8mm Forum: Always hopeful with Pathescope Gem 9.5mm

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Posted by Clinton Hunt (Member # 2072) on February 15, 2018, 09:57 PM:

You know how sometimes there is a particular projector brand and model that you really want to own and also one that works?
Well for me it is the Pathescope Gem 9.5mm projector,the gold coloured one.I like the look of them as they are not like any other looking projector.
I have one that only works sometimes and that's after I had it serviced and sort-of repaired,so it's a display model,well I got another one last week and it runs but the shutter blades are hitting the inching shaft,I haven't given up on fixing it and have some ideas to try.
I'll probably will buy another one in the future and try again and be hopeful again haha.
We are all the same I bet!

Posted by Terry Sills (Member # 3309) on February 16, 2018, 01:50 AM:

Clinton
The reason the shutter blades are hitting the drive shaft is most probably because the motor rubber mountings have deteriorated and the motor drive belt is pulling the motor out of true. A common fault on these projectors.

Posted by Allan Broadfield (Member # 2298) on February 16, 2018, 05:30 AM:

Mentioning Pathescope brings me out in waves of nostalgia. Mine was the Son projector, still a dream. As a kid I used to pore over their catalogue of equipment, mentioned it to Graham Newnham a couple of years back and he magically sent me a copy!

Posted by Paul Adsett (Member # 25) on February 16, 2018, 10:12 AM:

I had two dream projectors when I was a youngster, both totally unattainable for me at the time. One was a Bolex M8R and the other a Pathescope Son, and both of them are great looking machines. The M8 of course is a masterpiece of swiss precision, but the Son by all accounts is a dog.

Posted by Clinton Hunt (Member # 2072) on February 16, 2018, 11:18 PM:

Terry,thanks for your thought on why it's doing that,I will look and see how they are.
Paul,yeah the Bolex projectors are great machines,my M8R looks brand new and it runs like a dream,I also have a slightly older model and it's a great machine too [Smile]

Posted by Mike Shaw (Member # 4640) on February 17, 2018, 03:18 PM:

Pathescope never really made a decent projector until the Europe 9.5mm and then it was to late...Pathe always had weird setups,odd lamps and voltages,I have all there models,a few stand out..The Vox,200B,Pax,Gem but most of there other machines where poorly made it was left to other manufactures to make good outfits.

Posted by Luigi Castellitto (Member # 3759) on February 20, 2018, 01:44 PM:

I want to own a 9.5mm sound projector, I have only silent, maybe optical and magnetic!
But I would like a magnetic Heurtier Tri film a lot, I have a tri film silent version, and it's a tank, a projector from the '50s wit more more quality of those of twenty years later!

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on February 20, 2018, 02:28 PM:

Luigi
There is the Buckingham Elf conversion, but I'm not sure if Tony converted any magnetic models.
Before Tony did his Buckingham conversions there was a firm in France who converted new Eiki models. I have a top of the range SNT-3 which projects 9.5mm optical, magnetic playback and record.

Posted by Clinton Hunt (Member # 2072) on February 20, 2018, 11:44 PM:

Me too Luigi Castellitto!
One day I would love to own a 9.5mm sound projector [Smile]

Posted by Luigi Castellitto (Member # 3759) on February 21, 2018, 02:56 PM:

Maurice, where you buy your SNT-3? Those conversions are excellent, too bad that they always cost a lot '!

Clinton, even the sound extension of Gem would be very nice, but I think is literally not to be found.

Posted by Terry Sills (Member # 3309) on February 22, 2018, 08:30 AM:

Buckingham Films did convert Eiki machines with optical and magnetic playback. I have one, it's the NT2. Great projector. Alas I do not have any magnetic films.

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on February 22, 2018, 02:48 PM:

In the early 50s Associated Cine Equipments in Erith, Kent, brought out the ACE sound unit for the Pathescope Gem. The projector just sat on top of the amplifier which was designed to match the projector, it had a sound head at its front. Probably almost impossible to find today but worth looking out for if you have a Gem and want 9.5mm optical sound. I believe they also did a 16mm version.

For those with 9.5mm magnetic playback facilities Graham Newnham produces a 100ft striped reel called "Modern Cinema Tags" @ £29.95. It's in colour and has such titles as "Thank You For Not Smoking", "Our Next Attraction", "Intermission", etc. It's great just as a test film.

Posted by Dominique De Bast (Member # 3798) on February 22, 2018, 04:58 PM:

Just for information, there is a (non Buckingham) converted earlier Eiki for sale in the UK but apparently not in perfect condition and sold with a lot of films so it's not at all for an average budget https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/9-5mm-COLLECTION-OF-FILM-SOUND-PROJECTOR-9-5MM-EIKI-CONVERSION-REELS-SPLICER/323087653425?hash=item4b39865a31:g:VuEAAOSw1RVai-mf

Posted by Terry Sills (Member # 3309) on February 23, 2018, 02:39 AM:

Yes Dom, this seller has tried several different tactics to sell the projector and film collection. Not a seller I would consider trustworthy. I do not understand why he does not get the projector repaired. He would probably get close to £1000 for that alone. A lot of the 9.5 films are silent, but there are some desirable sound films amongst them. Pity that he does not list them separately.
There is another dealer trying to sell a non working 9.5 Buckingham with 'motor problems ' and missing lens (and who knows what else). Used the tactic ' Will not be relisted'. Guess what - a few days later - Relisted! These sellers do themselves no favours.

Posted by Luigi Castellitto (Member # 3759) on February 26, 2018, 06:01 PM:

Oh, a really high price for a projector that does not work safely, with films included or not.
If he sold the films each, he would have more chance of selling.

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