Posts: 5895
From: Bristol. United Kingdom
Registered: Oct 2007
posted March 09, 2014 03:31 AM
Needing a 400' standard 8 spool I have just bought a brand new Gepe Automatic spool which has the box marked as Super Single Standard 8.
Inside is a plastic moulding with snap-off items: centre adapter for standard 8 and a clip for holding down film on spool.
There are also two other items which I can't work out what they are for: A round socket 10mm long, 8mm wide, hole with internal o/d of 5mm. The second mysterious item is a tapered pin with larger end flange, this measures in total 11mm long and tapers from 2mm via 4mm to the end of 8mm.
It would seem that the last two unknown items fit together. They could fit into the standard 8 hole.
posted March 09, 2014 01:09 PM
Could the items Maurice describes simply be features resulting from the injection moulding manufacturing process?
-------------------- The best of all worlds- 8mm, super 8mm, 9.5mm, and HD Digital Projection, Elmo GS1200 f1.0 2-blade Eumig S938 Stereo f1.0 Ektar Panasonic PT-AE4000U digital pj
Posts: 1269
From: Thetford , Norfolk,England
Registered: May 2008
posted March 10, 2014 04:23 AM
Here goes..... The Gepe Automatic spool is one of the best ever produced in that because of its complement of small white plastic accessories it is not only Automatic but also Universal. Universal in that it is suitable for Single 8, Super 8 and Standard 8 film and for both Auto-Thread and Manual thread projectors. With a Manual Thread projector the "Automatic " features of the reel are pointless; you have to do everything by hand. This is where the two "unknown use" components come in.
Take the "tube" and place it on a table with the hole uppermost. Now take the leading end of your film and drop it into the two slots in the top of the tube, leaving about 1 cm sticking out one side. Then take the "plug" and push it down into the tube, trapping and holding the film. Lace the projector by hand, pass the leading end of the film between the reel cheeks and locate the film in the anchor slot (the reel webs are open at this point on the Gepe reel to make it easy)and lodge the white tube assembly in the reel hub.
Yes, it's an anchor for the leader! Simple.. it ensures that the film reel takes the film up properly when you lace by hand and do not have the use of Automatic feed into the reel. It keeps the film attached to the reel when using hand rewinds on an editing bench... but is easily removed when required, though you need not do that when removing the film after rewinding. It can stay permanently on the leader if you use a Manual Thread projector; just locate it in one of the gaps in the spool cheeks. The film will not come unwound. Use the white Film Clip if you use an Auto thread machine.
-------------------- Retired TV Service Engineer Ongoing interest in Telecine....
Posts: 5895
From: Bristol. United Kingdom
Registered: Oct 2007
posted March 10, 2014 11:05 AM
Martin How absolutely fascinating. I wonder how many people have thrown these away not knowing what they were for. Many thanks for the full details. One more question. "Use the white film clip if you use an auto-thread machine". Could you go into more details on this please as I assumed it was to hold down the film whilst it was in storage (as many package films came with like items when they were new.)
Posts: 1269
From: Thetford , Norfolk,England
Registered: May 2008
posted March 10, 2014 11:34 AM
Yes, Maurice. I didn't make myself clear... what I meant to indicate was that if you use a Manual Thread machine you can leave the "Tube" on the leader when storing the film, and if you use an Auto Thread you use the "Clip" for storing the film. Either will stop the film unwinding in storage.
[CONFESSION] I didn't know what they were for until you posed the question! So I got them out and looked. The two slits in the "tube" (8mm in length) gave me the clue. They had to be for film. The rest was a flash of inspiration which proves that dementia is still a way off yet!
-------------------- Retired TV Service Engineer Ongoing interest in Telecine....