8mm Forum: Looking For Elmo GS1200 Service/Repair In UK

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Posted by Robert Curtis (Member # 6470) on August 26, 2018, 10:12 AM:

Is anyone able to recommend someone to repair/service an Elmo GS1200 in the UK? I've tried a few phone numbers/emails/websites but either receive no reply or the repair person has retired.

The take-up arm seems to slip a little (most noticeably on 1200ft reels) and make a squeaky noise. The fluctuating speed as the reel slips causes the sound to wow and flutter. I have replaced the take-up arm belt but it doesn’t seem to have cured the problem. Hanimex (the UK Elmo importer) used to be based locally and perform repairs for me but they no-longer exist.

Thanks for any help or suggestions!

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on August 26, 2018, 11:20 AM:

Robert,

Your takeup reel actually should slip during forward projection. These days they'd have some microprocessor based speed controller on the rear spindle juggling the numbers about the diameter of the film stackup on the reel vs. the constant linear film speed, but back then they called it a day and just put a clutch in there to make up the difference.

It should slip smoothly and quietly though. There's a cork surface in there that maybe has seen better days on yours.

The speed of the machine should be regulated through the motor controller, although it sounds reasonable that if that clutch is throwing an unsteady load on the motor it may have a tough time keeping pace. (-kind of like driving into a gusty headwind.)

Maybe if you replace the cork things will smooth out.

Posted by Robert Curtis (Member # 6470) on August 26, 2018, 11:54 AM:

Thanks for your suggestion! I'm not entirely sure what you mean but I'll have another look at the take-up arm to see if I can work it out. I've had GS1200's in the past and the take-up has been relatively smooth, this one jerks every half-turn or so and snatches at the film in the film path causing unsteady transfer through the soundhead. It certainly sounds as though the loud squeak is coming from the take-up arm and nowhere else. A new belt stopped the squeak (but not the unsteady/jerking take-up) until I put on a 1200ft take-up reel and the squeak started again (plus the wobbly sound reproduction). I don't want to take too much of the projector apart or go too deep as I don't trust myself to put it back together again! [Smile]

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on August 26, 2018, 12:33 PM:

Basically the film transport is a constant speed machine: so many frames per second times so many millimeters per frame.

The spindles are different. There is a lot more film around the circumference of a full 1200 Foot reel than around an empty 50 foot one, so the empty reel has to spin a lot faster than the full one, so there has to be a clutch in between to allow for the difference.

The clutch will be on the shaft that goes through the reel arm's pivot and turns the gears inside the arm. It has a spring tensioner over it.

Posted by Robert Curtis (Member # 6470) on August 26, 2018, 12:46 PM:

Thanks for that, I'll take a look. I also have an Elmo ST-1200HD, is the take-up arm similar to give me an idea what I'm looking for? Is it simply a piece of cork I'm looking for on the GS1200 take-up arm? I'm very grateful for your advice and guidance!

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on August 26, 2018, 12:54 PM:

It should be similar: these are all pretty close cousins.

The cork is a thin lining between two clutch faces.

Posted by Robert Curtis (Member # 6470) on August 26, 2018, 01:06 PM:

Thank-you very much! I'll look at it tomorrow. Will any piece of cork be a suitable replacement? I don't remember seeing any cork there previously when I attempted to solve the squeak and jerking take-up to compare replacement cork with, how thick do you recommend the cork being?

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on August 26, 2018, 01:08 PM:

That’s where my experience ends here: for better or worse I’ve never had any problems with my clutches!

-anyone?

If you use Search in this Forum (“clutch” or “cork”), I bet you’ll find something.

Posted by Robert Curtis (Member # 6470) on August 27, 2018, 12:55 PM:

Hi Steve! I looked at my Elmo GS1200 today and could not find any evidence of a cork washer (without disassembling half the projector). Other than that everything seems okay and well lubricated. However, upon putting things back together and testing the projector, the squeaky, unstable take-up is noisier than ever and overpowers the film sound. Time to accept this GS1200 as a costly write-off that will not play again sadly. Thank-you for your valued help though, I am grateful for your time, suggestions and guidance!

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