Wolverine safe on film?

[Allan Broadfield]

Although I transfered my home movies to digital several years using a projector set up, I'm tempted to re-do with a Wolverine as the reviews are so good, and possibly an improvement on what I've done.
There are lots of tape and cement splices on my reels, how well does it handle these?
Also is the Wolverine Pro an advantage over the cheaper model?

[Nantawat Kittiwarakul]

That's the main concern for me as well. I've heard several complaints from several individuals about its splice handling issue. Unless well-made it would get stuck at the film gate and going nowhere, especially thick & misaligned cement splice.
Combined with several other possible cons I eventually lost the interest and then focus on DIY route ever since.

[Dave Bickford]

Mine broke 3 cement splices before the machine itself broke after running less than 50 feet of film through it. I returned it. Not sure if I just got a bad one or if that's how they all are, but I was not impressed.

[Allan Broadfield]

Oh dear, not exactly ringing endorsements.
I may have to go back through the forum archives to get a bigger picture.
Can it be that bad?

[Allan Broadfield]

At first glance through the archives, the general opinion is to avoid the first generation Wolverine!
They overheated apparently and the rubber belt handling the take up reel gradually perished, covering the gears in a sticky gloop causing the take up to snatch and stop altogether.
I'm lead to believe that this problem was corrected in some way in later models?

[Stan Jelavic]

All later models have geared drive. My main problem with Wolverine and similar models is image compression with digital artifacts.