Ektasound 285

[John Selph]

Any procedures or hints on cleaning the film path on the Ektasound 285?
Thanks, John

[Steve Klare]

Hi John,

It's a little...complicated.

If you rotate the lens-side (wood-veneer!) side panel down and pull out the daylight viewer, you have access to the gate from the side. You can get in there with a small paint brush and canned compressed air.

If you slide the screen back in and take the lens out, you now have access to the gate from the front. (Better to have a brush with a long handle!)

If you close the top cover and place the machine upside-down on something soft (bath towel, for example), you can open up the bottom cover screw with a coin, and now you have access to the lower guides and the take-up reel.

[John Selph]

Thanks Steve. Was aware of the bottom plate but wasn't too confident about the gate.
John

[John Selph]

Anyone got a service manual for this thing? I have an obstruction in the film path between the lower white roller and the take up reel. As far as I can see, it is a black enclosed path that is not accessible without removing the bottom cover. I have removed all of the screws that I can see and there appears to be an electrical connector glued to the bottom and no means of disconnecting it from the base or components. I have tried using new leader to clear the path both from the white roller side and the takeup reel side, but whatever is there is pretty well stuck. My only hope is to be able to gain better access to clear the path. I am a retired IT Tech and am comfortable with electronics and hardware. Any thoughts or hints, or manual, would be appreciated. Thanks, John.

[Steve Klare]

Hi John,

i once had the lower guide out on my own (silent) Moviedeck.
It’s been a while, but I think it was held in place by a couple of screws and once it was out it was possible to separate the two halves for access to the film surfaces. They were held together by metal clips.

[Steve Klare]

Then again being that yours has a sound head, this region of your own machine could be significantly different.

[Janice Glesser]

Hi John ... I sent you a PM with a link to the service manual. Hope it helps.

[John Selph]

Thanks Janice and Steve. Was able to clear the obstruction and clean up a bit. Hopefully, it will stay working long enough for me to digitize this 2K feet of 8mm! I've been sitting on this project for about a year, so it's time to get it done and move on to the next batch......
Thanks again for the help and hopefully I will be able pay it back, or forward, or both, very soon.
John