8mm Forum: Elmo ST-180E ?

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Posted by Timothy Price (Member # 1832) on February 19, 2012, 08:12 PM:

owdy All!

I'm thinking of getting an Elmo ST-180E. They seem to be workhorses and a pretty desent projoctor. I have an Elmo CL-16 16mm projector that's fabulous.

I've been collecting 8mm/Super 8 films since I was a kid, but only in the last few years have I been collecting Super 8 sound films & using S8 sound projectors.

Would love any input on this model if it's not too much to ask. [Confused]

Thanks so much!

Tim

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on February 21, 2012, 01:54 PM:

Hi Tim,

I'm a great respecter of the simpler Elmos. They have the same build quality but since they lack the bells and whistles the high end machines have they are more reliable.

I have the ST-800 which has been a really great machine for me, but if I had to start over again I would probably choose the ST-600 or ST-180 since common machines are easier to find parts for, and the ST-800 is rarer.

Posted by Bryan Chernick (Member # 1998) on February 21, 2012, 04:31 PM:

I think my ST-180 is a great projector but it's the only sound projector I've ever owned. It has a clear sharp image and takes up to 600' reels. I think a lot will depend on what kind of condition it's in. I can e-mail you a copy of the manual if you want to look at it.

Posted by Timothy Price (Member # 1832) on February 22, 2012, 05:34 AM:

They (ST-180) seem like great projectors. I have a B & H 36SR that's very nice, sound when amplified is not quite there for me, but it's a pretty dang good projector.

I really appreciate the input.

Posted by Lee Bombard (Member # 3740) on June 02, 2013, 02:25 PM:

What's the difference between the Elmo 600 and the 800?

Posted by Michel Boulet (Member # 2771) on February 25, 2014, 08:26 AM:

the reel size

Posted by Mark Todd (Member # 96) on February 25, 2014, 02:08 PM:

The ST600 and ST180 ( and 160 mono ) are twin track with a different film path set up.

The silver ST600DM silver can be run through a stereo set up easily. Though the finish is not as good as the other 600 foot machines. Black and Fawn.

The 800 is mono and sometimes optical too. But you do have to watch out on the ST800 as most have the small metal rollers in the top shue that are wrong sized. If you look in at them from the top you will see on one side towards the sprockets if you will a raised part of the roller instead of being at the edge of the film runs in the film path.

That puts wear into the film on the left side on the screen a little but the metal rollers are very prone to sticking and then do quite a bit more.

Keep them lubed and rolling they are OKayish. Really you need to fit the white plastic rollers that clear the film path on that edge to be on the safe side.

The 180/ 600/ 160 Elmo`s do both suffer wear on the inlet shute before the top sprocket. ( like the GS1200 ) Also the rear of the green top sprocket shue has no roller so the film runs also like the GS1200 on the green plastic as it feeds out towards the ( loop ) film gate and wears.

You can re-profile the tram line edges with a craft knife etc but a far better job is to have a white plastic elmo roller fitted in there. And also in the inlet shute where the film dips down and wears into the green plastic. Or buy a metal after market inlet shute. You will see marks building up coming in from the right of the picture if you have wear in these areas on the 600/180/ 160 machines.

One thing you have to watch on the ST180 and 600s/ 160,s is that the threading under the gate has a few varients and all seem notoriously bad at how much loop it sets under the gate. Too little or too much often. The 180 version tends to be better but seems that too can be very troublesome !!! Too little loop it affects playback. You will know so you need to feed a another sprocket holes worth through the gate and reset above the gate too. Easy enough.

Too much loop the rear direction under gate, the loop touches the black loop forming shue and wears ( like the version 3 GS1200 ) in to it and this causes areas/ groups of short scuff marks on the films when the threading keeps putting that extra bit through. So you need to feed usually one sprocket holes worth of film back up through the gate. You can check this one by flipping the reloop lever gently back once threaded and running. If it doesn`t touch the loop a little there, its at least one sprocket holes too much under there.

So its usually 3 places. Bang on. Or one sprocket hole too much or one sprocket hole too little. Its worth keeping an eye on.

Seems it can be governed quite a bit by the type and thickness etc of the leader.

Apart from that the film path through the soundhead area is less wearey on the 600 feet machines than on the 800 with its green plastic part in the soundhead area. The 600/180/ 160 has a metal guide before the 2 pinch rollers that meet.

The take up on the smaller Elmos can cause issues, be weak too, and after the lower sprocket can be a little slack so the film drags slightly in the rear channel after the lower sprocket. Fitting a little shaped thinish guide half way up so it doesn`t touch down, that is a good idea though the marking is quite minimal. Its more obvious after about 200/300 of film has gone through.

Also the 180 has an Achilies heel on the take up with a small pin type thing can go and is not sortabe. The 600`s have a similar issues but can be repaired. But they are usually OK.

You tend to find the 600,s/ 160`s usually run a little quieter than the 180s. I think its a different motor than the later one maybe. Certainly seem quieter on the early black ones.

With these machines having a solid metal back it causes more knockey amplified sound issues if you will so if you fit a small few MM wide and 1 or 2 mm depth flat rubber gasket somehow around the rear cover where it meets the machine it quietens them down an aweful lot.

Best bet image wise is to get them all fitted with a 2 blade shutter. The light with a xenophot 100watt then is as good or just better than an ST1200 with a usual 150 bulb in. But the 1200 with a xenophot is a little brighter. Its a fairly doable job and really well worth it.

The 600 feet Elmos are a great and reliable machine, and the 800 with a weather eye on those rollers or replaced are also very good.

Hope you get a good un.

Best Mark.

PS nearly all with need belts now. And if you do get a set make sure the main drive belt on the 600 feet machines especially is not the origional V-shaped type as they oscillate about quite badly and can cause noise and catch the shutter too. So a good type rubber round section one is far better. Though you will probably have to nudge the speed then via the speed pots in the back.

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