my profile | my password | search | faq & rules | forum home

» Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE   » Operations   » Film Handlers' Forum   » How Do I use Kelmar Film Cleaner (Page 2)

This topic comprises 2 pages: 1  2

Author Topic: How Do I use Kelmar Film Cleaner Don Bruechert Mmmmmmmmm, bird! Posts: 340 From: Manitowoc, WI, USA Registered: Jan 2003 posted 01-20-2003 09:01 AM                        Hey Paul, It's nice to know someone made it out!! Which clan are you from? I used to know a bunch of Thompsons because My Mom worked at the hospital with somebody. I'm glad I found this place. It's really sad to know some of the scary stuff we do at our place that I had no idea was wrong until I found a bunch of people explaining how to do it the "right" way. Of course, as in any forum environment, you need to go with the "right" way that seems to be the most popular and weigh the options of everything else. I did 16mm projection from upper grade school all the way thru high school, but this is a totally different beast! I have a lot to learn. There is basically no one left at our place that really knows what is going on. I have been spending a lot of time cleaning projectors and trying to fix "broken" things, and also trying to relearn some different habits. To me it seems like the old adage about people who drive cars that are lucky to know how to put gas in them, but just expect them to keep running forever with no attention at all! (I tried to edit that for political correctness). BTW, back to the original subject, I set the film cleaner all up last night and was really excited about trying it out, but there is a part missing - one of the little spacers that compresses the rubber core to hold the take up spool tight. I sent an email to Kelmar for them to recommend a place to get one (secretly hoping they will decide it is a small part, feel sorry for me and just offer to send it!). Have a great day, Don  |  IP: Logged Bob Maar (Maar stands for Maartini) Posts: 28608 From: New York City & Newport, RI Registered: Feb 2001 posted 01-20-2003 09:35 AM                        When you go down to Newbury Street after you buy the tape walk up to the corner of Newbury and Glouster Street, On the Northwest Corner is Charley's Restaurant. Go downstairs they have a bar that makes great Martini's. Have a Gibson, straight up.  |  IP: Logged Don Bruechert Mmmmmmmmm, bird! Posts: 340 From: Manitowoc, WI, USA Registered: Jan 2003 posted 01-27-2003 11:09 AM                        OK, so I talked to this really nice guy at Kelmar who dropped the part I needed in the mail for me. I got it and set everything up and used it to clean our LOTR print that has been around for ages. Now I have 2 more questions. First one is I am wondering if it is normal to have more "skank" on one side of the film than the other? It seems that the "inside" (non-sound) edge of the film was much dirtier than the sound edge - there was hardly any dirt at all on the sound edge. I do try very hard to keep the projectors as clean as my uneducated status allows me to do (toothbrush on all film contact areas, sprockets, etc between every showing and Xecote cleaner/ lubricant on the traps and gates at least once a day), but I don't work every day and sometimes I wonder if I'm the only one doing it. So is this dirt on one side thing "normal" or is there some kind of tension adjustment to make sure the film and cleaning media are in contact I am not aware of. Second thing is that you guys are all talking about how great film-guard is so I want to try it. We have a whole box of white cleaning media for our film cleaner. Will I be able to use this with film-guard or will I have to buy the special blue media? If I film-guard a print will this affect the next guy down the road who tries to make a splice on that film? i.e. will it keep the splicing tape from adhering with some kind of oily film? Thanks. I now return you to your regular reading.....  |  IP: Logged Joe Beres Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 606 From: Minneapolis, MN, USA Registered: Nov 2000 posted 01-27-2003 11:19 AM                     Hi Don, Is your non-soundtrack or "inside" edge face up on the platter (assuming you are using one)? If so, I would guess that dust is settling on the edge of the print and gradually working its way into the image area.  |  IP: Logged John Pytlak Film God Posts: 9987 From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922 Registered: Jan 2000 posted 01-27-2003 11:20 AM                        It is not unusual for one side of a print to leave slightly more debris on the cleaning media --- during projection, dirt can be generated by scuffing of the film edge or perforations by sprockets, rollers, gate, or platter surface. So one side may have slightly more scuffing than the other. But if the difference is severe, you need to check to see what is scuffing or damaging the film on that side. Seeing debris on the media or PTR simply is showing that you are effectively removing dirt and cleaning the print. Sometimes, you can identify the debris captured on the media or PTR under a microscope. Magenta debris is often scuffed emulsion. White flakes are often polyester support scuffing. Metallic debris is often a sign of bearing failure. Gritty debris could be cement dust or similar hard material that is likely to scratch the film.  |  IP: Logged Don Bruechert Mmmmmmmmm, bird! Posts: 340 From: Manitowoc, WI, USA Registered: Jan 2003 posted 01-27-2003 01:07 PM                        Our prints are normally on the platter with the soundtrack up.  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 01-27-2003 01:37 PM                     Don, what do you clean your platter decks with? Odds are they are dirty or whatever is being used to clean them is leaving a residue that is "dirtying" the inboard edge of your film. Don't use XeKote with FilmGuard. You "can", but it is a complete waste of XeKote and effort. FilmGuard will do a much better and longer lasting job (no you do not have to put FG on the gate and trap for the benefit). We do not make the blue media anymore. You can use the white or green of any manufacturer. Bear in mind one pass of the cleaner won't do much good other than to stop print shedding. You will want to keep reusing that roll of media for multiple runs to really see the cleaning action. Full instructions are enclosed with the kit.  |  IP: Logged John Pytlak Film God Posts: 9987 From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922 Registered: Jan 2000 posted 01-27-2003 02:05 PM                        Brad is correct --- oxidation of the surface of the platter may get on the film edge, and will show up as a dark streak on that side.  |  IP: Logged Don Bruechert Mmmmmmmmm, bird! Posts: 340 From: Manitowoc, WI, USA Registered: Jan 2003 posted 01-28-2003 09:08 AM                        The platter might be the culprit, as there is a dark streak like you described. We have all Strong Alpha platters. The decks are either aluminum or stainless. I'm not sure, but guessing aluminum. The guy that left not long after I started (who was the only one who had much of a clue) never got into cleaning them. I think I read somewhere on here about using Alcohol to clean them but I don't know if that's right.  |  IP: Logged Daryl C. W. O'Shea Film God Posts: 3977 From: Midland Ontario Canada (where Panavision & IMAX lenses come from) Registered: Jun 2002 posted 01-28-2003 04:49 PM                        AP decks are aluminum.  |  IP: Logged John Pytlak Film God Posts: 9987 From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922 Registered: Jan 2000 posted 01-28-2003 10:20 PM                        Bare aluminum will oxidize.  |  IP: Logged Daryl C. W. O'Shea Film God Posts: 3977 From: Midland Ontario Canada (where Panavision & IMAX lenses come from) Registered: Jun 2002 posted 01-29-2003 01:45 AM                        That's not the only problem with them.  |  IP: Logged Don Bruechert Mmmmmmmmm, bird! Posts: 340 From: Manitowoc, WI, USA Registered: Jan 2003 posted 01-29-2003 10:09 AM                        So how should I clean them? Or is that a subject for a different post? My first instinct is that using Mother's Mag and Aluminum Polish followed by an Alcohol Rinse is not a very good idea Assuming of course the potential chemical interaction with the film or the potential for polish residue to get in and muck up the works.... So how do you folks clean these platters and how often should it be done?  |  IP: Logged

All times are Central (GMT -6:00)

This topic comprises 2 pages: 1  2

Printer-friendly view of this topic

Hop To: Select a Forum: Category: Operations -------------------- Digital Cinema Forum Film Handlers' Forum Large Format Forum Ground Level Feature Info, Trailer Attachments & REAL Credit Offsets Category: Community -------------------- Film-Yak Film Handlers' Movie Reviews The Afterlife Bob Maar's Joke-A-Thon Category: Classified -------------------- Equipment and Supplies Wanted/For Sale Help Wanted/Seeking Employment Category: System -------------------- Software Beta Testing Forum

The Film-Tech Forums are designed for various members related to the cinema industry to express their opinions, viewpoints and testimonials on various products, services and events based upon speculation, personal knowledge and factual information through use, therefore all views represented here allow no liability upon the publishers of this web site and the owners of said views assume no liability for any ill will resulting from these postings. The posts made here are for educational as well as entertainment purposes and as such anyone viewing this portion of the website must accept these views as statements of the author of that opinion and agrees to release the authors from any and all liability.