This is topic Wenzel Projectors in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.
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Posted by Geoff Bradley (Member # 658) on 04-29-2001, 11:07 PM:
My Film-Tech collegues,
Well, enough lurking. I enjoy the valuable information and chat from all of you and decided it was time to speak.Just came across some old manuals for Simplex
regular projector, Peerless Magnarc and the Wenzel Ace Pro 4 Projector.
I was lucky enough to grab them before they were buried in the ground at an abandoned drive-in. These babies are now in their new home......mine.
Would anyone have any information on Wenzel?
I believe they were in Chicago.
Also, thanks to Greg M. for the advice. Hurley came through and a new screen
will soon be mine.
Thanks and regards.
Posted by Paul G. Thompson (Member # 655) on 04-30-2001, 12:24 AM:
It was my understanding that a Wenzel projector was supposed to have incorporated the good points of a Simplex Super, and a mixture of some other off-the-wall crap. (that's what I have heard, anyway.) Some old timers told me they were a very good projector. I have seen a few, but never operated them. I'll bet Gordon, John, or Mark can tell all about them. They kinda look like Super Simplex.
Posted by John Eickhof (Member # 323) on 04-30-2001, 12:34 AM:
Fred A Wenzel was a machinist at Simplex in the 20s. He broke away and formed his own company called the Wenzel Projector Company in Chicago in the early 30s. The Wenzel 'ACE'
projector was a carbon copy of the Simplex Regular (Standard) Fred developed many variations on his machine, like the model BW
that was made for Ballantyne. It was an ACE with a couple of heavier bearing surfaces and a different film side door that had the Ballantyne logo. The Pro 4 was a mid 50s
model still basically the ACE model but with easier oiling, and an easy to remove film trap door and an optional 4" lens holder.\
Wenzel developed the model 6 'ACE' in 1958
that had a conical shutter like the Simplex XL and other new improvements, but it was never mass made, as Edw. H. Wolk Co., Inc. purchased the Wenzel Company in 1958 after Fred Wenzel took ill. Wenzel made a couple
of soundheads too, as well as repair parts for the Simplex machine, and many specialty repair tools for the projector repairman, such as intermittent run-in holders, sprocket pullers, and taper pin reamers. Of course Wenzel made a pedistal and other projection accessories. In a simular light, Sam Kaplan was a machinist too at Simplex in the 20s,
he too formed his own operation in the 30s known as Kaplan 'Sure-Fit' Projectors & parts. (Also a copy of the Simplex Regular) Kaplan went onto form the Century Projector
Company and with the help of Larry Little
developed the famous Century C model in the 40s.
------------------
John Eickhof President, Chief Slave
Northwest Theatre Equipment Co., Inc.
P.O.Box 258
Wendell, ID. 83355-0258
208-536-5489
email: jeickhof@nteequip.com
Posted by Paul G. Thompson (Member # 655) on 04-30-2001, 12:55 AM:
Hey, John. Thanks for the write-up on the Wenzel.Now, I have one for you - can you tell us all about the Weber Synchro-film Sound head? I ran those things in the Skagit Drive-In in Burlington, WA in 1973 until it closed. It was not too bad of a sound head, except for those funky PE cells that I replaced with a wooden dowell (small broom stick handle) with a Radio Smack solar chip glued to it. They were not too bad. I understand that was an export model of a Western Electric soundhead, but I don't know what model.
I might add this: One of those soundheads, I had to make a gear with a hacksaw and a file to finish the season, since there were no parts available for it.
Whatever it was, it had steel balls in the rotary stabilizer, (which took forever to come up to speed) and they were very smooth when it came to wow and flutter. It was a chain driven soundhead.
Speak, O Toothless Soothsayer.. 
LOL (just had to do that, John.) 
Posted by Dave Bird (Member # 490) on 04-30-2001, 06:22 AM:
Geoff, kind of off topic, but what drive-in was it? Recently abandoned or long gone?
Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 04-30-2001, 08:29 AM:
Paul,
I have several little booklets that were published by Weber. They are pretty interesting and include a fireside chat by Carl Weber himself. I'll send copies to Brad to post here. I think the remains of Weber were purchased by a dealer in NYC. I may be wrong but I think the stabilizers were magnetic.
Mark @ GTS
NOTE: Richard Fowler just reminded me that the late Saul Tanny bought Weber Synchrofilm and kept selling them until the 70's. We would sure like to see Richard drop in here once in a while...he's a walking encyclopedia of info....
Posted by Geoff Bradley (Member # 658) on 04-30-2001, 08:26 PM:
Thanks John and Paul.
Much appreciated.
There are some parts missing off the lens holder and collar but not too much else.Dave , they came from the Crystal Lake Drive-in near Canora Saskatchewan.
This is my lucky day indeed. I just hauled another pair out of the Unity Drive-in. Same projectors though. Northern Electric Soundheads and a pair of really nasty and heavy rectifiers. 4 flat lenses and 4 scope.
Thanks everyone.
Posted by Paul G. Thompson (Member # 655) on 04-30-2001, 08:31 PM:
Mark, it seems you might be right about it being magnetic. Unless the ones I had were modified, they had about three or four steel balls in them that made contact with the outer shell to gradually get it up to speed.When they coasted down, all the balls would sound like ping pong balls bouncing around from the outer shell to the ball carriage retainers.
Posted by Paul Mayer (Member # 355) on 04-30-2001, 08:40 PM:
Say John,You mentioned that Larry Little helped out with the development of the Century C. By any chance that wouldn't be the Larry Little of Nevada Audio Visual nee Little Machine Co. in Las Vegas would it?
Ogenki de,
Paul, SMPTE OOF (Otaku Over Forty)
Posted by John Eickhof (Member # 323) on 04-30-2001, 10:04 PM:
Absolutely! I had spent many hours in the past with Larry talking about his exploits in the industry. I saw him last March, He is still rebuilding intermittents! And has slowed a bit, (He's in his 90s!) Larry is probably one of the nicest and most knowledgable in the industry!------------------
John Eickhof President, Chief Slave
Northwest Theatre Equipment Co., Inc.
P.O.Box 258
Wendell, ID. 83355-0258
208-536-5489
email: jeickhof@nteequip.com
Posted by John Eickhof (Member # 323) on 04-30-2001, 10:15 PM:
CORRECTION ON WENZEL INFORMATION!!!
I received an email from Konrad Sheike in Ill. regarding my information as stated above. First, the PRO-4 (Updated ACE) was introduced in late 1930's or early 1940's,
the Pro 6 was prototyped in 1939 but it's release was canancelled due to a major design flaw...the distance from gate to american soundheads was 5 frames off! Thus it was abandoned. It was apparently designed by two Detroit Projectionists, but Konrad and his associate beiliev it was primarily of a european design. (Thus simularities to the XL) Wolk did end up with some of the Wenzel assets, but the majority of them were purchased by Iver Burek. Thanks Konrad for the corrections! I wish you would participate in these forums instead of just browsing!
I know you have a lot of other historical data in your archives! I sit corrected!------------------
John Eickhof President, Chief Slave
Northwest Theatre Equipment Co., Inc.
P.O.Box 258
Wendell, ID. 83355-0258
208-536-5489
email: jeickhof@nteequip.com
Posted by Geoff Bradley (Member # 658) on 05-01-2001, 12:25 AM:
Thanks John.
Sixty year old projectors. Cool!
Do you handle parts for Wenzel or is it Wolk?
Maybe it's just me, but alot of the projectors I'm running into around the province are Wenzell's. A few Simplexes and very few Century's.
All the sound heads are Northern Electric.
Posted by Robert Throop (Member # 61) on 05-01-2001, 12:50 AM:
The Weber Syncrofilm soundhead was made by the Weber Machine Co. in Rochester, NY. I operated a pair of them at the Rialto theatre in Utica, NY in the sixties. I believe they also made a 35mm portable projector and a theatre projector that was one unit (projector and soundhead). In the late fifties Weber made a couple of sets of curved water cooled gates for Simplex E7's for the Schine theatre circuit.------------------
Bob Throop
Posted by Paul G. Thompson (Member # 655) on 05-01-2001, 01:11 AM:
It is amazing how a topic like this can explode....it is wonderful. Since I became a film-tech member, I have learned alot of info! Thanks to you all.Brad, you created something that is most beneficial to the industry. I don't think anyone would dispute that.... Kudos...
Posted by Dave Bird (Member # 490) on 05-01-2001, 07:37 AM:
If you don't mind me asking Geoff, whatcha doing with all the projectors? Is this a hobby or a biz? I also bought the equipment of an abandoned drive-in here in Ontario. I found it bittersweet, sad to see a place where so many happy times had occured (and by taking the equipment, ensuring they would never again even if they wanted), but glad to "save" them, hopeful to re-create the happy times in the future. I have both Crystal Lake and Unity listed as OPEN as late as 1988, closed by 1999. Go 'Riders!
Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 05-01-2001, 08:34 AM:
Here's a name I'll throw in here cause there used to be a pile of Webers sitting on his shelf.........Lee Artoe. Anyone remember him. Oddly my dad remembered him as a player for the Chicago Bears Football Team. Lee had quite a warehouse full of goodies. By the last time I was there in the mid 90's all the good stuff was pretty well cleaned out. There were 4 floors of stuff plus the remnants of his "Theatre Burner Xenon Lamphouses and Rectifiers"). Apparently one theatyre burned down and he was sued and then shut down the operation. All the stuff simply sat there. Dealing with Lee was pretty much like dealing with Mr. Scrooge. he had good days now and then though when he would let you just "take that" but not very often. Anyone know if he is still around?
Mark @ GTS
Posted by Geoff Bradley (Member # 658) on 05-01-2001, 10:28 AM:
Hi Dave.
The Crystal Lake Drive-in closed a few years back. The RCMP used to make it a regular stop after the famous 91 riot at the Drive-in.
The owner was a very nice gentleman who had suffered a heart attack in 92. His son nor his daughter wanted to take over the business. He owned two indoors as well.
He was converting the land to an RV campsite and he wanted to sell. No buyers came along so the plug was pulled.
I drove by on business one day and saw this screen poking out about 2 miles away from the highway between a cluster of trees.
I turned off the highway and drove up.
He said I could take everything for $700.
That's about 10 dollars American. (Just kidding)
I came back with a cube van and loaded what I could and made the 3 hour drive back home.
Two of the projectors are fine. The spare he kept in the back looks pretty bad.
Water damage has rusted the mechanisms.
I thought I would have it for parts but I don't think so.Sadly, the Wenzell's from Unity are no longer usable. The Drive-in was vandelized
the night before I got there. The projectors are a write off, I sold the sound heads and I kept the 2 Strong Mighty 90's however, the vandals smashed the reflectors on both and smashed pretty much anything that was glass.
Suprisingly, they missed or didn't think about the lenses on the workbench and left them alone. The full set of lenses were OK.
Most of the film that was left in the booth for over two years was sitting in water in the back room however there was a copy of Trinity Is Still My Name in shipping cans on a shelf. Any fim left on the bench was thrown or unwound onto the floor.
Sad.
I was told where I could find a pair of Simplex XL's but upon talking to the owner, they had dug a hold in front of the booth and buried them.
I almost want to dig them up.
My projectors will be for my home theatre.
Paul, you're right. This is a great site and thanks Brad for the chance to ramble about what makes me happy in life.
Cheers.
Posted by John Eickhof (Member # 323) on 05-01-2001, 12:44 PM:
Geoff, Unfortunately, Wolk discr=arded all the genuine Wenzel Parts! I do have a rather
large inventory of Wenzel & Simplex parts. (They interchange exactly) Let me know if you need anything!Mark...When I was in Chicago last month, I tried to contact Lee Artoe, apparently he is alive and fairly well, but he 'had no time' to visit with me!!! Good old scrooge!
------------------
John Eickhof President, Chief Slave
Northwest Theatre Equipment Co., Inc.
P.O.Box 258
Wendell, ID. 83355-0258
208-536-5489
email: jeickhof@nteequip.com
Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 05-01-2001, 05:16 PM:
Hi John,
He has had no less than 4 double hip replacements in the past couple of decades. I guess he played a bit too much football way back when! I am amazed that he is still around.......
Mark
Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 05-02-2001, 09:57 AM:
On the Wenzel issue I still find there old hand rewinds had the best gear ratio of any hand rewind out there
Posted by Dave Bird (Member # 490) on 05-02-2001, 03:16 PM:
Can't imagine burying your projectors, why I wonder? At least if you tied a rope to them, you could use them as boat-anchors!!!
Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 05-02-2001, 03:20 PM:
There's an old superstition about burying a small statue of a saint in the front yard to help sell your house faster. Maybe they were trying to sell the theatre by burying Saint Simplex. 
------------------
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 Cell: 716-781-4036 Fax: 716-722-7243
E-Mail: john.pytlak@kodak.com
Web site: http://www.kodak.com/go/motion