Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Looking for tips on keeping a clean Simplex XL

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Topic: Looking for tips on keeping a clean Simplex XL

Steve Scott
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1300
From: Minneapolis, MN
Registered: Sep 2000

posted 10-12-2005 05:32 PM

My experience running XL's over the summer has been this: there's nowhere you can't get with a toothbrush in that machine that can't be reached with a paper towel. If your XLs bleed oil like mine do, most of the dirt in the head will mix with the oil and clump up. There's a lot of flat space in the casting furthest inside the operator side. Keep this space, and the ridge in the casting beneath the intermittent clean. These areas will collect debris too. Depending on whether or not your projector head has its original shutter cover, which on earlier models should mate with little space between cover and head, you should clean the space that may be present in this gap, coincidently right around the intermittent as well.

My experience with the 5-star soundhead has taught me not to ignore any black surface in that soundhead! If you experience any shedding, it may not reflect itself into sight unless you shine a light directly on it. Clean this, and the corners of the soundhead's casting well. That pinch roller is nothing but trouble.

For what its worth, the four star soundheads have worked great for me, bleeding far less than its representative projector. Still dirt collects around ridges in the casting, and I equally hate the pinch roller and the mount for the motor, but its decent, and cleaner than the 5-stars.

Just keep cleaning, every show, no matter how behind you already are. Any dirt in your machine is a threat to the longevity of any print.

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Mark Gulbrandsen
Resident Trollmaster

Posts: 16657
From: Music City
Registered: Jun 99

posted 10-14-2005 06:23 PM

One thing I will add that is a NOT TO DO is to use any type of bottled spray CRC brand cleaner of any sort. This flushes out any oil that had been applied to needy areas in order for them to work properly. Just yesterday over in Wyoming a customer had been using CRC electronic cleaner as a short cut to clean the lateral guide roller assemblies in his Simplex sound heads. This flushed out needed oil from the lateral guide roller parts and from the pivot point in the "knuckle" of the assy. In fact the shaft in the "Knuckle" had rusted and welded itself to the alumnium casting and this makes me a bit suspicous of the cleaner being a tad bit acidic. So this is a big no-no!!

In the photo you can see how the pivot shaft rusted.... This cleaning method is no short cut by any means and resulted in a refunded house and a service call because of garbled sound.

Mark

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Joshua Waaland
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 800
From: Cleveland, Ohio
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 10-17-2005 11:51 AM

quote: Steve Scott
My experience running XL's over the summer has been this: there's nowhere you can't get with a toothbrush in that machine that can't be reached with a paper towel.

Sorry but I have to disagree with you on this one Steve. I am in the middle of rebuilding two XL heads and I have been finding clumps of film dust in places you can't even see into. The only way to get to it is by tearing the head down or if you are lucky with compressed air.

I have used XL's for years and the best way to keep them clean is wipe down the inside after every run and do a general cleaning once a week. Also a good idea to do a major cleaning every few months or so.

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