8mm Forum: More DCT Woes

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Posted by Steve Carter (Member # 4821) on August 08, 2015, 02:17 PM:

I was recording on the DCT, and I had to put the machine in reverse a few times to get to recording cue, now framer has gone out of line, frame line half way across the screen with pull down fully adjusted, any ideas?.If I now adjust up it goes too far...

Posted by Andrew Woodcock (Member # 3260) on August 08, 2015, 04:47 PM:

Once again Steve, it's a machine I've seen many times but not one I know much about as I've never owned one.

The good news however is that it is a very popular model and many on here have owned one of these, therefore hopefully it shouldn't be too long before someone on here gives you some ideas of what might be the problem.

I hope you soon rectify the issue Steve and also find out what caused the error right out of the blue.

Posted by Steve Carter (Member # 4821) on August 09, 2015, 12:48 AM:

It looks like the nylon part on the claw that runs in the cam has worn down, what are the chances of obtaining one of these?, it's one thing after another and I'm getting very dispondent with the whole thing, get one issue sorted and another one appears...

Posted by Andrew Woodcock (Member # 3260) on August 09, 2015, 04:59 AM:

It happens unfortunately Steve. It is the nature of the hobby and it's equipment some 30 - 40 years in.

I think with any machine now, you really have to push for people like Edwin who can produce many replica plastic wear parts, to release parts for any active machine users may have.

Then of course, you have to find someone who will do the work if you don't yourself feel comfortable in doing so.
Also these aging machines do need regular servicing.

These machines can, and do, give many good years of untroubled service life, however just like an aging car reaching it's 13th then 14th then 15th M.O.T. they then tend to need more and more work doing to them to keep them "road worthy".

There are two chains of thought from this point onwards it would seem,
1/ Stick with the existing machine you have, eventually all minor niggles will be ironed out if you stick with the repairs

2/Throw it away or keep it as a spares machine, its cheaper and easier just to find another working machine.

I think for scenario 2, it is very much a truth however one thing I have found is, it really isn't too often you find a real gem of a machine that comes up for sale that genuinely is "like new" and has no faults at all.
Even when you do find such a machine, faults usually appear very quickly because the machine has been left unused for so many years, just as a car would do the same.

For me personally, I tend to stick with the machines I have and just continually iron out the faults as they appear. Better the devil you know I find.

In this day and age, you really do need to have two examples of any favourite model just to keep one working at any one time i find.

I know of keen collectors that have up to five examples of the same model of their favourite projectors, just so they have at least one or two fully working models at any given time.

Last week I spent 49 Euros including P&P for a similar set of parts from Edwin that have just been brought to market.
I don't need any of these parts currently but I am certain one day, not too far in the distant future, I will do.
Then, at least I have the parts ready to fit straight away on my favourite home projector.

Posted by Steve Carter (Member # 4821) on August 09, 2015, 08:53 AM:

A big thank you to Bill Parsons, he found a used cam follower in his box of magic. Since I joined this forum I have found it to be full of the most helpful people, whom are passionet about the hobby and very helpful to others with problems in order they can carry on enjoying Film. Once again thank you Bill...

Posted by James Wilson (Member # 4620) on August 09, 2015, 10:05 AM:

Hi Steve,
That`s very unlucky, I think the DCT is the top of the line
with both optical & Magnetic sound. I have a DCM & i love it never had any problems at all, but I did know the seller and he said it was only used once in a while. Anyway you have a top Sankyo projector there although they were badged by (Bell &, Howell) in the 1980`s. Good Luck.

Posted by Andrew Woodcock (Member # 3260) on August 09, 2015, 10:50 AM:

No optical sound function on the B&H DCT I'm afraid James.

Bill comes to the rescue once again! Well done Bill and I hope you soon get the machine running reliably again Steve after your recent run of back fortune with it.

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on August 09, 2015, 11:01 AM:

The DCT does have twin-track facilities and a useful capacity for 800ft spools.

Posted by Andrew Woodcock (Member # 3260) on August 09, 2015, 12:12 PM:

Yes Maurice, a very nice machine, just no optical sound facility.

Posted by Simon McConway (Member # 219) on August 09, 2015, 04:28 PM:

Look under the lamp...the white material protecting the sound head from the heat...is that asbestos?

Posted by Dominique De Bast (Member # 3798) on August 09, 2015, 04:35 PM:

Maurice, the super8database says the spool capacity is 180m (600ft), not 240m (800ft). Is that a mistake ? I know there are some in that base.

Posted by Janice Glesser (Member # 2758) on August 09, 2015, 04:44 PM:

I have a DCR Dominique and Maurice... it will only take up to 600ft reel.

Posted by Dominique De Bast (Member # 3798) on August 09, 2015, 04:52 PM:

Thank you, Janice. It looks like a good projector.

Posted by Steve Carter (Member # 4821) on August 09, 2015, 05:11 PM:

The DCT is 800ft...

Posted by Dominique De Bast (Member # 3798) on August 09, 2015, 05:24 PM:

So there is a little mistake about that in the super 8 data. It's a pitty it's not possible to send easily correction to this valuable site.

Posted by Bill Phelps (Member # 1431) on August 09, 2015, 06:17 PM:

Janice has a DCR and Steve has a DCT.

Bill [Smile]

Posted by Dominique De Bast (Member # 3798) on August 09, 2015, 06:35 PM:

Yes, Steve and Maurice say the DCT has 800 ft (240m) spool capacity but the super 8 databases says the DCT has 180 m (600ft) capacity. So, there is a mistake in the database. This is normal regarding the number of cameras and projectors listed. It could be useful to provide the possibility to correct the datas.

Posted by Janice Glesser (Member # 2758) on August 09, 2015, 08:44 PM:

On my DCR... I can fit a 800ft reel on the supply arm, but only a 600ft will fit on the takeup [Frown]

The photo of the DCT in the Super8mm Database shows it with a 800ft. reel.

Posted by Andrew Woodcock (Member # 3260) on August 09, 2015, 11:23 PM:

Yes,it's an unusual one is this. I don't have a DCT but from memory I am sure you can actually fit a 1200ft reel on the front arm but it's capacity is limited to 800ft as you can only fit a 800ft reel on the take up spindle.

Attempts have been made previously to fully convert these to a 1200ft machine by "butchering" sections of the rear lamp house cover away, in order to be able to fit a 1200ft spool on the rear spindle also.

There was one for sale like this only a few weeks back on e bay UK

[ August 10, 2015, 02:03 AM: Message edited by: Andrew Woodcock ]

Posted by Dominique De Bast (Member # 3798) on August 10, 2015, 06:19 AM:

I cannot zoom, Janice, so I just refered to the technical description. It happens on several projectors that the capacity of the feed arm is higher that the one of the take up arm. And often it is frustating to see that just one or two centimeters would have made the difference !

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on August 10, 2015, 10:18 AM:

The Super 8 Data Base is usually correct, but there are often incorrect entries.

I have three Bell & Howell (Sankyo) models so can vouch for what I say.

DCR takes 600ft.
DCM takes 600ft.
DCT takes 800ft.

The first two use the 12volt 100watt lamp.
The latter uses the 15volt 150watt lamp.

Posted by Mike Newell (Member # 23) on August 10, 2015, 02:49 PM:

Maurice is right in his reply you can extend a DCM and DCR to 800ft capacity by two methods. One by obtaining an obsolete machine and removing front arm and replacing the back arm with front arm in a working machine. This will give you room to put 800 reel onto the back. You won't be able to close arm down so it would only suit where projector is sitting in semi permanent cinema setting. Method two depending on your DIY skills is to remove the plastic roller at the end before it goes to take up reel. It can be removed from projector via a screw at back. Use hack saw then solder any rough edges smooth. The film doesn't actually touch any edges so no scratching or damage will occur. The DCT is the equivalent of a Sankyo 800 with twin track facility'while the other two are the same as Sankyo 600s. I found the Bell & Howells to be real workhorses that are easy to clean and very good in causing no damage to prints. The Sankyo 800 would just have the edge on the DCT but both having hernia giving capacities!!!

Posted by Steve Carter (Member # 4821) on August 12, 2015, 09:23 AM:

Cam follower arrived today, many, thanks to Bill Parsons.
Bill warned me of the two bearings on the claw,and how they could fall out and be lost forever, so I thought with my bad tremors I'm not going to take any chances, so I fashioned a bowl like out of kitchen towel, and rested under the claw mount as I removed the three springs, I'm glad I did, one bearing fell straight into the bowl. Anyways, I fitted the cam follower, greased it and the cam, re-assembled and now it runs just like it was new, and the frame adjustment works just as it should. I might add the old follower was almost flat, so my constant reversing must have finished it off. Thanks Bill, you are a star...

Posted by Andrew Woodcock (Member # 3260) on August 12, 2015, 09:32 AM:

Indeed he is Steve and by the looks of things, so are you! Well done to you Steve!
I do love a happy ending with these things [Wink]

Posted by James Wilson (Member # 4620) on August 12, 2015, 11:42 AM:

Great news Steve.

Posted by Maurizio Di Cintio (Member # 144) on August 13, 2015, 05:29 AM:

Congrats! Those ball beareres are very tiny and prone to get lost in the innards of the beast... [Big Grin]

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