8mm Forum: Rank Aldis Automatic Projector tech queries

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Posted by Phil Clarke (Member # 4299) on June 11, 2014, 09:09 AM:

Hello all.

At my cinema club we have recently acquired a number of vintage 16mm projectors and as the tech type person in situ I am working my way through them to see which machines we can use for shows. I am now looking at a Rank Aldis Automatic 16mm, ca. early 1970s (?) which I gather was made by Bauer and was similar to their P6 machine. On the underside of this model the plate says "Type 15".

The projector runs and seems in good mechanical condition but there are some queries on this one, can anyone help with info?

i) No power to exciter lamp (yes I have tested it).Any clues as to where I could start looking for a possible fault on the power supply?

ii) Putting the projector into reverse works (mechanism runs backwards as expected) but there is no drive to the supply spool; a quick look inside reveals what I suspect to be a missing toothed belt (see pic below) .... am I right?

iii) There are three buttons on the console (see second pic), what do these do? Presumably one is "amplifier on" .... but the other two?

iv) There is a speaker socket on the back panel but also two DIN sockets; what are these for? (I'm guessing mic? line out) ?

As you might guess we don't have manuals for this one so scans would be very welcome, if anyone has them handy!

cheers
phil

pics:

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on June 11, 2014, 10:31 AM:

Oldtimer Cameras can supply a manual for the Bauer P6 which should be of help to you.
http://www.oldtimercameras.com/stock/Model.asp?Model=818&ModelPage=true

Posted by John Yapp (Member # 2873) on June 11, 2014, 12:26 PM:

There should definitely be a toothed belt between the two points in your photo, as you guessed. It's been a while since I owned one of these, but doesn't one of those three buttons give the option to play the film minus any sound?

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on June 12, 2014, 12:29 AM:

Phil

There are three fuses on the amplifier panel although I don't know which does what!

The amplifier ON/OFF is on the volume control.

The three buttons are input selector switches. Left for MIC/PHONO, centre for OPT sound, right button is not used on this model variant.

Above the external speaker socket there should be a three-position sliding switch marked 0 I II , this is the control for the internal speaker. Note that the internal speaker is not muted when an external speaker is plugged in.

0 = Off
I = Half power
II - Full power

I hope that you get it all working soon. Oldtimer also have a full service manual if you are interested.

Posted by Paul Mason (Member # 4015) on June 12, 2014, 03:50 AM:

Hi Phil,

quote:
No power to exciter lamp

This could be a simple open circuit break in the wiring. This may be supplied by the amplifier as high frequency AC or as smoothed DC from a switch mode PSU so it is worth tracing back the wiring before concluding its a component fault.

quote:
a missing toothed belt

I agree.

quote:
There are three buttons on the console

Maurice has answered this one but its possible that the right hand button selects magnetic stripe playback but as there is no marking this seems unlikely.

quote:
"Type 15"

This means 15 watts amp output - there was a 6 watts version as well.

quote:
two DIN sockets

Not sure but one is almost certainly mike in the other probably Line in/out if its 5 or 6 pins.
Good luck.

Posted by Adrian Winchester (Member # 248) on June 12, 2014, 10:07 PM:

Sorry, can't help with your questions but I'm impressed to hear of a London cinema club using 16mm! Do you have a website that I can check out?

Posted by Phil Clarke (Member # 4299) on June 15, 2014, 02:28 PM:

THanks all for the most helpful information, much appreciated.

There are actually a couple of London cinema clubs using 16mm - one in particular is run by Mr Umit; you probably know about his shop in Hackney - but that's not where I've been helping out. Clue: it's a big old building near Kennington, with a Chaplin connection.
[Wink]

cheers
Phil

Posted by Paul Mason (Member # 4015) on June 16, 2014, 07:16 AM:

On behalf of non-Londoners I'm guessing you mean the Cinema Museum?
www.cinemamuseum.org.uk
[Smile]

Posted by Phil Clarke (Member # 4299) on June 30, 2014, 04:46 AM:

Yep spot on. Wonderful place.

cheers
phil

Posted by Josef Grassmann (Member # 378) on June 30, 2014, 02:50 PM:

@ Phil
we have tooth belt in stock if you still need it.

Josef

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