to break in a very stiff drive belt. The flywheel jerks, turns over, spins a couple times. Down under the cowling the cooling fan begins to roar like the MGM lion.

Suddenly the projector becomes a rattling blur of light and cogwheels, the smell of hot oil strong in the air like an inflammable autumn. On the wall, flickering slowly at first and finally reaching 16 frames per second, is a sepia fragment of a World War II newsreel.

Keystone Moviegraph Model L-951, cheap junk par excellance, is back.

Time for some movies. Best of all--

NOW I KNOW WHY THERE IS AN ENTIRE FORUM ON THE INTERNET FOR PROJECTORS AND OLD MOVIES--

BECAUSE THEY'RE FUN!

Posted by Melvin England (Member # 5270) on September 08, 2018, 04:44 AM:

Hello Charles - Welcome to the forum.... and welcome to your life changing discovery that celluloid film IS FUN !

By entering the hobby via 16mm you have opened the door to a LOT of full length movies at reasonable prices. But don't forget or dismiss the fact that the smaller gauge, super 8mm, is also a lot of fun too.

My advice is to read through past posts and threads on this forum as they can provide a wealth of information and advice on this marvelous hobby from both amateurs like myself,to people who have worked in the industry all their lives both in the UK and USA where celluloid is in their DNA ! It will help you advance quicker and to avoid any potential pit falls.

Good luck!

Posted by Charles Foyle (Member # 6601) on September 08, 2018, 11:32 AM:

Thanks Melvin--

I used to have a 1955 Brownie 8mm projector which I sold. It was fun to use and worked great! But the 16mm is going to be a gateway to hopefully getting back into Regular 8 sometime in the future.

This was last night and this morning...Charles at the movies.

Expectations--Sitting in front of a big screen in a dark room, quietly soaking up some cinema history.

Reality: Burnt fingers, thunderous mechanical racket, lamphouse vomiting smoke, strips of stinking vinegar-syndrome film vomiting off the reels over the floor (apparently they won't reel back up neatly if they break).

Already planning to dig further into this.

Posted by Barry Fritz (Member # 1865) on September 08, 2018, 12:14 PM:

Welcome to the Forum. A word of caution. I believe that your projector has sprockets with cogs on each side. That means you can only run films that have perforations on each edge of the film. Early films were that way but later, both silent and sound films had perforations on one edge. You cannot run those later films.

Posted by David Guest (Member # 2791) on September 09, 2018, 04:52 PM:

if you would have lived close by I would have give you a box of films free of charge to get you going

Posted by Charles Foyle (Member # 6601) on September 09, 2018, 11:38 PM:

Thanks, David--very kind offer!

My brother saw part of an old newsreel on it and is impressed.

Currently I am thinking of a few films on eBay but the car is in need of overhauls...car first, films second.

Posted by Mark Todd (Member # 96) on September 10, 2018, 02:58 AM:

Hi Charles, nice to meet you here and I hope you enjoy the magic that is film.

I think in time if it really stays with you, you may enjoy a few nice sound films.

There are allsorts of short interesting bits and pieces on 16mm quite cheaply to get you going.

A nice Eiki projector can be had quite cheaply too.

Have lots of fun.

Best wishes Mark.

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