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This topic comprises 2 pages: 1 2
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Author
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Topic: Dangers of Thorium in Carbon Arc gear?
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Monte L Fullmer
Film God
Posts: 8367
From: Nampa, Idaho, USA
Registered: Nov 2004
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posted 05-05-2005 04:39 PM
These two article are quite interesting to say. Yet, what's real interesting is that these two articles have on thing in common: Is these two examples that were posted seems like the theatre itself wasn't plumbed correctly for proper lamphouse exhaust procedures.
One would think if such a device such as a carbon arc lamphouse, with all of the heat involved, would need such an effective lamphouse to draw out any fumes and heat from the usage itself and save on from busting mirrors left and right because of too much heat on the mirror from the arc.
In all of the theatres that I've ran with carbon arc, I've never had any sort of problem with fumes as mentioned due to effective exhaust procedures taken. Just had to deal with the soot when cleaning out the lamphouses on a daily basis. And I've seen lamhouses that are horribly caked with soot and wonder how they can draw up the soot and fumes effectively.
Yet, I've seen doozies of exhaust systems, from a table fan adapted as an exhaust fan pulling the draft from both stacks that have merged together and blowing the exhaust outside through a hole in the side of the building, to stacks that just are left open up in the attic with no fan usage whatsoever-the draw is caused by air circulation that was up in the attic pulling up the soot and fumes.
...but I do miss carbon arc, for the light from the arc is so much better than any xenon out there. Xenon light just doesn't have the color spectrum as did carbon arc to make picture really look their best.
Course, now with new photographic/developing procedures, I'm sure that the color temperatures in the spectrum have been adjusted to match the light output of xenon for picture effectiveness.
-Monte
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John Vincent, Jr.
Film Handler
Posts: 16
From: Eastham, MA, USA
Registered: Jul 2003
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posted 05-06-2005 08:20 AM
Yes we still use carbons, planning to continue to use them until DC, and even then, would like to leave the machines in place and operational if we have the room. We use both Double Eagle and National carbons. Cape Cinema is still using them as well (one of our projectionists works in both places). He is planning on using them till DC as well, I believe he already has a digital projector in his smaller venue for independent movies.
And we're not Xenon ignorant, I have an indoor with 4 ORC's. You'd be surprised how many other theatre owners jump down my throat "switch to xenon, switch to xenon..."
John, Wellfleet DI
PS: open invitation to anyone from Film-Tech, if your on Cape Cod, please stop by!!!
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Frank Angel
Film God
Posts: 5305
From: Brooklyn NY USA
Registered: Dec 1999
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posted 05-08-2005 04:36 AM
We only run event type shows...CinEvents to be exact, but we still run XLs with Peerless Lamps burning 80A (8mm & 9mm). And it will stay carbon arc only because there's no reason to convert, even discounting the cost of new lamphouses. The only real advantage xenon gives you is the ability to automate (and fire the projectionist and replace him with a concessions/ticket-taker/porter "projection attendent." That is not any improvement the audience sees on the screen...excepts when the kid screws up. So we will stay with carbons indefinately. Luckly for me, when I built the booth in 1969, I ordered a couple of hunderd boxes of carbons based on my experience with carbon use in the commercial theatre I worked for prior. Little did I realize how much less I would use in a specialty venue. My miscalculation was like minting my own money. The money we saved buying carbon rods over the years is impressive -- it is like pork futures, only it never goes down. Too bad I didnt buy even more. No, I see no reason whatsoever to convert to xenon.
Also, carbon arc has this big, fat plazma arc ball that is just so much bigger than xenon's wimpy little peanut arc. That fat arc makes getting an even light across the entire screen and with no hot spots a piece of cake. Getting xenon to light a screen corner-to-corner uniformity without hotspots always an unpleasant challenge.
Right up until last month we were running a Strong carbon arc lamphouse behind our Eastman 25B theatrical 16mm projector. We had to replace it with xenon only because we've now outfitted that machine with long-play reels that can hold an entire feature, so we needed xenon for its longevity, not necessarily because the light looks any better (which it decidedly does not).
And just within the last year we also replaced our Strong Super Trouper carbon arcs follow spots (the name Super Trouper immortalized by the ABBA song of the same name), not because they were lacking in any way, but only because the newer crop of stage hands we are getting are not trained on carbon arcs and it is not cost-effective when you call in stage hands to run a show, and he stares at the unit like he is looking at something from an alien spaceship. We'd rather not have to spend two extra hours training them before we can start rehearsals. And it is true, the carbon arc Super Troupers are a bit more temperamental than their spiffy new xenon counterparts; they require skill (considered a BAD silly old fashioned thing in today's culture) and some dexterity to keep the light bright while still not loosing your subject. Plus, with carbon arc, there is still the short coming of the finite run-time. You simply cannot run for a full show -- you have to tell the stage manager when you are about to loose your trim so action can be covered by the second spot until you replaced your carbons. We realized that it was just easier to tell the new guys to hit the ON button and aim.
I must admit, whenever a stage hand called in sick or just didn't show up, they would reluctantly ask if I could step in to cover. They were reluctant because they thought that somehow asking the Cinema Director to run follow spot was beneath me, when in fact, I was like a kid in a candy store when I sat down alongside one of those babies. I loved working the Super Troupers....but they can kiss my ass in Macy's window if they want me to run the xenon follow spots!
I have seen the light.....and it is carbon arc.
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