------------------
Dave Bird
 

Cleaning, would be a quick rub down between shows or at the end of the day, you know, whenever necessary. Could be as simple as wiping down the projector with a rag. I always take out the gate (on a Simplex), and wipe it down that way. If it needs a bit more, I wipe it down with a rag and then I would use 99% isopropyl alcohol and a Webril (100% cotton) wipe. Any surface that the film comes into contact with gets cleaned (and a few others get a quick wipe at the end). I run Film Guard frequently so I don't need to do this between every show. If the print is really shedding, the you have to clean it every show.

Super-Cleaning, is when I strip the projector. With the Simplex's I used to run I would try to do this every couple of months. I cleaned everything, and I do mean everything. I took off anything that I could without haveing to re-align when I put it back in, and cleaned it throughly. Went through a lot of Q-tips when I did this, put it was worth it. The entire projector head, and sound heads would be spotless after this type of cleaning. This was a lot harder to do at a mega-plex, but I didn't have problems getting it done at smaller theatres. I have only done this on a Simplex though.

I use to clean my two Cinemeccanica V5 MI in this way:

Avery day, before show: clean the gate with someting water-based (I notice that the hard dirt on the gate come out with something like water rather than alchool), clean sound leds (SR/DD/DTS), lenses and sensors with isopropyl alcohol. Since my projs are in good condition and they don't make dirt, I think that daily this is enough.

Once a week I take off the print of the projector, I manually rewind the film cleaning it with a soft cloth and I clean all the parts of projector that touch the print with alchool, isopropyl alchool or water-based product depending what I'm cleaning.

Every few months I make the projector new... I disassembled everything is moving, clean it, put oil if has to rotate and reassemble.

I reach this procedure after few try. My result is very good. Film is always clean and I don't have any type of problem.

Sorry for eventually syntax errors!

Antonio
 

1) You must be VERY careful not to blow the air on or near the lenses or the sound head. You can get a 'sand blaster' effect. (Particles of dirt can etch the glass.) And the condensation in the air stream can get into the lenses, etc.

2) It is possible to blow dirt even deeper into the projector bearings, etc. causing a sortened life span.

3) Okay, so you've carefully blown all the dust out of the projector... Where did it go? It's suspended in the air, waiting to settle back onto something else.

I'd say that a vacuum cleaner is the better choice. Essentially, it's a reverse air compressor and it actually removes the dirt, rather than sending it up into the air.

I'd even recommend that you use a vacuum AND a compressor at the same time; blowing with one and sucking with the other.

All that having been said, I don't think a compressor is a bad idea. I just think you should use it sparingly. You shouldn't use it in place of good old fashioned paintbrush and shop rag cleanings.
 

Daily I'll make a quick wipe down the gate with the shop rag. That's really all that is needed, and overkill at that. The film cleaner runs every show on every screen, so the prints never shed and the machines never get dirty other than light airborne dust from the HVAC system.
 

One possibility is to put an oil / vapor trap on the compressor, last thing on the line before the hose.

Second thing I'd do is make sure you vent the compressor tank EVERY TIME you're done using it. If not the tank will fill up with water, which will (A) be blown out the hose when you use it. and (B) eventually rust the inside of the tank and cause premature failure.
 

------------------
Dave Bird
 

As for a "nub" being cracked -- the hub is a split assembly that tightens on the shaft using two screws. Where is the crack? That can happen if those screws are over-tightened.

Pat

I was using the cotton (to wipe with alcohol)in the FRAMING side, is that a no-no?

Also, what are the differences between a 2-blade and 3-bladed shutter?

Thank you.

------------------
Dave Bird
 

NEVER clean a running projector, as the risk of injury or jamming the mechanism is too high.

------------------
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
 

I worked in a booth that had a compressor; I thought it was kinda dumb; it was right in the booth, against the front wall. The thing would start up and make so much noise, I finally shut it off. If it could be mounted somewhere else, that would be OK.

I talked to a fire inspector about putting that compressor in the back room (with pipes to bring it to the projectors) and he got very concerned. He started talking about holes in the wall, risk of explosion if heated during a fire, permits, etc. so I never persued that idea. The place I was working for wanted to remove the compressor to, "save electrical bill costs" so you can see how cheap they were. I knew they didn't want to deal with permits.
 

I think canned air is a good idea for that ocasional use. Unless you go crazy with the stuff it can certainly be cheaper than buying a big compressor. (Although Lowe's sells a poratble for less than $100)