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Author
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Topic: ELMO & AMPRO
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David Pannell
Phenomenal Film Handler
Posts: 1072
From: Horsham, West Sussex, UK
Registered: Nov 2004
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posted March 21, 2007 11:08 AM
Just thought I'd share a picture of my Elmo E-80 and Ampro Futurist Standard 8 projectors.
They have just undergone their 1,000 mile service, following hard on the heels of the Ampro Stylist Major Mk2 16mm machine.
Obviously, the Elmo is the one in the foreground, and the Ampro is the one in the background.
BTW, found that I do have a programme which allows me to reduce the size of the pictures - just wasn't aware of it 'till today! It's PhotoImpression 4, for those of you who are interested, and for those very kind and helpful members of the Forum who have helped to point me in the right direction with this image uploading game!!!
Thanx.
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Dave.
Valves and celluloid - a great combination!
Early technology rules OK!
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David Pannell
Phenomenal Film Handler
Posts: 1072
From: Horsham, West Sussex, UK
Registered: Nov 2004
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posted March 22, 2007 04:51 PM
Hi Simon,
Firstly, I don't use the 500-watt lamp. I use a 750-watt lamp, type A1/9 (DDB) at 115-volts in both of these projectors. Quite plentiful and reasonably priced too. I posted a thread a while back on the difference between these two lamps - in short, the reason being that a 750-watt, 240-volt lamp has the filament elements spaced too far apart to focus all the light properly. The 750-watt, 115-volt and the 500-watt, 240-volt lamps both have equally closely concentrated filament elements!
I have never had any problem with stiction of any kind on any of my projectors. Whether that's the luck of the draw, so to speak, or whether it's down to regular maintenance, I can't say, but I'm sure you carry out regular maintenance on your machines too. Maybe it needed a thorough overhaul - who can say?
Thanks for your interest, though. Do you still have the E-80?
Best,
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Dave.
Valves and celluloid - a great combination!
Early technology rules OK!
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David Pannell
Phenomenal Film Handler
Posts: 1072
From: Horsham, West Sussex, UK
Registered: Nov 2004
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posted March 24, 2007 03:57 AM
(Thought I was going to be away this weekend, but my work has been postponed till next weekend - hence this post today).
I think I must have lamp-phobia too!!
I simply love these old style lamps, and as Paul says, the technology that went into making them way back then, was nothing short of amazing.
I think that's my trouble, really. I'm half tempted to go for a xenon machine - 8mm and/or 16mm - for the extra brilliance etc. but I'm afraid I might prefer it; then where would I be? The part of our hobby which fascinates me is as much the technology, as the films themselves, and after all, this is what we're trying to keep alive isnt it?
I remember a late uncle of mine (everyone has a 'favourite uncle', don't they?) who used to be the contracts manager of Moss Empires, the contracts company for most of the London theatres and cinemas, who was equally interested in projectors and so forth. He also liked heavy engineering, particularly welding, and acquired a couple of projector and arc lamp transformers for the purpose of building his own welding set.
These transformers were rated 50-volts at 400-amps. That's 20,000-watts!!!! I remember being taken to the London Palladium once to see these beasts in action. When the arc was struck, the ammeter would register just short of this figure, and then settle back to around the 200-amp mark. Imagine a 10,000-watt lamp in your Elmo, Eumig or Elf!!! ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
Anyway, I digress.
Simon, change that 240-volt, 750-watt lamp back to the 240-volt, 500-watt lamp. You'll get a brighter picture, as ALL of the light will be correctly focussed. That's why the instruction manual draws the difference between the two lamps, stating either use the 240v/500W, or the 115v/750W, but NOT a 240v/750W.
Better still, get a suitably rated 115v transformer (a 1kVA tool transformer will do very well) and change the voltage tapping on the E-80 to 115v (terminals for this are under the bottom plate - very easy), and pop a 115v/750W A1/9 lamp in. Although of course some of the extra wattage will be given off as heat and you won't get a 50% increase in illumination, you will get about 30% increase. Well worth it, I'd say. Trust me!
Oh! Happy days! Are we all getting old, or becoming Anoraks? Personally, I don't care either way!
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Dave.
Valves and celluloid - a great combination!
Early technology rules OK!
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Simon McConway
Phenomenal Film Handler
Posts: 1085
From: Doncaster, UK
Registered: Jun 2004
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posted March 24, 2007 05:32 AM
My favourite lamps are Atlas...they really are good and have never blown at the first switch on, like some other brands I could mention! Around the time of my first meeting with the E-80, I was shown an Aldis 1,000 slide projector; this used an Atlas A1/59 1,000w lamp...this has to be my favourite lamp. One minute of not being cooled properly, and the lamp glass buldges right out...spectacular. But when you think about these lamps, they probably cost the equivalent of £30-40 back in the day (say the 1960s)...so people would have been careful with them. I like nothing better than buying a boxed Atlas lamp for say £1 at the cine fairs. The older ones have the red Atlas logo, voltage & wattage printed on the lamp glass. More recent ones do not have any logo, or just have the red logo WITHOUT the voltage/wattage. In the box of one lamp I bought, (think it was an A1/91 1000w for a B & H 16 mm projector I have) I found a receipt for the 23.12.69. Wierd...as I found myself fitting it (as the other one in the machine had blown) on 23.12.06!!
Thank you David...I will try a mains-rated A1/7. (what brand have you fitted...Atlas?!) Can you just run down a list of what you did to service your E-80...I will attend to mine. I am used to the 16 mm B & Hs to service, never really done much with my E-80 except a few drops of oil down those two oiling-tubes.
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David Pannell
Phenomenal Film Handler
Posts: 1072
From: Horsham, West Sussex, UK
Registered: Nov 2004
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posted March 24, 2007 09:21 AM
Hi Simon,
Pleased to help if I can, so here are a few items which might be of interest for you.
I have actually never had a lamp blow at first switch-on. Whether or not I have just been fortunate, I cannot say, but I ALWAYS ensure that the projector (including the lamp) is at room temperature before powering up. I never store my equipment in the garage or loft, but keep it in the house, though if I have been working on a machine in the workshop, I either heat the workshop, or allow the machine to come to room temperature first. A very cold lamp is sure to blow at first switch-on! It is a fact also that lower voltage lamps are more forgiving to inrush current.
Next thing is to ensure that the voltage is correct. A lamp is most efficient, as all electrical equipment is, when operated at its design voltage. If the volts are too low, yes, you will get extended life, but at the expense of a duller picture. Too high a voltage has a dramatic effect on lamp life, and as these lamps are only designed to last for about 25 hours or so at their rated voltage, you can imagine what overvoltage can do. Lamp voltage really is critical!
If you have a 230v lamp, don't run it on 240v etc. etc.
The lamp in my E-80 at the moment is an Osram. It has a very shiny gold top. Looks unique. I was actually given it, together with a Mazda and an Atlas. However, my preference has always been for either GE or Sylvania. Again, like your experience with Atlas, I have not had any trouble with any of these lamps, but I do think that they are just a little brighter than other makes. Mind you, this is purely a subjective observation, and may be psychological to a certain degree.
Therefore, once these 'freebies' have been expended, I shall return to my stock of GE lamps for both the E-80 (115v/750W, type A1/9) and the Ampro Major (115v/1,000W, type A1/59). I don't happen to have any Sylvanias in stock at the moment.
With regard to maintenance on the E-80, apart from doing what you have said, remove the bottom plate and brush out or vacuum any dust and grime that may have accumulated, including the vanes of the fan. Then a few drops of '3-in-1' or similar light sewing machine oil on the motor bearings works wonders. Also make sure that there is no deposit of grime on the air passage for the lamp cooling draught. Believe it or not, dirt in the airways does cause friction and turbulence to the cooling draught, thereby reducing lamp life. Check that the motor/fan assembly spins freely and that nothing is loose.
I think that's about it, really, though I do drop a pinhead of oil on the shuttle mechanism, outer bearings of the sprockets and the guide rollers, just for good measure. Don't forget the reel spindles too; again , just a drop in the lube hole (if your version has them) and either side of the bearings to start the migration of oil off. It's rather like a towel soaking up water better if it is damp to begin with, just a smidgen of oil adjacent to where the lube points are, will help the oil to migrate more quickly. This philosophy applies equally to all machinery. A dab of silicone or plastic compatible grease should be judiciously applied to the gears, but be careful not to get any lube on the drive belt or the clutch brake. - - And there you have it! You won't believe how quiet an E-80 can be. The only way you can tell if it's running, is to watch a film!!!
Oh, and one other thing. Get a lint-free cloth dampened with the oil and rub it gently over the spring drive belts. This will prevent any tendancy to rust, and also dampen the metallic 'twang' when running. It won't cause slippage, as you might think!
It's also a good idea to release the clutch when the projector is not in use, to relieve pressure on the drive belt. Also, always start the projector in this mode and then release the clutch. This allows the motor and fan to come up to speed more quickly before switching on the lamp. Also this will prolong lamp life if you've forgotton to turn the lamp switch off.
Sorry if I've bored you to death - including other members.
Nothing magic really, just judicious maintenance and a little electrical & mechanical engineering know-how.
Enjoy your E-80.
[ March 25, 2007, 05:35 AM: Message edited by: David Pannell ]
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Dave.
Valves and celluloid - a great combination!
Early technology rules OK!
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