This is topic Is anybody installing BRAND NEW Century's anymore? in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.
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Posted by Scott D. Neff (Member # 185) on 06-15-2000, 10:43 AM:
I love Simplex as much as the next guy --- but with all these new theatres putting in the Strong Simplex, and the other putting in the Christie package --- what is to come of our old faithful Century?!?!
Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 06-15-2000, 11:22 AM:
Century has certainly had its ups and downs through the years, but has survived for over half a CENTURY (pun intended) under a variety of management. I think the folks in Omaha have a STRONG (another pun!) committment to having Century regain its reputation of a simple, easily maintained design that can yield superb projection performance and reliability. Maybe Pat Moore has something to add.------------------
John P. Pytlak, Senior Technical Specialist
Worldwide Technical Services, Entertainment Imaging
Eastman Kodak Company
Research Labs, Building 69, Room 7419
Rochester, New York, 14650-1922 USA
Tel: 716-477-5325 Fax: 716-722-7243
E-Mail: john.pytlak@kodak.com
Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 06-15-2000, 11:51 AM:
Last I talked to Rick at Strong they were selling quite a few of them. The best thing is that Strong has taken care of all the ORC induced problems that almost killed the machine(well it did kill many of them literally!).
Mark
Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 06-15-2000, 09:36 PM:
The Century is still alive and well, from what I can tell. And depending on the region and exhibitor is still their favorite projector.Strong has simplified the machine a bit (got rid of the adjustable shutter, for instance) and the machine seems to be running well.
I do find it very odd that the machine brought out to be cheaper than the Simplex is now actually more expensive (while becoming less complicated).
Steve
------------------
"Old projectionists never die, they just changeover!"
Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 06-15-2000, 09:45 PM:
Isn't the uncomplicated design of the Century one of it's selling points? The fact that they're super-easy to clean and have a high tolerance for threading mistakes (particularly too-large or too-small loops) would make them ideal for (I really hate to say this) "manager-operator" theatres. Simplexes are fine, but I really do like the "elegance" of the Century design--simple, uncluttered, and functional.
Why did Strong dump the shutter-timing adjustment? It is (was?) very useful for fine-tuning the timing.
Assuming that the brand-new Centurys are actually of reasonable quality, I really would hope that they're being installed regularly. The Strong package that seems to be common with many theatre chains usually seems to include the Strong platter and console/lamphouse with a Simplex projector with 2-lens turret.
Posted by Pat Moore (Member # 380) on 06-15-2000, 10:38 PM:
Hello Again;
Thanks for the interest in Century and comments about it. Yep, Strong still makes Century, but fewer than Simplex. Despite the relative simplicity of the gear train I think shear volume makes up the pricing difference between Simplex and Century.
By the way, ORC had already dropped the adjustable shutter when we (Strong) got the machine into Omaha. WE've researched it and it's a thing where yes, people would like it if it doesn't cost anything. Century took it out originally for that reason.
I have to think we have done a lot of good in making the Century the reliable projector it had been in the past -- all the credit goes to the guys in production and engineering, they do a great job in Omaha.Pat
Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 06-16-2000, 09:25 AM:
As much as I like the Century I just wish that they had adopted the construction method used on the Westrex design intorduced in the 2000 serries of a upper and lower sprocket sub assembly. This would have allowed better alignment along the verticle shaft
Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 06-16-2000, 01:13 PM:
Never had a problem with verticle shaft alignment except for some machines that came out of ORC. If you can't get the proper gear clearance then something else is wrong. Usually gear tolerance is off, and some off market brands of gears for Centurys have in the past been disastrous. I only use either LaVezzi parts,or factory parts obtained from Mr Projectorwrench at Strong. Wolk gears have gotten real good in the past several years. Also if in doubt replace gears in pairs!!
I've rebuilt cast iron "C" heads that were 50 or more years old and have found in a few of them that the upper and lower sprocket shaft bushings were reamed incorrectly. They were reamed at a slight angle. This can also cause improper gear clearance.
Mark
Posted by Kevin Crawford (Member # 469) on 06-17-2000, 03:28 AM:
What is really amazing is the foreign copies of the Century. In particular, the Moaner, oops, Monee. If you put a Century intermittant in it, it runs almost as quiet as a Century. It looks as if all of the gears are interchangable as well. For a direct drive version that is.
Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 06-17-2000, 08:36 AM:
Century is the most copied projector in the world
Initially Century made a licensing arrangement of some form with Western Electric to use there sound patents including the soundheads and in exchange Western sold the century projectors outside of the US usually as Westrex (western electric export)
In canada they were called Northern Electric and manufactured the amps, and soundheads here but imported the projectors
In England Westrex manufactured the 2000 serries head which was a C (cast iron though) and it introduced the removable upper and lower sprocket assemblies
They also manufactured the machine in Italy India and Mexico (westrex)
After the collapse of the empire the italian westrex disappeared but the indian one contiued with two fifferent manufactures Cinecitta and Monee ( I don't know which came first) Westrex continued to build the 2000 serries in the Uk along with the 5000 (35/70) and also a all timing belt machine (7000) and towers as well
In the eighties Steve Kramms bought it out and moved it to the US
I understand most of the Westar now comes from India and is assembled in the US
For a period before buying Century ORC imported Cinecitta as did CFS
It appears that CFS now uses Monee
I have no info on the mexican operation and there was rummoured that there was a brazilian machine as well (the only brazillian machine I have seen was the Incol 35/70mm that was a DP70 knockoff)
Posted by Scott D. Neff (Member # 185) on 06-18-2000, 05:04 AM:
People have always said that a Century is more simple than a Simplex. THAT I have never understood...Having originally been trained on 3 XLs and 2 Cinnemacanica V8's --- the entire thread pattern of a Century was assinine to me. Having to thread BETWEEN two pad rollers felt EXTREMELY wrong - and having to set tension by aligning two little red arrows???
SIMPLEX is much easier to thread - that much is for sure.
But I'll admit --- I've come to love my Century projectors I'm currently running as a "manager-operator".
Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 06-18-2000, 05:17 AM:
Most people have a passion for what they learned on. The Simplex would be a damn fine machine if they would rid themselves of that little rubber/felt roller in the sounddrum. That can be removed and replaced with a spacer (use a rubber insert for a media cleaner trimmed to the proper width) in it's place with the same quality results...and it won't touch the film, which embedds dirt into the "just heated up and soft" emulsion.Until that day comes though, to hell with the Simplex and praise to the Century.
Posted by Robert Throop (Member # 61) on 06-18-2000, 01:05 PM:
Are Century"s still available with Cine Focus? How often is it used?------------------
Bob Throop
Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 06-18-2000, 04:55 PM:
Yes, I believe it is still available. I have used it a number of times, mainly for 70mm and it works amazingly well. If you have a high powered lamp, say above 4kw then you just about have to use it. Too bad no one else adapted it to other machines.
Mark
Posted by John Walsh (Member # 168) on 06-18-2000, 09:53 PM:
A V8 is the only other machine I know of that has something similar.I think a V8 is a blower, blowing in air to keep the film from buckling in towards te lamp.
But a think a Century Cine Focus is a sucker, creating a low pressure on the base side to accomplish the same thing.
Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 06-18-2000, 10:23 PM:
The "Cinefocus" option is most certainly available (SB or MSB) in 35mm or JJ3 in 70mmThe only requirement is a single lens system for obvious reasons. Since most new complexes use turrets, the Cinefocus option isn't used much.
The Cinefocus system applies positive pressure to the base side of the film to keep it from fluttering in the aperture. Shims are added to the gate runners above and below the aperture so that there is just a sliver of space for the air to escape.
Steve
------------------
"Old projectionists never die, they just changeover!"
Posted by Robert Throop (Member # 61) on 06-19-2000, 10:05 AM:
Maybe it's time to revive Century's "single lens concept" which used a single backup lens
and moved either a magna com or anamorph in front of it. This could be used with Cine Focus.
Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 06-19-2000, 10:22 AM:
Okay, it's not really a good idea to judge a machine by how fast you can thread it, but I'm just making a point of comparison...I can thread the Century about twice as fast as the Simplex. It's mostly becasue I've threaded a Century about a million times more often than I have a Simplex. Century has an almost straight-through path that you can thread perfectly while blindfolded. That's probably its best feature... You can train (almost) anybody to use it in an afternoon and they can be productive in a couple of days. The Simplex, although pretty easy to thread, takes a little bit more "finesse".
On the reverse side, I think that once you get the Simplex threaded and running, it's a lot more trouble free. You don't have to tweek it as much. Mind you, my Centurys are turret models. You just have to stay on top of those babies or they'll put the picture all over the masking. I tell newbies that you gotta' show 'em who's boss. 
If I could, I'd pick a Simplex projector and bolt it onto a Century sound head. Too bad they run backwards from each other. 
Posted by Bobby Parry (Member # 117) on 07-03-2000, 10:25 PM:
I've been using new Century projectors in all our new constructions. Strong has done a fine job manufacturing them. They're easy to keep clean, have one of the steadiest pictures, and the finest soundhead Strong has to offer.
Posted by Tim Killen (Member # 404) on 07-07-2000, 11:10 AM:
I've used Cinemaccanica Vic 5, Kinoton FP30 & FP50s, Bauer U3 & U4s and Century C, and I've got to say that I find the Century the hardest to thread and the hardest to keep clean. How you clean around the intermittent with those recessed corners has got me. The rest of the machines that I have used are all open and relatively easy to clean with nothing exceptionly hard to get at.I would have have to say that of all the machines that I have used the Kinoton is the best. Easy to thread and very kind to film with its curved teflon gate assembly, and very rarely would you have film's sheading unlike the Vic 5s and Centurys, with build up of Emulsion on the metal gates after just one session.
I don't know, maybe it's me. Am I missing something about the Centurys that you guys know about.
Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 07-08-2000, 01:51 AM:
I agree with you about the Kinotons...very kind to film and the only time they powder, it's because the print has been somewhere else and they've scratched the sprocket area.Centurys are however very, very easy to thread. The intermittent area can be cleaned properly, but it means adjusting the framing handle and that's not always (ever) a good idea.
Only one man I have known could clean a Century properly. It would look brand spanking new every time...quite an impressive feat. Tony Checklin, you are remembered, sir.
Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 07-10-2000, 03:42 AM:
Randy,
It is possible to run an X-L on a Century soundhead 
. You run the soundhead in reverse and add one roller to the path to compensate for it. It is a very nice but seldom seen combination. Contact me for details if you are interested in doing this.
mark@getgts.com
Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 07-10-2000, 10:48 PM:
Mark,I'm betting you don't do this with a "direct drive" Century sound head ;-) (eg MR3)
Steve
------------------
"Old projectionists never die, they just changeover!"
Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 07-10-2000, 11:33 PM:
Just for curiosity's sake I'd like to see how it's done...How do you "compensate" for the pad roller being on the other side of the sprocket? (Or am I missing something?)
Posted by Frank A. Phillips (Member # 491) on 07-11-2000, 07:10 PM:
The Century is alive and well and whoever said they never leak? And they all leak! We have ten of the SA-Ta series, six of them about three years olde and the four newest last year. The new ones have to have the turret closed in order to use the framer, not good! And there are a couple of bearings needing occassional oil not mentioned in the service manual, the "sound drum" shaft and the idler at the bottom of the sound head. We've lost one of each so far. I remember the Simplex models from the forties and we used to have shallow pans under them, might have to do that with the Centuries BUT they are work horses and good machines!