8mm Forum


  
my profile | my password | search | faq | register | forum home
  next oldest topic   next newest topic
» 8mm Forum   » 16mm Forum   » Newbie's first question: SSL-0 overhaul?

- UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!    
Author Topic: Newbie's first question: SSL-0 overhaul?
Dimitris Triantopoulos
Junior
Posts: 21
From: New York, NY, USA
Registered: Apr 2006

- posted April 15, 2006 12:19 PM      Profile for Dimitris Triantopoulos   Email Dimitris Triantopoulos   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Hello everyone,
I am also new to the forum, and I want to say hello to everyone.
My name is Dimitris but everyone calls me Mitsos (a nickname for Dimitris).

I am slowly (my work is not in the film field) learning about 16mm filmmaking, projecting, film-handling, etc.

I recently bought a used EIKI SSL-0 on Ebay. I have learned how to thread it and have watched my first roll of 16mm color reversal (Kodak 7285 - Ektachrome 100D).

I am thinking that I should probably get the projector overhauled, though, by a specialist. (I want to make sure that it doesn't scratch the films I will be projecting.) Is there someone in New York City that you could recommend?

--------------------
Mitsos
New York, NY

 |  IP: Logged
Dimitrios Kremalis
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 129
From: Athens - Greece
Registered: Oct 2004

- posted April 15, 2006 12:52 PM      Profile for Dimitrios Kremalis   Email Dimitrios Kremalis   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Welcome to the forum synonomate [Wink]
I'm not a specialist on 16mm, but I'm sure you can find many gooroos here [Big Grin] .

P.S. Xairetismata sto Niou Giorki [Smile]

 |  IP: Logged
Tony Milman
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1336
From: United Kingdom
Registered: Jun 2003

- posted April 15, 2006 02:10 PM      Profile for Tony Milman   Author's Homepage   Email Tony Milman   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Welcome Mitsos.

Like you I am still learning but what I do is run a strip of leader in a continuous loop for a few minutes and then check it for any scratching. [Wink]

--------------------
Tony

 |  IP: Logged
Douglas Meltzer
Moderator

Posts: 4554
From: New York, NY, USA
Registered: Jun 2003

- posted April 15, 2006 04:14 PM      Profile for Douglas Meltzer   Email Douglas Meltzer   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Hello Mitsos,

Glad you can join us! If you still feel that your projector needs an overhaul, I believe the folks at

Du-All Camera
231 West 29th Street
Suite 210
New York, NY 10001.
Phone# 212-643-1042

might be able to help you or point you in the right direction. I haven't used them myself but they have a good rep as a rental house with repair service.
Doug

--------------------
I think there's room for just one more film.....

 |  IP: Logged
John Whittle
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 791
From: Northridge, CA USA
Registered: Jun 2003

- posted April 15, 2006 04:56 PM      Profile for John Whittle   Email John Whittle       Edit/Delete Post 
Hi Mitsos,

Unfortunately in the world today the number of qualified people who work on projectors is few and their rates are high. Many times a general inspection and cleaning will cost many times more than the cost of the projector.

As a matter of survival, get yourself a copy of the service manual (they may even be available for download as a pdf file). That will clearly explain the operation of the projector and the procedures to remove and replace parts.

The first thing you can do to check for scratches or damage is to clean the film path and then take a "new" piece of film which you've visually inspected to be free of scratches and splice it into a loop of about three feet. Then thread the projector and let it run for 10 minutes. After that inspect the film and you'll have the results 120 projections of a print.

The most troublesome area on any projector is the gate where dirt and emulsion particles can build up and scratch the film. Keep the gate and pressure plate clean, do it after and before each screening of any important print. On the Eiki, it's easy to remove the pressure plate for cleaning and then snap it back in place.

Welcome and good luck.

John

 |  IP: Logged
Colin Wilson
Junior
Posts: 12
From: glasgow scotland u.k.
Registered: Feb 2006

- posted April 15, 2006 04:57 PM      Profile for Colin Wilson   Email Colin Wilson   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
hi mitsos
can't help with your question like yourself i am a newbie just wanted to say welcome !
colin

 |  IP: Logged
Tony Milman
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1336
From: United Kingdom
Registered: Jun 2003

- posted April 15, 2006 05:33 PM      Profile for Tony Milman   Author's Homepage   Email Tony Milman   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
John

thanks- exactly what I meant to say [Frown] Just couldn't find the words-sorry!

--------------------
Tony

 |  IP: Logged
Dimitris Triantopoulos
Junior
Posts: 21
From: New York, NY, USA
Registered: Apr 2006

- posted April 15, 2006 07:01 PM      Profile for Dimitris Triantopoulos   Email Dimitris Triantopoulos   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Thank you folks for all the input...

I agree with John that technicians are becomimg rare. Someone mentioned (in another list I was subscribed to) that projection equipment (or the lack thereof) will be the biggest problem in the future in terms of 16mm film screenings.

I will do the loop with some leader and see what happens.
I have white leader. That should do it, I hope. I guess on white it might be a tad more difficult to see the scratches but I'll do my best. Is clear leader easily available?

--------------------
Mitsos
New York, NY

 |  IP: Logged
Douglas Meltzer
Moderator

Posts: 4554
From: New York, NY, USA
Registered: Jun 2003

- posted April 15, 2006 09:00 PM      Profile for Douglas Meltzer   Email Douglas Meltzer   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Mitsos,

If you have white leader you can still do a scratch test. Take a black permanent marker (preferably a Sharpie) and draw a line across both the base and the emulsion sides. Allow the mark to dry and run the film through the projector. Any scratches will be readily visible in the black line.

Doug

--------------------
I think there's room for just one more film.....

 |  IP: Logged
Dimitris Triantopoulos
Junior
Posts: 21
From: New York, NY, USA
Registered: Apr 2006

- posted April 15, 2006 09:09 PM      Profile for Dimitris Triantopoulos   Email Dimitris Triantopoulos   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
quote:
Take a black permanent marker (preferably a Sharpie) and draw a line across both the base and the emulsion sides. Allow the mark to dry and run the film through the projector
Now, that is smart!!
Thanks much!!

--------------------
Mitsos
New York, NY

 |  IP: Logged
Dimitris Triantopoulos
Junior
Posts: 21
From: New York, NY, USA
Registered: Apr 2006

- posted April 17, 2006 02:53 PM      Profile for Dimitris Triantopoulos   Email Dimitris Triantopoulos   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Hi all,
just an update...
I made the loop with the white leader and I actually painted the whole thing black (both sides) and ran it for 10 minutes through my EIKI. On the side that faces the lamp the black dye got removed quite a bit. On the other side not so much. There also seem to be a few scratches. Also, the white rollers are now black from the marker (I guess I needn't have painted the whole width of the film strip, all the way to the sprocket holes [Big Grin] )

Isn't it inevitable, though, that after so many runs, a film will scratch some? Or not?

So, I removed the gate, and I will be washing it. It feels quite exciting and rewarding to be working on one's one machine, I must admit. Mine was the property of a school...

--------------------
Mitsos
New York, NY

 |  IP: Logged
Douglas Meltzer
Moderator

Posts: 4554
From: New York, NY, USA
Registered: Jun 2003

- posted April 17, 2006 08:23 PM      Profile for Douglas Meltzer   Email Douglas Meltzer   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Mitsos,

Ouch! My suggestion was a simple black line across the width of the film. That's a very easy way to see if there are any scratches, something all good assistant cameramen do when changing film magazines or checking out camera equipment from a rental house. A single line dries very quickly, a strip of leader totally coated in black doesn't (as you've discovered!). What type of marker did you use?

Doug

--------------------
I think there's room for just one more film.....

 |  IP: Logged
Dimitris Triantopoulos
Junior
Posts: 21
From: New York, NY, USA
Registered: Apr 2006

- posted April 18, 2006 11:49 AM      Profile for Dimitris Triantopoulos   Email Dimitris Triantopoulos   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Oops,

I used a Sharpie, and it dried out completely, thankfully. And it's prety easy to wipe it off the rollers. I can also make another strip (just white leader) and see how much dirt/black marker stuff it will collect if I run it again for a few minutes.

You see, when I was doing it I didn't have your post printed, and only when I went back to it did I realize that I remembered it wrong... [Big Grin]

So, now it's a little dirtier than it was before [Big Grin] That's ok... I can still clean up the film path with Q-tips and water/alcohol, or no?

Live and learn... (and note to self: read the posts/suggestions better!!)

--------------------
Mitsos
New York, NY

 |  IP: Logged
Tony Milman
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1336
From: United Kingdom
Registered: Jun 2003

- posted April 18, 2006 02:34 PM      Profile for Tony Milman   Author's Homepage   Email Tony Milman   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
What's a "sharpie" [Confused]

--------------------
Tony

 |  IP: Logged
Dimitris Triantopoulos
Junior
Posts: 21
From: New York, NY, USA
Registered: Apr 2006

- posted April 18, 2006 02:46 PM      Profile for Dimitris Triantopoulos   Email Dimitris Triantopoulos   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
quote:
What's a "sharpie" [Confused]
Sorry for the US-centrism (from a Greek, mind you!)
Sharpie is a popular brand of permanent markers here in the US.

Here it is:
-

--------------------
Mitsos
New York, NY

 |  IP: Logged
Scott G. Bruce
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 229
From: Boulder, Colorado, USA
Registered: May 2005

- posted April 18, 2006 10:29 PM      Profile for Scott G. Bruce   Email Scott G. Bruce   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Not to be confused with Buffy the Vampire Slayer's beloved "Mr. Pointy."

Just to be clear.

SGB

--------------------
"Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!"

 |  IP: Logged
John A. Pommon
Film Handler

Posts: 69
From: San Francisco, California 94131
Registered: Nov 2004

- posted April 21, 2006 12:06 AM      Profile for John A. Pommon   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Hi Dimi -

Get your hands on one of these:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Eiki-Series-SSL-E SL-Projector-Repair-Manuals_W0QQitemZ7610103073QQcategoryZ15254QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Christos Anesti -

aka: Yonis Pomonis

--------------------
Antique Video Transfer Service
2" Quadruplex videotape to DV/DVCAM digital transfers
5001 Diamond Hts Blvd.
San Francisco, CA 94131-1621
www.antiquevideo.com
antvid@antiquevideo.com

 |  IP: Logged


All times are Central  
   Close Topic    Move Topic    Delete Topic    next oldest topic   next newest topic
- Printer-friendly view of this topic
Hop To:

Visit www.film-tech.com for free equipment manual downloads. Copyright 2003-2019 Film-Tech Cinema Systems LLC

Powered by Infopop Corporation
UBB.classicTM 6.3.1.2