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Author Topic: Need some advice on restoring a single screen Drive In Justin Hamaker Film God Posts: 2253 From: Lakeport, CA USA Registered: Jan 2004 posted 05-28-2008 07:48 AM                        This is an independent drive-in. I don't really know the history of the equipment before I took over about 3 years ago. However, I'm fairly certain it's been the same projection setup for at least 15 years - since whenever they stopped using carbon arcs. I'm fairly certain they had speaker pole because I've come across a small servicing kit for the speakers, but there are no other traces. I know there has been an FM transmitter in place for quite a few years and the AM transmitter is practically an antique. The drive-in opened around 1975 and I don't really know much of the history prior to about 1997.  |  IP: Logged Jack Ondracek Film God Posts: 2348 From: Port Orchard, WA, USA Registered: Oct 2002 posted 05-28-2008 11:07 AM                        From everything I'm seeing here, I'd go slow on the owners. You don't want to scare them with a big list of items, when they've been happily chugging along with what they've got for years. Pick your items carefully, starting with the ones that will make the biggest noticeable difference to the owners and their customers. That will build your credibility and make it easier to get "detail" items down the road. Lens cabinets are great... but won't make much difference on the screen. For now, clean the lenses you have , put them in a secure corner away from that window and put a clean cloth or something on top of them to keep the dust off. You can always get a decent cabinet at a swap meet, if your owners are really cheap. It won't be a Neumade, but it'll do pretty much the same thing.  |  IP: Logged Michael Dolan Film Handler Posts: 77 From: Deerfield Beach, fl. Registered: May 2008 posted 05-28-2008 11:52 AM                        Jack I couldn't agree more. I actually went to the owners already with a huge list and I thought he was going to have a heart attack. So then I asked him about having a tech come out and check everything. That didn't go so well either. So I guess I just start off one small thing at atime. The projector itself is very noisy so I think Friday I'm going to go ahead and grease and oil everything and check the belts if that works it will be alot quieter and I know he will notice that. What are some other things don't dont really cost anything I can do now to build my credibility?  |  IP: Logged Ron Funderburg Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 814 From: Chickasha, Oklahoma, USA Registered: Nov 2007 posted 05-28-2008 02:21 PM                        Michael you should try to get all the old grease off the gears before putting new grease on. Clean the gears all up nice and new looking and then put a thin coat of new grease on everything don't glump it on just a nice even coat. As to the oil just add new oil but try not to over oil the units! Century's don't take a lot of oil so just add till it doesn't need it anymore. Easy to see on the intermittent not so easy on the other points just oil till it wont take more! After you are sure you have enough oil in them it is just a few drops a day.  |  IP: Logged Michael Dolan Film Handler Posts: 77 From: Deerfield Beach, fl. Registered: May 2008 posted 05-28-2008 03:06 PM                        Thankyou for that. Now It has been a couple of years since I worked on Century I'm used to Christies. Coreect me if I'm wrong but the oil window on the intermittent when the projector is not running should look full. When the projector is running it should look 1/2 empty. If that is correct then this one definetly needs it. right now it looks 1/2 empty when off and looks completely empty when running. It has been awhile and I want to make sure that I have it right!  |  IP: Logged Ron Funderburg Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 814 From: Chickasha, Oklahoma, USA Registered: Nov 2007 posted 05-28-2008 03:10 PM                        According to century books half full when off is correct I tend to run a wee bit more than half full if you have to much it just throws it out the back and uses it in the rest of the machine. You can usually see just a tad of oil at the bottom of window when the unit is running!  |  IP: Logged John Wilson Film God Posts: 5438 From: Sydney, Australia. Registered: Dec 1999 posted 05-29-2008 10:20 PM                     There are lines on the oil window to show you where the oil level should be when stopped. Pick the line that most aligns with the rake of the projector and you're away. The window should look empty when running the motor.  |  IP: Logged Paul J. Neuhaus Expert Film Handler Posts: 126 From: Iraq.. Again! Registered: Jun 2005 posted 06-01-2008 10:59 AM                     First of all congratulations on your new venture! As a prior theatre manager and as a Marine now I am always sent to places with problems and things to fix. This is a good thing. In my outside opinion you were hired based on your experience to come in and make a positive difference. Don't start by damning those before you. Like mentioned before in this post lots of these operations are just held together with bailing wire and duct tape. Making the best out of what is available with limited knowledge and funds. Take this as an opportunity to shine! Fix things up and make the changes to make this a premier booth. You're not at a multiplex or huge operation. You will have to get creative in some approaches. You will have a shortage on equipment and you will probably have to learn to rebuild things instead of just replacing them. This just makes you better rounded and aware that expenditures on equipment do affect the bottom line. Search these forums and read all you can you CAN make a positive difference!  |  IP: Logged

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