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Topic: I'm Scared Help Me

Peter Schulze
Film Handler

Posts: 3
From: Southern CT, USA
Registered: Jun 2000

posted 08-16-2000 12:39 PM

It's too bad all these chains went gung-ho and bought these multi-plexes, thinning out potential revenue for all the players. Now they're finding out they didn't have the market they assumed they would. Mike Spaeth's predictions seem right on the money. It may very well end up the survival of the fittest after this season's major slump. As long as the "victims" find jobs with the survivors. A good projectionist/technician is hard to find these days it seems to me.

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John Pytlak
Film God

Posts: 9987
From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922
Registered: Jan 2000

posted 08-16-2000 12:51 PM

Dustin:

In addition to the full face (and neck) shield, you should protect your hands and wrists from shrapnel, and wear a "flak jacket" (or at least a heavy jacket) to protect your torso.

Try to get a copy of the Osram/Sylvania training video "Getting the Most From Your Xenon Lamps".

NASA has a neat web site, showing the precautions they take when they handle the xenon lamps they use for spotlights and solar simulators:
http://osat.grc.nasa.gov/GSM/GSM-26.htm

------------------
John P. Pytlak, Senior Technical Specialist
Worldwide Technical Services, Entertainment Imaging
Eastman Kodak Company
Research Labs, Building 69, Room 7419
Rochester, New York, 14650-1922 USA
Tel: 716-477-5325 Fax: 716-722-7243
E-Mail: john.pytlak@kodak.com

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Lance C. McFetridge
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 135
From: Penn Yan, New York
Registered: Jul 99

posted 08-16-2000 02:25 PM

Dustin,
I have an ORC xm2000-H/vc with 2100 hours on it I just changed out. Very small amount of blackening didn't flicker and it is yours if you want it. After having one pop, I just change them to be on the safe side when they get that old. E-mail me if interested
lance

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Dustin Mitchell
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1865
From: Mondovi, WI, USA
Registered: Mar 2000

posted 08-16-2000 03:37 PM

Well, since I will be handling bulb stuff in the future, I decided it woudl be a good idea to check our inventory. Currently we have 4 spare bulbs-a 3000w, a 2000w, and 2 1600w. The two bulbs that need changing desperately have 5300 and 8000 hours on them. Both are still thowing out decent light. The 8000 hour one will be changed due to safety concerns. My qeustion is this-can I let the 5300 hour one go 2-3 hundred more hours? I don't know how long this bankruptcy thing is going to stretch out, I'd like to have at least one spare.

All this is assuming that when I call in the bulb I'm changing out that we don't get a new one to replace the spare I'll use. The reason I don't think I'll get one is that I was talking to someone at MTS (someone rather high up, not just a phone answerer) and they told me that right now they're holding 34 bulbs that Carmike wanted. Apparently Capitol City Supply and some place in Tennesse (can't remember name, only had to buy from them once) won't do business with Carmike anymore.

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Bruce McGee
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1776
From: Asheville, NC USA... Nowhere in Particular.
Registered: Aug 1999

posted 08-16-2000 04:10 PM

One question on the lamp changing issue:

Should Dustin be even more careful in changing the 8000 hour lamp than normal? Does the quartz get more brittle with age?

I changed a 1600 watter in an ORC lamphouse the first time by myself (years ago) and NOBODY THERE even mentioned that I needed to use any precautions. After hearing of some of these horror stories here, I am lucky that I did not get a face full of quartz. I did have the protective shield for the NEW lamp, but at the time I thought it was so that nothing would get all over the lamp during the changeout.

I'm no Rock Hudson (an old '50's actor that was considered to be fairly good looking) but I want to keep the puss that I have as quartz-free as possible.

Since then, I have only changed the 350 watt lamps in my Eiki 16mm toys. I treat them with kidd gloves too.

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Jason Burroughs
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 654
From: Allen, TX
Registered: Jun 99

posted 08-16-2000 04:14 PM

Not only protective gear a really, really, really good idea, but dosen't OSHA require it to be available as well?

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Gordon McLeod
Film God

Posts: 9532
From: Toronto Ontario Canada
Registered: Jun 99

posted 08-16-2000 04:16 PM

Monitor the lamp closely
The symptoms of a lamp that is reached the maximum end of it life span (from old ushio manual)
1 excessive blackening
2 poor light output
3 draws excessive uncontrolled current
4 hard to strike or goes out repetadly after ignition
5 Flickers or arc wanders
6 Goes out in standbye mode repeatedly (probably not applicable to you)

Do you have glass mirrors as they will be destroyed by a explosion compared to much reduced light from a banged up metal one
remember the cost of the reflector is several times higher than the cost of most lamps

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Ben Wales
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 602
From: Southampton. England
Registered: Jul 99

posted 08-16-2000 04:22 PM

I would certainly advise to use the full protection gear as mentioned ie, Gloves,Face Sheild, Jacket to change these Xenon Lamps, they would be quite brittle, apart from certain injury if they explode and will damage the lamphouse mirror, perhaps beyond repair.

Are these Xenons made by ORC?

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Dustin Mitchell
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1865
From: Mondovi, WI, USA
Registered: Mar 2000

posted 08-16-2000 04:49 PM

The 8000 hour one that is original is in a Christis lamphouse, so is a Christie bulb. The 5300 hour one is an Osram, as are all of our replacements.

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Bob Minge
Film Handler

Posts: 43
From: Fergus Falls, MN, USA
Registered: Aug 2000

posted 08-16-2000 07:44 PM

When it takes 2 or 3 strikes to start it, should you be looking at replacing it?

------------------
Bob Minge
Manager/Projectionist
Westridge Cinema 5
Fergus Falls, MN

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Aaron Flack
Film Handler

Posts: 21
From: Hixson, TN, USA
Registered: Jul 2000

posted 08-16-2000 11:37 PM

I work for Carmike also here in Tennessee. I learned that Capitol City Supply quit serving Carmike weeks before the bankruptcy. But the people at my theater said Carmike owned Capitol City. We do have spare lamps, but we're in desperate need of booth supplies like lydar tape and splicer parts. I have to work with all this worn out junk because my manager's so reluctant to order simple necessary supplies.

BTW, the focus lens for our largest theater suddenly fogged up a bit and people keep complaining about the contrast(which there is none) and demand refunds. We may end up having to buy a whole new lens, which would cost over a thousand dollars right? FYI, that theater uses a Magna-Com flat lens, which I think is Schneider, and the light entrance is 1". I'm not sure, but I know the lens is probably at least 15 years old or so.

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Dustin Mitchell
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1865
From: Mondovi, WI, USA
Registered: Mar 2000

posted 08-16-2000 11:42 PM

He's so reluctant to order parts because he won't get them. Tell him to try, but not to hold his breath.

Luckily for me, we stockpiled splicing tape, I have enough to last me the next 50 years.

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Rudy Bergman
Film Handler

Posts: 11
From: Long Beach, CA, USA
Registered: Aug 2000

posted 08-17-2000 01:35 AM

just remember... xenon bulbs dont burn-out, they just explode.

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Brad Miller
Administrator

Posts: 17775
From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall)
Registered: May 99

posted 08-17-2000 02:15 AM

Aaron, if your theater has to buy a new lens, at least make sure to order the CORRECT lens and toss that Magnacom light sponge.

There is a lens calculator program on the manuals download page that is quite easy to calculate the lens size you need. Also, there are tons of used lenses around in excellent condition cheap.

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William Hooper
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1879
From: Mobile, AL USA
Registered: Jun 99

posted 08-18-2000 02:34 AM

quote:
NASA has a neat web site, showing the precautions they take when they handle the xenon lamps

There's a photograph of a NASA tech showing NASA's proper protective gear for changing Xenon bulbs:

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