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Topic: Elmo The Reliable

Graham Ritchie
Film God

Posts: 4001
From: New Zealand
Registered: Feb 2006

posted June 04, 2007 10:43 PM

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Although I have read in this forum the many problems people can sometimes have with there projectors I thought I might share a story of a projector that I have owned for many years.

Back in 1979 I was lucky enough to buy my first Elmo projector a Elmo ST 1200 the projector was second hand the previous owner a teacher had used it in the Pacific Islands, and as such it had suffered from corrosion which needed treating and a quick repaint on the rear cover, the pre-amp was also replaced along with a new gate and rollers. whats amazing to me, is that over the years it has never once let me down. In those days I was often asked to put film shows on, so with its 1200ft capacity 150w lamp and a 1.1 lens I used, this projector was ideal, plus it was light to carry around, although those days are long gone it still amazes me to think that here is a projector thats now over 30 years old and is still going strong.

Looking a bit tired, and it might not have the features the GS has but "Elmo the Reliable" it is. [Smile]

[Smile]

Good choice of words dont you think. [Wink]

[Wink]

Graham.

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Gary Crawford
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 979
From: Manassas, VA. USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted June 05, 2007 07:46 AM

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I have had the same experience with several St1200's both original and HD's. The very first one I bought brand new in the mid 70's...and HD....and it is still running with only a set of belts a couple of years ago . It should probably have the cam and claw looked at by an expert, but otherwise ...still going.

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Lee Mannering
Film God

Posts: 3216
From: The Projection Box
Registered: Nov 2006

posted June 05, 2007 12:36 PM

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Good to read you are still having run with the St1200. Must dig mine out for a spin.
Have fun.

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Lars Pettersson
Master Film Handler

Posts: 282
From: Stockholm, Sweden
Registered: Jan 2007

posted June 05, 2007 01:25 PM

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The ST 1200 is a pretty much bulletproof construction! [Smile]

[Smile]

Cheers,
Lars

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Tom Photiou
Film God

Posts: 4837
From: Plymouth U.K
Registered: Dec 2003

posted June 05, 2007 02:45 PM

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Hi Graham, yes i do swear by my 1200HD, if they are looked after well they run well, of course like any machine they have there problems from time to time but my Brother anfd i have had 4 between us and still have two and there still going strong.
Lots of good people on here to get helpful info on as well.
[Wink]

[Wink]

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Graham Ritchie
Film God

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From: New Zealand
Registered: Feb 2006

posted June 07, 2007 03:32 AM

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Hi Everyone
Just curious when did the ST1200 first appear for sale? the one I own which is the M model I guess it was one of the first, were there just the D and HD that followed and what was the main difference in the belt drive, lastly when did production cease?, thanks.

Graham.

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Winbert Hutahaean
Film God

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From: Nouméa, New Caledonia
Registered: Jun 2003

posted June 07, 2007 04:31 AM

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The brochure above shows ST1200 with black colour. I never seen this one. Was it actually available for sale.

What I always found only the silever colour.

Anyone can tel me.

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

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Joerg Polzfusz
Jedi Master Film Handler

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From: Berlin, Germany, Europe, Earth, Solar System
Registered: Apr 2006

posted June 07, 2007 07:00 AM

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Good question! [Wink]

[Wink]

I've seen some black Elmo ST 800, but no black ST 1200. So this is either a ST 800 in the background - or a black model that was only for sale in Japan. (<- This is just a guess since e.g. the Fuji sold the Fujica P2 and other models as "completely black" only in Japan, while in all other countries mainly/only the "black&silver"-version was sold.)

Jörg

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Graham Sinden
Phenomenal Film Handler

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From: Kent, UK
Registered: Aug 2005

posted June 07, 2007 07:12 AM

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I think it is an ST 800 in the background. I also cannot see a rewind lever (unless this is also black!), so this would be correct.

Early ST1200's were green (i think). The M stood for magnetic only i assume as my mate had one of these. Early ST1200's also had a round power plug.

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Gary Crawford
Jedi Master Film Handler

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From: Manassas, VA. USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted June 07, 2007 07:46 AM

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Had to add this since it just happened. I got an ST1200 Hd off ebay ..very cheap...since the description accurately said it was making strange noises and the spindles, etc. didn't turn, but I thought I'd take a chance on it and see if it could be revived.. It had been sitting in an unairconditioned Florida garage for 30 years. I received it and opened it up and ugh...the belts and rubber parts had turned to total black, semi liquid goo. The rubber around the shutter wheel was also sticky, stainy goo. The stuff came out onto the carpet, which I had to take two hours to clean to get the stains off. It was a mess. After several hours ..using Gumout, tons of cotton swabs...etc. I had cleaned all the pulleys...and removed the rubber from the shutter wheel....etc. I put new belts on ....greased the gears...put a bit of oil on a few parts...put it back together...plugged it in and lo and behold....the motor turned over, which it wouldn't do before. I put it into forward...and it moved....I turned the light on...and ( a real miracle) it came on..but there was a bad flickering on the screen...which cleared up after about 20 seconds. Next I cleaned the filthy film path...lens, etc....and threaded up a sound film that I didn't mind being threshed. Looking at this wreck, I had no idea whether the cam and claw and transport would actually work...let alone the amp. I trimmed the film end...stuck it in and waited for what seemed like an eternity for it to emerge down at the takeup end. It did.....I turned on the amp.....put it in gear..and unbelievably .....a perfect rock steady picture with totally flawless sound. I don't think this would have happened with a GS1200 stored under similar circumstances...or any machine for that matter. Those ST1200's are great. I cleaned the outside (which was horrible) and now I have a machine that operates as well as a new one.

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Mike Peckham
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1461
From: West Sussex, UK.
Registered: Jun 2003

posted June 07, 2007 08:28 AM

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Gary

What a lovely story, it's made my insides feel all warm and gooey, or maybe it's just the heat making all my rubber parts melt!

Mike [Cool]

[Cool]

--------------------
Auntie Em must have stopped wondering where I am by now...

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Graham Ritchie
Film God

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From: New Zealand
Registered: Feb 2006

posted June 08, 2007 04:36 AM

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Graham
The ST1200 I own "the one in the picture" does have a round power plug, at a guess would have been new around 1975 might even be earlier, one of the reasons I asked about the belt drive between the models was that this projector does not have rubber around the shutter, its a direct drive from the two different diameter rubber drive bearings, being driven I think from only one drive belt, in fact I cant even remember replacing the belt scince buying it back in 1979, it still goes. [Smile]

[Smile]

Gary
Great story, and I hate to admit it being a GS1200 owner as well, but your comments about comparing a GS1200, to get it going after sitting in a garage for 30 years compared to the ST1200 would be spot on. I hate to think what problems a GS1200 could come up with [Eek!]

[Eek!]

it was not until I had to work on the GS1200 take up and rewind motors a few years ago, [Roll Eyes]

[Roll Eyes]

that I appreciated the simple but reliable, one motor does it all ST1200. [Smile]

[Smile]

I wonder if it would be fair to say that the ST1200 range of projectors would have been the most widely sold Super8 projector ever made. It would be interesting to find out the years of manufacture of the different models?.

Graham. [Smile]

[Smile]

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Patrick Walsh
Jedi Master Film Handler

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From: Christchurch, New Zealand
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posted June 09, 2007 07:57 PM

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Hi Graham
My latest buy the ELMO ST1200D is running as I type running "Jaws" 2 x400ft on a 800ft ELMO reel, the picture quality is good, as well as a powerful amplifier, using a extension speaker.
one problem it does have is if it has benn sitting for a while not running when I turn it on it takes several minutes for the thing to start to turn over and another several minutes for it to get up to the right 24fps for sound films, is this a common problem?
P.S the wrap detector at work looks good! [Smile]

[Smile]

PAT

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

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Andrew Wilson
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From: dundonald,belfast,co.antrim,northern ireland.
Registered: Jan 2006

posted June 09, 2007 08:14 PM

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Maybe that's why the Elmo st1200 series was a great seller in it's day.By the sound of it was the best selling super8 projector of all time.Andy.

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Graham Ritchie
Film God

Posts: 4001
From: New Zealand
Registered: Feb 2006

posted June 09, 2007 11:20 PM

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Pat
Sounds like a lube and new belts could do the trick if you would like to leave the projector at work I could have a look/play at it over the next few days. [Wink]

[Wink]

Andy
Still hoping someone has the facts regarding the different makes and the length of the ST1200 production run.

Graham [Smile]

[Smile]

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Andrew Wilson
Jedi Master Film Handler

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From: dundonald,belfast,co.antrim,northern ireland.
Registered: Jan 2006

posted June 10, 2007 02:32 AM

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Graham,I would at a guess say the ELMO ST1200 first appeared on the
market late 75/early76.Maybe Mike,Kevin or Tom could tell us more.
The GS1200 stereo machine,first appeared in August78.Andy.

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Rob Koeling
Master Film Handler

Posts: 399
From: Brighton, UK
Registered: Jun 2003

posted June 11, 2007 06:56 AM

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I recently got a ST1200 off Ebay. It had the original receipt. The receipt was dated 6-12-1973. It is a magnetic/optical model and has the same round power plug. The first owner paid £175 for this machine and he probably had no idea that the machine would still be in use 35 years later.

Another funny thing is how projectors travel. This machine was sold by a shop in Worthing. The buyer was from Southport. There might have been a few stops between Southport and Merseyside, where the Ebay seller was located. Now it is almost back home (in Brighton). I should take it on a trip to Mike in Worthing. Then it is finally back home....

Anyway, any earlier sightings than 1973? Does anyone know when the machine was first reviewed?

- Rob

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Osi Osgood
Film God

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From: Mountian Home, ID.
Registered: Jul 2005

posted June 13, 2007 11:15 PM

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I hear so much about the GS1200 on the forum, and I'm sure that it must be a decent projector, but i also notice problems constantly. You must admit, you don't see a lot of problems with the higher end Eumigs, (which I also have) on the forum.

Just a thought. perhaps the Eumig's were made to hold up better.

--------------------
"All these moments will be lost in time, just like ... tears, in the rain. "

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David Kilderry
Jedi Master Film Handler

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From: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Registered: Feb 2006

posted June 13, 2007 11:58 PM

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I'm on my 2nd Elmo ST 1200 M & O. A great projector with good light and large reel capacity. I also like the powerful inbuilt amp compared to so many other projectors.

I have ads for them in my Blackhawk catalogues from 1974. In Australia the ST 1200 would certainly be amongst the biggest sellers at the quality end.

I think the complexity of the GS 1200 is the reason for the lack of reliability in some models. The ST is certainly easier to live with.

David

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