Bell & Howell 254rs age?, dim bulb?, oiling fan?

[Jerry Coker]

Jerry
Remove the "muck" from the shutter blade as it could affect its true running.

Thank you Maurice, I just cleaned it off 😀

[Jerry Coker]

Hello Jerry,
From Greensboro NC. Your B&H design 254RS is similar to several regular 8mm projectors made about 1959-1961. These include design 245, 248, and 256. (B&H uses the term design instead of model.) I have a design 245 and this is my favorite. Yes, The lamps do dim with use, with a rated average of 15 hours. Replacement lamps are very pricey and getting more difficult to locate. I have converted my 245 to MR-16 type ESD, with results that lease me greatly. I would encourage you to keep the projector purchase a spare (or two) projector. Make a friend locally that can do a lamp conversion. I have just this week purchased ESD lamps for $12.50 each. I have many regular 8mm silent films, by Blackhawk and Castle, that I enjoy watching, at least once each week. Here is a photo of my B&H 245. I hope this information helps you and others with B&H 8mm projectors.

Thank you for sharing David, nice projector! And thank you for the manufacture date ranges, I was unable to find that info. online! I will be keeping the 254RS since it has proven handy for other tasks other than film viewing, plus it looks cool 😀 However, I'll also consider the lamp conversion too, down the road. BTW, I used to live in GA., not to far from Greensboro, NC. At least compared to where I live now, on the West (left) coast 😀 Thanks again for the reply!

[Jerry Coker]

Further to David's posting above, here is a link to the ESD lamp, it's 120 volts and 150 watts.

Eiko ESD Projection Lamp | Bulbs | Lamps at Unique Photo

Thanks for the link Maurice!

[Shane C. Collins]

OK, I removed that black grease like substance from the 2 shutter blades. I ran the projector with the back cover off while playing a film forward, backward & slow motion & didn't note and belt dancing. The belt looked like it was running smoothly on the pulley. I played 2 short Castle films with no splices and those films seem to run pretty smooth in normal, reverse & slow motion. So I think I might have just played a couple home movie films with a lot of splices, and this Sanyo is more sensitive to splices on film, and they jammed. Regarding splicing, it appears that maybe the 2 films I was watching that jammed were originally on 3" reels and were spliced to fit on a 6" reel. Because there were a lot of splices at regular intervals. The splices looked ok, from what I can tell. Is/was it common maybe for people to have spliced 3" film reels to a larger reel so they didn't have to change reels every 4-5 minutes? I see a lot of home movies on eBay that are on the small 3" reels. Maybe small film capacity was marketed to new camera owners back in the day. Or maybe when people are digitizing they are doing all that splicing, then selling the film when done digitizing? Interesting about the O rings. Thank you for the reply!

Yes splicing your movies together on a 7" reel makes watching home movies easier. I do this with all my current Super 8 movies I've shot over the last 15 years. I use a splicing block, and Super Glue. I much prefer not using press tapes as they tend to break a lot. Super Glue, if done correctly, will last for years. I find Super Glue is even stronger than Kodak film cement.

[Nantawat Kittiwarakul]

Since those R8 films came in 25'x2 spool intended to be shot on both halves (thinking of cassette tapes). You'll expect to see not only 50' but every 25' - a splice there. To my understanding the mid-roll splice would be made from the lab which should means well-made ones by professionals - nothing to worry about.

But the splice made after that means it could be of any possible quality level. Anything ranging from solidly made cement splice from someone who really knows what they're doing, to cellophane tape wrapped around two film ends😨, and anything between that.

So yes, expect to have at lease a Kodak presstape splicer (and a bag of splicing tapes) with some practice beforehand. You'll probably need that some day.

[Maurice Leakey]

Developed film was returned by Kodak and other laboratories on 3" spools.

Super 8 was returned in its complete 50ft run.

Standard 8 being shot in a double take of 25ft was actually 16mm wide and after processing was split to two lengths of 25ft 8mm, then joined together and returned to the user as a 50ft length.

[Brian Fretwell]

A long time ago (early- mid 1960's?) my uncle did take advantage of an Ilford film offer on Standard 8 that if you bought 4 films and sent them to be developed together they would return them on a 200ft spool in a full plastic case. I have inherited these and they seem to still be in very good condition.

[Maurice Leakey]

Indeed.
It was the summer of 1967 and Ilford even added a title "Colour On The Move". The 200ft spool was in a white plastic case which was rounded in shape but had one flat edge, presumably for storing upright.
Just looked at my film, the colour is still excellent.

[Jerry Coker]

Since those R8 films came in 25'x2 spool intended to be shot on both halves (thinking of cassette tapes). You'll expect to see not only 50' but every 25' - a splice there. To my understanding the mid-roll splice would be made from the lab which should means well-made ones by professionals - nothing to worry about.

But the splice made after that means it could be of any possible quality level. Anything ranging from solidly made cement splice from someone who really knows what they're doing, to cellophane tape wrapped around two film ends😨, and anything between that.

So yes, expect to have at lease a Kodak presstape splicer (and a bag of splicing tapes) with some practice beforehand. You'll probably need that some day.

Thank you for the replies. I have the Kodak presstape splicer, & just ordered some more splicing tape (apparently there is a shelf life for the tape as mine must have gotten too warm and all of it stuck to the paper that it's supposed to peel off of). I don't have much experience with splicing but can do it, slowly 😊 Is it ok to use 99% iso alcohol to clean film? I've read varying opinions. I don't want to run potentially dirty film thru this Sankyo 2000h now that I've cleaned it.

[Maurice Leakey]

Jerry
For cleaning, I always use Isopropyl Alcohol which is also known as Isopropanol. I buy it in 1000ml bottles.

[Jerry Coker]

Jerry
For cleaning, I always use Isopropyl Alcohol which is also known as Isopropanol. I buy it in 1000ml bottles.

Thank you Maurice, I assume 99%, or is 91% OK?

[Maurice Leakey]

Jerry
My bottle is marked 99.9%. I am sure that 91% can't be very different.

[Brian Fretwell]

As it absorbs water from the air I'm sure after a while the 99.9% will be more like 91% when the level in the bottle goes down.

[Jerry Coker]

Ok, thank you for the replies re: alcohol. My press tape tape came yesterday and I began slicing some home movies. Somehow I lost the punch that came with the press tape. So I used a pin back which worked ok. I couldn’t think of any other household item/tool I could use 😊

[Maurice Leakey]

Jerry
How about the end of a ball-point pen? (The writing end, of course ).