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Author Topic: The best 35mm projector Floyd Justin Newton Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 559 From: Phoenix, Arizona, USA Registered: Jun 2002 posted 12-20-2006 08:15 AM                     At the orignal Cine Capri in Phoenix I had two JJ2s which didn't leak oil at all....period.  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 12-20-2006 07:44 PM                     quote: Floyd Justin Newton I had two JJ2s which didn't leak oil at all....period. They musta been rebuilt by Louis "no leak" Bornwasser. Mark  |  IP: Logged Floyd Justin Newton Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 559 From: Phoenix, Arizona, USA Registered: Jun 2002 posted 12-20-2006 08:37 PM                     Nope....they were maintained and operated by professional projectionists.  |  IP: Logged Louis Bornwasser Film God Posts: 4441 From: prospect ky usa Registered: Mar 2005 posted 12-21-2006 09:21 AM                        In the pre_Ultra lens era, I aligned and cut plates for that theatre. (Cine Capri). Flat originally was oval with no corners. Scope was little better. This was about 1976. When I left, you no longer had to move the projector up/down, etc. between formats. The machines were excellent even then. They were the best Centurys I had ever seen at the time, so I KNEW it was possible for them to be really good. I never worked on the mechanics, though. Nice older gentleman operator was probebly 80 or so in 1976. Louis  |  IP: Logged Bobby Henderson "Ask me about Trajan." Posts: 10973 From: Lawton, OK, USA Registered: Apr 2001 posted 12-21-2006 09:33 AM                     Are there any limitations as to which brands of lens systems can be installed on these various makes of projectors? It would seem the type of lens system being used is just as critical (if not more so) than the make of the projector head.  |  IP: Logged Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 12-21-2006 10:02 AM                     Certain machines have issues with lens sliding far enough in to focus or vigneting on the mount  |  IP: Logged Louis Bornwasser Film God Posts: 4441 From: prospect ky usa Registered: Mar 2005 posted 12-21-2006 03:19 PM                        In general anything with a 4" mount is OK (Old Westars, any Century C, and any projector with a recessed lens like Kinotons may well have problems) Problems usually are limited to shorter focal lengths. Louis  |  IP: Logged Will Kutler Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1506 From: Tucson, AZ, USA Registered: Feb 2001 posted 12-22-2006 04:02 AM                     The early Simplexes (Standards, Supers and E-7s) were all wonderful machines that, when run by a professional projectionist put some of the best pictures on the screen! Unfortunately the early Simplexes did not use bronze bushings on the sprocket shafts. So you had precision ground shafts running directly against the cast-iron mainframe casting. I have serviced several early Simplexes where those shafts have been madly scored and worn. However, you can use an India stone to clean off any burrs, clean-up the main frame casting, reassemble and they'll still run like champs with minimal slop between the shafts and casting! A real testemant the the quality of manufacture in those bygone days! Also with the early Simplexes was the ability to fine-tune shutter ghosting while the machine was operating. The main complaints that I had about those early Simplexes is that they could be difficult to clean and they were "cramped" as compared to a Century. Also with the early Simplexes if one needed to replace a intermittent sprocket then one had to open-up the intermittent and pull the star/sprocket shaft. But like I said, in the hands of a professional projectionist, what wonderful machines! Centurys are simple, spacious and built like a tank. Bevan Wright is very customer orinetated and a first-class gentleman. I spent a substantial amount of time on the telephone with him ironing out and resolving customer problems when I was regularily doing independant tech-work, as well as when I was working as a projectionist for a particular theatre chain. I am not sure of the full extent of Bevan's involvement with the development of the Christie P35 GP projector. But my hats off to Bevan for really going all out to resolve the many problems that pleagued this machine. Kutler  |  IP: Logged Scott Norwood Film God Posts: 8146 From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 12-22-2006 06:39 AM                        quote: Will Kutler Also with the early Simplexes was the ability to fine-tune shutter ghosting while the machine was operating. Same for current-production Simplexes and most Centurys (except the recent ones).  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 12-22-2006 07:57 AM                     quote: Will Kutler Unfortunately the early Simplexes did not use bronze bushings on the sprocket shafts. So you had precision ground shafts running directly against the cast-iron mainframe casting. Will, Why would you say "Unfortunately"? In fact cast iron is one of the very best bearing materials around. Steel shafts in cast iron are capable of many times more service life than bronze is. It is the simple main reason why so many of these projectors are still running today. Worn shaft bores were no problem in the old days where that out of round bore was reamed out and an oversized shaft installed and the projector returned to service for another 20 years of use. Later Simplex's and the later LaVezzi "upgrade kits" for the Super utilized shafts that were secured in the existing rotating shaft bores but the gears that rotated on the new fixed shafts were cast iron.... I'm glad they didn't use bronze or they'd all have dissappeared a long time ago!  |  IP: Logged Dave Macaulay Film God Posts: 2321 From: Toronto, Canada Registered: Apr 2001 posted 12-22-2006 08:56 AM                     Even the newest Century projectors have shutter adjustment that can be set with the machine projecting. You have to watch your fingers as it's behind the back cover though. From what I've heard the front knob was removed as "booth ushers" were turning it by mistake so it was decided to make the adjustment internal.  |  IP: Logged Louis Bornwasser Film God Posts: 4441 From: prospect ky usa Registered: Mar 2005 posted 12-22-2006 09:46 AM                        Dave: the latest Centurys have a fixed shutter bracket with no adjustment possible. This is OK by me as they are very stable unless broken. Louis  |  IP: Logged Tim Reed Better Projection Pays Posts: 5246 From: Northampton, PA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 12-22-2006 09:57 AM                       That's too bad. I liked having the fine adjustment capability. Especially today, since I've been having difficulty seeing up-close in my old age.  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 12-22-2006 01:43 PM                     quote: Mark Gulbrandsen Steel shafts in cast iron are capable of many times more service life than bronze is. Why automobile engines can actually run forever if you keep the oil changed - steel against iron (like rings, bearings, cams, valves..et.al..). (..can you imagine an engine with bronze cylinder sleeves, or even bronze bearings?) Yeppers, Those people at IPC Projector Company who made Simplexes knew what they were doing. -Monte  |  IP: Logged Will Kutler Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1506 From: Tucson, AZ, USA Registered: Feb 2001 posted 12-22-2006 05:30 PM                     Mark Yes, you are correct in your assessment. However, in my opinion pressed-in bronze bearings would be better. Why? When they are worn just press them out and install new ones, as they are dirt cheap. Another advantage would have been the ability to eliminate the manufacture of several different sized shafts (Lean Manufacturing). It would have been interesting to test the service life and performance of oil-lite bearings on these machines. K  |  IP: Logged

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