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Author Topic: Strong Motor Rebuild Issue Richard May Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1057 From: Floral Park, NY USA Registered: Aug 2004 posted 05-03-2010 06:55 AM                     Well said Michael. Strong all the way.  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 05-03-2010 08:48 AM                     Sorry but I think you met the wrong Christie platter or you had the version with non-removable control plates. Those can be updated still to this day! The AW-3 is far and away the best American built platter and it is not slow. I can assume that when you mean slow you are talking make up. Well, most operators I know say the Strongs run too way fast on build up and especially too fast on tear down.... So fast that it can actually be dangerous. The only platter thats better than the AW-3 is the Kinoton and I don't personally appreciate the lack of film keepers on the Kinoton ...especially for the price. Mark  |  IP: Logged Tony Bandiera Jr Film God Posts: 3067 From: Moreland Idaho Registered: Apr 2004 posted 05-03-2010 12:11 PM                     Besides if you think the AW3 is slow on build-up I have a source for modified motors that have a larger drive wheel for faster make up. Just remember to swap the standard motor back before running your shows. Fixed-plate AW3's still ran quite well, but yes they are a pain to move prints on. As for the rings, you have two options: carefully re-drill a set of holes for the Strong rings (which were always a pain in the ass for me) OR contact Bevan at MIT he makes rings that will work on the AW3. Oh,and Michael, the "defects" you mention are so petty and do not affect the reliability or performance of the platter..a properly timed AW3 will run for far longer than even the most coddled Strong platter, and it doesn't have that stupid and expensive variac to burn out.  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 05-03-2010 05:56 PM                     I never felt it was all that slow. Once you get a couple of reels loaded its almost too fast! Why is everyone in such a rush anyway? Mark  |  IP: Logged Michael Voiland Expert Film Handler Posts: 219 From: Naperville, IL US Registered: Aug 2009 posted 05-03-2010 07:19 PM                     The platters I had a chance to work with were a pain. I loved the brain's control over the motor and amazing decks those things were tough. It was the shaft in the middle of the platters that stuck up 1/4 of an inch that drove me nuts. We had a stripped down Christie to build film with but I just was not a fan of some of the things. Its like they took the best of everything and then slopped some cheap stuff in their to cut the cost. The control cards that burn up or the power supply for the leds with zenier diodes are pointless. They get so hot they seem to cook themselves in the tree. The build carts were amazing to work with but the plugs were awful. Don't get me wrong the Christie is a good platter but it still has its problems just like the Strongs. I am going to get a second new motor and swap out another motor on the top deck if they match up after that then I will get the bottom deck changed out to and will have 3 new motors in our older platter and it will be good for a few more years.  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 05-03-2010 10:30 PM                     Michael, I think you had the wrong thickness bearing races in there. There are at least two different thicknesses available. The top of the deck and top of the axle should not be different by very much at all. I've seen 25 year old LED cards that are still running just fine. In fact I've never had to replace an LED card in 32 years. Just a few motor cards too. The later style cards are fused. If someone stalls the platter they will blow the fuse or the older card... Mark  |  IP: Logged Ian Parfrey Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1049 From: Imbil Australia 26 deg 27' 42.66" S 152 deg 42' 23.40" E Registered: Feb 2009 posted 05-03-2010 10:46 PM                     Speco LP270 all the way. Reliable- Simple- and a nice, pretty red colour. Horizontal mut is naff though.  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 05-04-2010 12:42 AM                     ..just them plug-in diodes in the control box on the tower can be touchy, but still LP-270's ("K-Mart" picnic tables is what they used..)is a very reliable system.  |  IP: Logged Ian Parfrey Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1049 From: Imbil Australia 26 deg 27' 42.66" S 152 deg 42' 23.40" E Registered: Feb 2009 posted 05-04-2010 01:14 AM                     Monte.  |  IP: Logged Jeremy Weigel Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1062 From: Edmond, OK, USA Registered: Mar 2007 posted 05-04-2010 02:04 AM                     Our Strong platters have been going for a little over 20 years with all original motors except one. An operator thought it was a good idea to spray WD40 in it to quell a "mysterious" squeek. It did the job alright. Killed that motor.  |  IP: Logged Michael Voiland Expert Film Handler Posts: 219 From: Naperville, IL US Registered: Aug 2009 posted 05-04-2010 08:20 AM                     Quelling squeaks is the norm in the booth i work in unfortunately. We have lots of different equipment from all walks of life. In all sorts of shape. Mostly in the mediocre to poor range though aka pro 35's  |  IP: Logged

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