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Author Topic: Century JJ vs. Simplex XL for reel to reel Richard May Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1057 From: Floral Park, NY USA Registered: Aug 2004 posted 12-20-2009 10:57 AM                     I havent needed any penthouse parts so that may be an issue but I have gotten gate and trap parts and had no problems. I have also not had a problem getting any pad roller parts for the Simplex. The gear train seams to be completly identical so I don't see an issue there. I just think it's a good machine and I have no problem using them compared to the price of others.  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 12-23-2009 12:59 AM                     ..for those who never seen an XL-35/70 unit: I had to do a INT sprocket changeout on one of these things and there sure aint much metal for them narrow 35mm teeth... and even then, I could see the weakness with this add-on concept - just like GM did with their V8's in the early 80's by converting a gas motor over to diesel without doing any beefing up the mains for the extra work. ..but, hey - if it works, let it be then.... -Monte  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 12-23-2009 03:47 AM                     More pictures please...including the penthouse and optical sound. Also, was there a 24/30fps ability in this version? Steve  |  IP: Logged Richard May Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1057 From: Floral Park, NY USA Registered: Aug 2004 posted 12-23-2009 07:38 AM                     We run 24/30 and variable on ours.  |  IP: Logged Stephen Furley Film God Posts: 3059 From: Coulsdon, Croydon, England Registered: May 2002 posted 12-23-2009 08:15 AM                     I believe Simplex also built the Fox Grandeur projectors; was there anything at all in the design of these machines that was based on the earlier ones?  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 12-23-2009 09:07 AM                     The reason I'm interested in Monte's is their vintage...they are based in the XL era rather than the Simplex 35/5-star era (the ones I'm familiar with). http://www.film-tech.com/warehouse/wareview.php?id=1715&category=2 The cutsheet in the Film-Tech library for the old Simplex 35/70 clearly states that it will run 24 or 30 fps...I'm curious as to how it was done back then. On the Century JJ it was a double pulley system...merely move the belt to the desired pulley. Norelco had two motors and later a transmission, Bauer had a transmission of sorts too. On a modern Simplex with a 5-star, it would merely be a matter of using an inverter drive but on the SH-1012 series soundheads, back then, the speed thing would have been more of a trick. On the penthouse side, I want to see more of the original since I know the 1980s version missed the boat on several design areas. Steve  |  IP: Logged Bernard Tonks Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 619 From: Cranleigh, Surrey, England Registered: Apr 2001 posted 12-23-2009 11:14 AM                     quote: Stephen Furley I believe Simplex also built the Fox Grandeur projectors; was there anything at all in the design of these machines that was based on the earlier ones? They were based on the Super-Simplex model. 70mm 1929, unfortunately I could not get the link to work, but it's somewhere within: http://in70mm.com/newsletter/index.htm In the Splendor of 70mm. It opened at the Roxy in New York, Fox's new Grandeur flagship theatre. Using hand built Super-Simplex 70mm projectors, a 42 x 20 foot picture was thrown ...  |  IP: Logged Richard May Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1057 From: Floral Park, NY USA Registered: Aug 2004 posted 12-23-2009 11:38 AM                     Mine are also the older ones. I will try and take some pics.  |  IP: Logged Rick Raskin Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1100 From: Manassas Virginia Registered: Jan 2003 posted 12-23-2009 12:31 PM                     Granduer Projector Article  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 12-23-2009 12:38 PM                     I'll see if I can get over there and take more snaps - kinda did this one on the fly.. The two units sits on SH-1012 "4-star" soundheads. Both units are mounted on Highlight consoles running 4k bulbs. What's interesting that the 35mm runs with flat trap and gate asemblies using studio gates .. and the operator had mentioned of focus problems .. where I told him that with running that big of bulb, the assemblies should have been the curved gate variety. The penthouses has dual 35/70mm mag clusters with the 35mm cluster in the middle of the penthouse and the 70mm cluster to the right of the roller assembly. -Monte  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 12-23-2009 02:38 PM                     Yes, that is consistent with the current design. I'm curious about the back side of the penthouse too (in the compartment where the flywheels and springs are). I want to see how the springs are configured. There should be one that ties the two tension arms together and there should be another that should be trying to overcome the weight of the arms so they always float in the middle of their travel. The current design has a spring that pulls the arms down!...which is wrong.  |  IP: Logged Stephen Furley Film God Posts: 3059 From: Coulsdon, Croydon, England Registered: May 2002 posted 12-23-2009 02:49 PM                     Rick, From that picture it doesn't look like they had much, if anything, in common. Since it wasn't very long, about 25 years, between the demise of Grandeur and the birth of Todd-AO I did wonder if they re-used any of the old design but it doesn't look like they did.  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 12-23-2009 05:05 PM                     Couple of more picts of this XL setup: Contains the Teccon 70mm mag cluster and the stock Simplex 35mm mag cluster There was no model or serial number on this bad boy to get some sort of vintage, yet with being grey casing and white enameled workings, I would say these units could have came from the NSS days. -Monte  |  IP: Logged Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 12-23-2009 05:12 PM                     That was the version simplex marketed for a while in the late 60's and early 70s The unpper magazine sat into the curve of the top of the penthouse  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 12-23-2009 05:28 PM                     Yep, the cut sheet I referenced above shows it with the magazine and your choice of carbon arc lamps! I can't make out the 35mm mag head in the picture...does it have any sort of shield over the clusters? I also wonder about the balance on the tensioners...do they always float to the middle of their range or can you push them to the top of their range and will they stay there? Steve  |  IP: Logged

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