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Author Topic: How Did *YOU* Become A Tech? Louis Bornwasser Film God Posts: 4441 From: prospect ky usa Registered: Mar 2005 posted 08-11-2011 04:13 PM                        Jen: I like your attitude! . . . . and get a better tech. Any GREAT tech is more than happy to instruct. I always felt that teaching is the most rewarding part of doing the work. Otherwise, you (as a tech) just become more slave labor. Louis  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 08-11-2011 05:36 PM                     quote: Louis Bornwasser Any GREAT tech is more than happy to instruct. You hit the nail on the head Louis! That is one thing my last boss refused to do. He still "thought" he was a great tech though...  |  IP: Logged Tom Sauter Expert Film Handler Posts: 163 From: Buffalo, NY, USA Registered: Sep 2000 posted 08-11-2011 05:47 PM                        "By Default" seems to be the answer that covers most everyone  |  IP: Logged Jen Pelto Film Handler Posts: 30 From: Muskegon, MI, USA Registered: Aug 2011 posted 08-11-2011 07:38 PM                     I had a film tech come out today to install a DTS system I ordered online -- which didn't work out well, because the hard drive wasn't working. (*shakes an angry fist at Ebay seller*) Ah, well. We'll sort that all out later. He was a GREAT tech, and more than happy to show me many things and answer all of my pressing questions! He also handed me a business card and an invitation to call him whenever I had even a question. Ah, if I weren't married, I'd be twitterpated!!  |  IP: Logged Tony Bandiera Jr Film God Posts: 3067 From: Moreland Idaho Registered: Apr 2004 posted 08-11-2011 09:31 PM                     First off, welcome aboard Jen!! I cannot believe that with all the years I've been here on F-T that I missed this thread.. I got my start in 1981 at the base theatre of Davis-Monthan AFB in Tucson. I started as projectionist, and since the AAFES (Army-Air Force Exchange Service) engineer had to cover several states, when something broke down it was hands-on with him talking you through it on the phone. My first repair was a bad oil pump on an XL (I rigged it enough to run until I got a new gear by wedging a dime behind the casting); second call was diode change on our old Strong rectifiers. Then came an upgrade from the Peerless Xenon conversions to LP Assoc. 2k lamphouses and rectifiers. The engineer was there for that one. I had to scrounge up an extra circuit breaker and then ended up wiring up one lamphouse by myself when he had to take an emergency phone call. Managed to get both up and running about 20 minutes before that evening's shows. Around 1984/85 I left active duty, joined the Air Guard here in So Cal, and started work as a "Booth usher" (guess which chain) at an 8-plex. There I was "discovered" by Kent Petersen (son of Pacific's Carl Petersen) who was working for RCA Service. Within a month of meeting Kent for the first time I was working with RCA and had 45 locations (around 135 screens) to take care of. I learned a LOT from Kent and Dennis at RCA. Some bouncing around, a side trip to Northern California and some time spent as an electrician I came back, endured RCA again through the NCS (not too bad) days to the train wreck when they were bought out by GE Computer Service. It was shortly after that disaster that I went freelance. And now......well, who knows. I am looking to become a full-time electrician again. My stance on D-Cinema here on F-T has pretty much killed any chance of me moving into that it seems. Technicians in general are a dying breed, as it's all down to replacing modules....what ever happened to the days when a tech could rebuild an intermittent or fix amplifiers at the component level?  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 08-11-2011 11:44 PM                     quote: Tony Bandiera Jr what ever happened to the days when a tech could rebuild an intermittent or fix amplifiers at the component level? I'm right here Tony... Many of those modules can be repaired. You just have to learn SMT soldering techniques... @ Jen... Welcome! Are all gals from Michigan named Jen? There is another Jen on here from up north of you!!  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 08-12-2011 03:17 AM                     ...using RoHS complient, lead free solder...  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 08-12-2011 10:20 AM                     Monte... It's a good idea to use it on stuff made in the last few years, but not absolutely mandatory to replace just this or that component... You can still use leaded solder. I just don't tell the EU that I sometimes do.... Mark  |  IP: Logged Jeff Kane Film Handler Posts: 74 From: corpus christi, tx Registered: Jun 2011 posted 08-12-2011 11:44 AM                     Tin whiskers... :shudder:. I freakin' *hate* RoHS solder.  |  IP: Logged Scott Norwood Film God Posts: 8146 From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 08-12-2011 11:59 AM                        I am confused. Can you use normal lead-base solder to work on equipment that was originally assembled with lead-free solder? If not, then how do you know what was originally used when the equipment was assembled.  |  IP: Logged Louis Bornwasser Film God Posts: 4441 From: prospect ky usa Registered: Mar 2005 posted 08-12-2011 01:57 PM                        The whole thing makes as much sense as aluminum wire. Louis  |  IP: Logged Jen Pelto Film Handler Posts: 30 From: Muskegon, MI, USA Registered: Aug 2011 posted 08-12-2011 04:15 PM                     Thanks for the warm welcome, guys! Mark: What theater or city is this Jen at? Gee, I need to say hi to her!  |  IP: Logged Kaka Mo Film Handler Posts: 4 From: Dongguan, Gongdong, China Registered: Aug 2011 posted 08-12-2011 04:39 PM                        Hi guys, I do not have electronic and mechanical background, but now I am in charge of all the Wanda IMAX system. In 2007,i am a translator, to help for the IMAX GT installation work in China. After that, my company Wanda cinema line bought 15 IMAX digital, and now we are going to set up more than 100 IMAX theatres in 2 Year  |  IP: Logged Louis Bornwasser Film God Posts: 4441 From: prospect ky usa Registered: Mar 2005 posted 08-12-2011 09:20 PM                        First you fill your mouth with marbles, then read the phone book, removing one marbles per page. When you've lost all your marbles, you're a disc jockey! No, No, wrong blog. Seriously, I built a new cinema in an old building in 1969 at the University of Louisville. Altec Service guy in town was impressed, had them hire me and then he retired. Bought out Mr. Hadden in 1976 and built up the business. Not bad for an English major/law school guy! Louis  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 08-13-2011 01:05 AM                     Kaka.... If you need help just call Richard Hamilton. He has many Chineese connection in giant screen biz! You will find him around here someplace... @ Jen.... Look at the thread "Help with my movie" in the digital section. Her name is Jen Jennings....  |  IP: Logged

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