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Topic: Plastic spindle for a Beaulieu 708EL take-up reel anyone?
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Rob Young.
Phenomenal Film Handler
Posts: 1633
From: Cheshire, U.K.
Registered: Dec 2003
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posted June 21, 2011 04:45 AM
Thought I'd bring back this old thread with some happy news ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
I've finally fitted a new spindle! It was a gift for my 40th last month; my better half ordered it from Wittners and although it was VERY expensive, she tells me they were really helpful and great to deal with.
To be fair, it is a more elaborate part than I remembered, with it's micro ball-bearings and all! Although parts are pricey, I've realised just how glad I am that we can still at least get them (sadly no metal ones left, but never mind).
Anyway, while it was on the "work bench" I had a tinker with other bits and bobs that needed sorting and it is now up and running...and running like a dream.
I fitted a replacement Xenovaron lens about a year ago (courtesy of forum member Mark Todd - the original one literally fell apart) and although I'd tested it and knew it was a good one, the spindle broke shortly afterwards so sadly I didn't get a chance to use it for very long.
Well, now it's had a few films through it I can confirm that the lens is a beauty; super-sharp image with really rich colour. Cheers Mark!
The Beaulieu is just purring and everything I've shown in the last few weeks has just been perfection! I've been using my trusty ST1200HD for the last year and I'd forgotten just what a bright image the Beaulieu has; LOTS brighter than the Elmo despite using the same bulb.
I've plugged the sound through the big surround amp and the results are amazing; totally free of any wow and crystal clear, even tracks that can sound a bit muddy on the Elmo are sounding great.
So I'm one happy bunny! I've been going through loads of films that I haven't run in a while and the Beaulieu is giving them a new lease of life, I've owned it for about 10 years or so but I'd truly forgotten how great it can be when up and running properly.
What a fab projector
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Andrew Woodcock
Film God
Posts: 7477
From: Manchester Uk
Registered: Aug 2012
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posted June 27, 2014 03:50 PM
Mine is 4 months old and still going strong! ha ha
Seriously though, extortionate price but the machine itself is well worth spending the money on in my opinion to get back to A1.
At the end of the day, I was looking in a FFTC edition from 1997 and in it, on the front inside cover, was a brand new Beaulieu Stereo that you could buy back then for the princely sum of £2397
and by that time they didn't even come with a Schneider Lens.
The point I am making is that anything Beaulieu was never cheap, so I don't suppose we could ever expect parts to be, just as in the same way parts for a Silver Shadow now wouldn't be cheap either!
BTW:- as posted earlier, stick to their own spools or other high quality spools such as Elmo and they will last forever.
[ June 28, 2014, 09:24 AM: Message edited by: Andrew Woodcock ]
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"C'mon Baggy..Get with the beat"
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Andrew Woodcock
Film God
Posts: 7477
From: Manchester Uk
Registered: Aug 2012
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posted June 28, 2014 07:24 AM
Very simple to fit,remove the outer coverplate for whichever arm you are dealing with, just two screws, then just one centre screw to remove and re-fit on the hub itself Maurice.(Obviously you will have to remove the toothed drive belt momentarily). It will give much improvement over the standard ones fitted to all machines except the Stereo models, especially when using 2300ft spools.
All original mono and duoplay models were originally just fitted with the basic hub which contained no bearings causing problems when using with large spools especially on rewinding.
Wittners now only sell the improved version with the bearings fitted (2 per hub)and as said, these were already fitted as standard to the Stereo models as a lot of the improvements were, ie 2/3 blade shutter, adjustable lamp holder etc etc.
Keep to using Beaulieu or Elmo spools for longer shows and you will never need replace again Maurice.
Lovely photograph earlier BTW Rob of this beautiful machine!
[ June 28, 2014, 10:03 AM: Message edited by: Andrew Woodcock ]
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"C'mon Baggy..Get with the beat"
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Andrew Woodcock
Film God
Posts: 7477
From: Manchester Uk
Registered: Aug 2012
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posted June 28, 2014 10:37 AM
All your Elmo and Beaulieu reels will fit perfectly Maurice once you change out both hubs. I have no idea why they don't already apart from the fact some of your plastic leaf springs have snapped off. The reels should still fit on ok albeit they would be loose and prone to working there way off the hubs.
The screw that attaches the hub to the shaft is in the centre of the plastic hub as said previously. It is a very small screw, probably only M2 or M2.5. This is the only screw that retains the actual plastic hub with of course a plain washer fitted.
You only need to take the coverplate off to remove the toothed belt and then refit over the new hub which the rear part of the hub contains a built in plastic drive gear for the belt to slip over. Hope this helps, if not PM me your e mail address and I will send you some photo's to show the coverplate removed and the hub before fitting.
As ever I always photograph and document any work carried out on my machines so photo's are already there from a few months back when I did the changeout.
BTW the ball bearings fit into a bore on the inside of the plastic hub and then onto the stationary shaft which becomes exposed once the hub and screw are removed. They do not hold the reels on, nor can they be seen once fitted. Only the plastic leaf springs retain the reels but will not wear or break off again if you only ever fit larger quality reels.
Also, as I have said many times, these hubs will not accept ANY spools. In particular Taylor spools should be avoided. The ones that fit fine are Beaulieu, Elmo, Grasso (800ft or below), Bonum, Gepe, Sankyo etc etc. All of the type that have a solid core to their hubs are generally fine. I also dislike Fumeo reels as these have no solid core on their hubs either.
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"C'mon Baggy..Get with the beat"
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