8mm Forum: Is this a clutch problem.

This is topic Is this a clutch problem. in forum 16mm Forum at 8mm Forum.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
https://8mmforum.film-tech.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=5;t=000671

Posted by Nick Field (Member # 2132) on July 12, 2011, 01:45 AM:

Showing a film sunday night with the eiki at home,first reel no problems 1600ft, i think you know what i'm going to say next,the next reel 2000ft showing nearly all the way through until the final climax of the film and i could hear tap....tap....tap got up and low and behold the take up reel had stopped turning and about 50ft of the film was on the floor. [Mad]

So managed to reel it back up no problem but noticed that the film had been reeling unevenly on the spool,all lumpy,so am i right in thinking that the tension of the take up spool has'nt been constant throughout the the latter part of the film like as if the heavier the spool is getting the slacker the tension. anybody else had this problem with elf machines? [Confused]

Posted by Gary Crawford (Member # 67) on July 12, 2011, 01:15 PM:

Not always caused by reel arm tension.....many times 16 prints develop a wavy quality....like a warp.....from being wound on a reel for long periods of time..and not being wound tightly... this can cause the problem of loose winding you describe. Next time you show that reel.....flip the film over just before attaching it to the takeup reel..so that the sprocket holes are facing away from you....and run the film. If the warp isn't too bad...the film will take up just fine. Sometimes on these films...you can start to see bunching and loose winding long before the end of the reel. If you don't notice any loose winding as the films gets about halfway through....then maybe you do have a projector takeup problem.

Posted by Nick Field (Member # 2132) on July 13, 2011, 12:40 AM:

Hi thanks for your reply,I re-run the reel last night and noticed that upto about half way the reel run perfect,then after that the rear bobbin started to bounce backwards and forwards, then a noticable difference in speed fluctuation in the take up then the film would run smooth again,then the lumps would start to appear and the process is repeated all over again.Towards the end of the film about the same place as last time the reel starts to slow down then the film would start to drop from the reel then the reel would slowly speed up and catch it,the click....click.... click noise would start from the reel slowing and speeding up pulling the rear spring loaded bobbin to its full travel then releasing it sharply then the reel stopped and the film started to droop off the reel and onto the floor. [Roll Eyes]

Posted by Nick Field (Member # 2132) on July 13, 2011, 03:12 PM:

Have now fixed the problem,the clutch tension screw had become loose causing the reel to slow down under load, now runs at perfect tension right to the end of the reel. [Smile]

Posted by Pasquale DAlessio (Member # 2052) on July 13, 2011, 10:29 PM:

Well done Nick! [Big Grin]

Posted by Nick Field (Member # 2132) on July 14, 2011, 02:24 PM:

Being a mechanic helps,as these machines can be quite complicated if you don't know what your doing, it's amazing how precise these little machines are,they think of every kind of adjustment you can think of,very well built machines.

Posted by Jeff Taylor (Member # 442) on July 16, 2011, 08:47 AM:

One tip to remember...assuming the takeup is working properly, a loose or "lumpy" takeup is potentially due to a slight cupping or warping of the print. Many times you can work around this by giving the film a half twist at the takeup reel. Try it sometime.

UBB.classic^TM 6.3.1.2