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GAF 3100s Super 8 Movie Projector with Sound

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  • GAF 3100s Super 8 Movie Projector with Sound

    Hello everyone. I discovered these forums while performing a web search and came here hoping for information. I have several questions and am not certain if all questions are appropriately placed here.
    Please note I know absolutely nothing - zero - about the projector I have. I inherited it and just pulled it out of the box today after 10 years to see what it was. I plugged it in and it powers up. I watched a couple of YouTube videos to learn how to put the films on it, and that caused my first question. The YouTube gentleman who has the very same projector as me placed the film on the front arm and when he turned the dial, the back (empty) reel began to spin, and then he went through the process of feeding his film through the projector. Well, my projector's empty reel did not begin to spin when I turned on the machine. Nothing happens when I place the film in that little slot in the front of the machine. I continued to search and learned that there could be film jammed in the feeding system (sorry, I don't know the right words yet), so I popped off the front cover to see if there was anything jammed in there. There is not. Then I learned that there is a belt and I figured that had to be behind the rear cover. I figured since this machine is only 10 years younger than me, there's a good bet that the belt could be dry rotted. I removed the rear cover and it's surprisingly clean back there! Also, the belt is just fine but seems to me to be a bit loose. Is there a tensioner screw somewhere back there? I noticed a kind of canister-like thing with what appeared to be a screw on top, near the belt and wondered if this might be an oil receptacle or something. I unscrewed it and saw that a spring was attached, but it was bone dry. Can someone tell me what this is? So after I spun the belt around by hand, the rear reel began spinning! Sadly, it stopped spinning when I reapplied the rear panel. I need to learn where to oil this machine, and specifically what to use. Can anyone tell me? Is there perhaps a service manual that is available?
    As you can see, I have no idea how to use this projector but my grandmother left me films of my siblings when we were 3, 4, 5, & 6 years old. I'd love to watch them but my projector needs some TLC and I do not know how to provide that. A service manual (not a user manual, although I could use one of those too) is what I am in need of. Can anyone help me??
    I have wonderful memories of being a small child, sitting outside at night with the family and watching Bela Lugosi films, Vincent Price, etc. Oh how I would enjoy doing that again!!

  • #2
    Pamela
    This is a very nice projector which is, in fact, a Chinon Sound 8000.
    Have a look at my attached which shows the belts needed. Also, a manual printed in English.
    Spare part finder – Van Eck Video Services (van-eck.net)

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    • #3
      looking over this projector, the rear drive belt looks to be pretty straight forward when it comes to replacing it. It should just pull off, and come out from those pulleys in the rear of the machine. I only see 2 belts though, the long metal belt is probably fine. The rear drive belt is more than likely the one causing issues. I would order this from Van Eck. In the mean time you could try cleaning the rear drive belt with some rubber renew or just plain alcohol. This might give the belt enough traction to start spinning the rear spindle. You then may be able to watch some movies until the new belt arrives. If the original belt has never been replaced it's time. As you've indicated the belt is stretched and loose, which doesn't provide enough traction to spin the rear take-up spindle. To lube the plastic gears get some SuperLube synthetic grease. It comes in a small gray tube. Just Google it and you will find a place online to buy some. use a Q Tip to apply the SuperLube to each plastic gear section. Do not get any near the rubber belt or any of the belt pulleys. The pulleys need to be super clean for the belts to get traction. In fact, you should probably clean the belt pulleys with alcohol and a couple Q Tips.

      Click image for larger version  Name:	film_29_Sound-8000_1637250548297.jpg Views:	0 Size:	131.4 KB ID:	82337

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      • #4
        Thank you. I will make the drive belt purchase and see if that helps

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