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Topic: The Bauer U4

Graham Ritchie
Film God

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From: New Zealand
Registered: Feb 2006

posted November 28, 2011 11:49 AM

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Well folks I am getting there, this projector is heavy, very heavy. After dismantle it still took four of us and a lot of huff and puff to get it down the narrow stairs. sliding it on its back with ropes etc. It says a lot for the folk that took it up those stairs long ago, anyway here are some photos.

used some old aircraft control cables for the lift "no stretch and very strong"

The box sitting at the front of the lamphouse is a Altivar 31 variable speed drive that we used when interlocking the simplex. This will be handy when using the 6000ft reels as it can be programmed for a slow "delay" start before getting up to full speed.

While I had plenty of access new mirrors were fitted, the 45 degree one is of a later type with a split glass, It would be fair to say that this type of lamphouse is not as efficient as other types.

back together..still to refit a couple of large transformers plus all the wiring. still a lot to do yet before its running but will get there [Smile]

[Smile]

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Winbert Hutahaean
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posted November 28, 2011 12:11 PM

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Graham, are you taking this projector to your own home....?? [Eek!]

[Eek!]

If not, what are they going to do with it after the cinema now becomes fully digital?

--------------------
Winbert

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Graham Ritchie
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posted November 28, 2011 12:37 PM

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Hi Winbert
The projector will be set up properly in the back of the garage, thats where it is sitting at the moment in those photos. Regarding digital I have some 35mm films including a certain " ET go home"..movie that will run through the projector one day. I intend to get some old screen material, a large piece and hang it between the house and the trees, so the Bauer will be projecting out of the garage. [Cool]

[Cool]

pity we didn't back onto a large field we could have set up a drive in...food for thought.

Graham. [Smile]

[Smile]

PS. Just to be able to run the projector again every so often will be a thrill. I just didn't want it to land up as scrap and thats what would have happend had it stayed at the cinema.

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Winbert Hutahaean
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posted November 28, 2011 03:43 PM

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My curiosity, did you pay for this projector or .... [Razz]

[Razz]

Anyway, don't you think with the original bulb it will be too bright considering the throw distance in your back yard will be very short.

--------------------
Winbert

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Graham Ritchie
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posted November 28, 2011 07:55 PM

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The projector and spares were free, regarding the light output, yes it would be to bright so I am looking at various lamp options, one is to fit lower wattage Xenon lamp however will see. I better get another job first before I get to carried away with it all.

Graham.

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Pasquale DAlessio
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posted November 28, 2011 08:11 PM

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Graham

I wouldn't change the lighting.....you can point it up to the sky like the "Bat Signal"! Then we can all watch it. [Roll Eyes]

[Roll Eyes]

Pat

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Claus Harding
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posted November 28, 2011 08:41 PM

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Graham,

Congratulations!! From the posts about the cinema closing, to the possibility of you saving the Bauer, this is just a fine outcome.

That lovely machine is where it needs to be now [Smile]

[Smile]

When you get everything rolling, please post some pics of it in action.

Claus.

--------------------
"Why are there shots of deserts in a scene that's supposed to take place in Belgium during the winter?" (Review of 'Battle of the Bulge'.)

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Graham Ritchie
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posted November 29, 2011 01:51 PM

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Thanks Claus and Pat

I certainly will [Smile]

[Smile]

Graham.

[Smile]

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Graham Ritchie
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posted December 01, 2011 11:00 PM

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Spent the day sorting out the wiring etc

now...which wire does what [Eek!]

[Eek!]

after fitting a couple of transformers I made up a temporary mains lead, switched the old Bauer on and "Bingo" she kicked into life, motor started, variable speed worked well and away she went. Pulled the pin for the turret to rotate that worked as it should with the change of aperture plate. Pressed the show button dowser opened pressed the Douse button...closed. All the relays and solenoids working great, red LED and pre-amp came to life.

running without film...that will come later.

Still a lot to do "lamp and sound wise" but its getting there.

Very happy.

Graham.

PS. One last photo for this now, I mounted the variable speed drive onto the wall cleaned things up a little bit ready for the next stage.

[Smile]

[ December 02, 2011, 02:13 AM: Message edited by: Graham Ritchie ]

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Patrick Walsh
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posted December 02, 2011 02:36 AM

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very good Graham, I will have to come across and have a look some day and you can run a reel!
[Big Grin]

[Big Grin]

--------------------
"Raise The Titanic!", It would of been cheaper to lower the Atlantic!

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Graham Ritchie
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posted December 02, 2011 11:58 AM

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Your welcome Pat and will be in touch, I am surprised the projector went so well as my son used his trailer to get it here and drove a bit to fast for me.. bounce, bounce, [Eek!]

[Eek!]

all the way across town, lucky it got here.

Graham. [Smile]

[Smile]

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Graham Ritchie
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posted January 06, 2012 12:55 PM

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Made a small projection area for it and got some wood from my old work they were going to throw out. Made a new bench from it and mounted the re-winders a must for putting film onto 6000ft reels. When the place closed I put in a very low bid for a lot of stuff included are the Dolby Digital reader, processor, ultra stereo etc that will soon go to the old 1920s Ernemann. I am looking forward to make a 80 year old projector go Digital.

Anyway last night was the first test run of the Bauer. I decided to use its 1600watt Xenon lamp which is still new but on a low transformer tapping of 50amps which is the bottom of the running range of the lamp. The total current draw of the projector is now around 14amps running so I rewired some of the garage wiring and fitted a 20amp CB.

Everything ran well last night the throw was 16 feet onto an old screen the picture width six and a half feet for a flat print. The scary part last night was an after shock just after striking the Xenon on the projector making it move while I was threading. I intend to use a much larger screen outside so thats my ultimate aim however very happy so far.

I was surprised I can focus down to such a short throw, same goes for Scope. The image here is a flat add on front of the movie. Still a lot of light comimg in the garage at this point. When I left the cinema they gave me the OK to take one of the old screens, thats it hanging "rolled up" on the rafters soon hopefully outside.

screen shots

I fitted extra rollers for using the 6000ft reels and changed things a bit. Its been interesting so far and still more work to do. The aperture plate needs sorting out so thats next. getting a large outdoor screen up is not far away, well that the progress so far. [Smile]

[Smile]

Graham.

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Claus Harding
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posted January 06, 2012 02:44 PM

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Graham,

Beautiful work, truly! [Smile]

[Smile]

What about sound? Are you planning on full surround? Stereo?

Claus.

--------------------
"Why are there shots of deserts in a scene that's supposed to take place in Belgium during the winter?" (Review of 'Battle of the Bulge'.)

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Graham Ritchie
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posted January 06, 2012 04:37 PM

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Thanks Claus

At the moment the sound is being fed into an old stereo amp and then of to a couple of speakers just left and right.

It sounds ok, however having second thoughts about the Ernemann and using the processor etc for the Bauer instead. With that lot installed in the Bauer all I would need is a multi channel input amp and that would do the trick for full Dolby Digital.

I did fancy the challange of making the Ernemann digital though.

I made a bit of a rack for the DA20 Processor, Monitor and the Ultra Stereo unit for the Ernemann this week adding the digital reader later on. The Yamaha amp does have a multi channel input which I need to get things going....will have to think which way to go here [Roll Eyes]

[Roll Eyes]

last night.

Ideal... would be to have two processors etc etc [Roll Eyes]

[Roll Eyes]

[Cool]

Graham.

[Smile]

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Pasquale DAlessio
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posted January 06, 2012 04:46 PM

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Graham

What a great sight! I love looking at your pics. Great work mate! Keep posting pics.

Pat [Smile]

[Smile]

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Bill Phelps
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posted January 06, 2012 05:59 PM

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Well it looks like things are coming along nicely! I like what you did making a "booth" for the projector. Keep up the good work Graham!

That is really awesome that you saved this machine.

Bill [Smile]

[Smile]

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Graham Ritchie
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posted January 07, 2012 02:44 AM

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Thanks Pat and Bill

I hope to post some more photos when I have the larger outdoor screen up and running. Today I made up my old copy of "Dances With Wolves" onto larger reels and look forward to screening this film in particular on that outdoor screen as it really suits the big picture.

Regards Graham. [Smile]

[Smile]

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Pasquale DAlessio
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posted January 07, 2012 05:33 AM

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Graham

Why don't you make a video and post it on youtube? Show the projector running and the screen etc.

Pat [Big Grin]

[Big Grin]

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Graham Ritchie
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posted January 07, 2012 03:58 PM

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Good idea Pat

I do have a video camera but have never used it for that purpose, will see whats involved. I am still keen to fit the Digital reader just below the spool box on the Ernemann just to prove that a projector built during the 1920s can be right up there with the latest home VP in picture and sound. [Cool]

[Cool]

[Smile]

The challange though is to fit this reader

to that

Could be interesting.

Graham. [Smile]

[Smile]

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Graham Ritchie
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posted January 29, 2012 07:51 PM

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Gave the old cinema a visit last week and came away with a window complete with frame for the projector...and this.

after cleaning the commutator and brushes and putting it all together....da...da..

...the platter [Roll Eyes]

[Roll Eyes]

well, it was going to get thrown out.
My wife got home and said whats that?..I said its the platter, she said I know that but what is it doing here? I said it was free and might come in handy. [Roll Eyes]

[Roll Eyes]

My son turned up yesterday and gave me that strange look, [Roll Eyes]

[Roll Eyes]

even our X part time projectionist payed us a visit last friday and went wow. [Eek!]

[Eek!]

Do you think I am nuts? or is it an age thing.

Graham. [Smile]

[Smile]

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Bill Phelps
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posted January 29, 2012 09:45 PM

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Graham, that looks great! I can see that your old job meant a lot to you. I think setting everything up like you have done is awesome! You should have a get together with your old co-workers and have a screening...start a film club!

Bill [Smile]

[Smile]

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Graham Ritchie
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posted January 30, 2012 01:56 AM

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Thanks Bill
When the place closed I could see a lot of it was heading for the scrap heap. I just didn't want that to happen, as it seemed such a waste. Even though most of it is old, it was and still is very reliable. With more cinemas making the move to digital it might be only a matter of time where 35mm will only be seen either in a museum or in someone garage. I hope I am wrong, but the change to digital is moving fast and once 35mm projection equipment is gone that will be it. The first time I went to that particular cinema was back in 1995 and the film was Waterworld on that very Bauer, so the projector and platter has lasted really well and done a great job.

I will be pleased to thread it up every so often and give it a run and will ask the local schools if they are interested in a visit..splice a bit of film, run a short cartoon that kind of thing. I will catch up with staff in the future when I have the larger outside screen up. I also plan to use the platter to run film through the wall and with a series of rollers get the film there and back to the old 1920s Ernemann projector. That should be good. [Smile]

[Smile]

The thing at the moment is to find out where we stand at getting the house fixed "or not" from the earthquake damage. At the moment no one has the answers they have "gone quiet" so will see what the future brings.

Graham.

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Pasquale DAlessio
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posted January 30, 2012 03:15 AM

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That is a thing of beauty. I am enjoying all your pics. Keep them coming.

Pat [Eek!]

[Eek!]

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Claus Harding
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posted January 30, 2012 11:27 AM

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Wow!

You did go "all the way" with a platter set-up; terrific that it all fits in there.

Heck, with this set-up, you can start your own film club.

Looking forward to more pics... [Smile]

[Smile]

Claus.

--------------------
"Why are there shots of deserts in a scene that's supposed to take place in Belgium during the winter?" (Review of 'Battle of the Bulge'.)

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Graham Ritchie
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posted February 05, 2012 02:48 PM

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Did a bit of a trial run the other day with 2000ft test reel using the platter around 25 feet away from the Ernemann. Lucky I was allowed to take a number of rollers like the platter from the cinema so I thought with the stuff I have to give it a go with the Ernemann . It took a while to arrange the rollers and cut a hole in the wall, make up an extra long leader etc. Anyway they say the proof of the pudding is trying it so I did, and it worked fine. I am sure its the first time this 1920s projector has ever had film come and go using a platter. The projector motor kicks of fast and there is a very slight pause for the platter do its thing with no initial jerking of the film. It looks like I will be able to run full features through the Ernemann as well.

The film on the left is under tension returning to the platter, as it was going up hill I reversed the pully and keeper to keep good contact between the film and the pully itself.

after going round the corner it meets up with the projector. The original spool boxes remain the same just the pully arrangement to make it work.

Back to the "Bauer" and a bit job hunting and fishing next week [Smile]

[Smile]

I must add that the owners of the cinema have been very good giving access and the ok to take so much stuff, even had the mall security give me a hand to load the trailer the other week [Cool]

[Cool]

Graham.

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