This is topic Strong Platter Rattle in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.
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Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 10-14-2002, 12:38 PM:
I have noticed that Strong platters seem to rattle every time I have used them up until I got a couple of brand new units. The new ones did not rattle... until now, and they are only a few months old. It is always the take up deck and always at the start of the movie... when not much film is weighted down on the deck.It's not a huge gigantic deal, but does anyone know what causes this and if it can be prevented? Is it the ring rattling against the surface of the deck? Is it something else? Why didn't my brand new platters rattle for the first couple of months?
Posted by Shaun Flichel (Member # 1435) on 10-14-2002, 01:00 PM:
Joe, Rattling in those platters is completly normal. I've been told it is just the rivets vibrating, like I guess a little gap somewhere around them allowing a little vibration, it should quiet down with a couple minutes of film taken up. 
Shaun
Posted by Paul G. Thompson (Member # 655) on 10-14-2002, 03:41 PM:
Joe, rattling is a normal way of life for those things. In addition to what Shaun said, lot of the rattles come from that funky motor support bracket and motor release bracket.
Posted by Alan Gilbertson (Member # 242) on 10-14-2002, 04:12 PM:
We had the same problem with some of our as well. I drilled out the rivets and put in screws with locking nuts.
Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 10-14-2002, 04:21 PM:
I see this varies drastically from tree to tree. It doesn't seem to matter which particular deck is taking up, but as an example #5 only makes a minor amount of noise while #6 is so loud customers complain. I am *guessing* this is caused by the center ring rattling on the deck of the platter, but changing center rings does not alter the loudness of the problem.The only thing I have found that works is using the larger 19" center rings. I do have another idea, but I won't post it until I try it out.
Posted by Sean McKinnon (Member # 612) on 10-14-2002, 10:33 PM:
I may be way off here but I think it is the rubber drive belt slipping against the deck when it first starts to take-up that is why using the 19" ring does not produce this (It doesnt have to spin as fast at first)
Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 10-14-2002, 10:58 PM:
Nope, I'm at a theater with Strong platters and I tried out my theory. It IS the center ring. I'll post a pic of the fix later (maybe even tonight).
Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 10-15-2002, 08:30 PM:
For all of those who say duct tape fixes everything, you are right. 
Now you have to look closely, but I have placed black Permacel gaffer's tape (similar to duct tape) on the bottom edge of this Strong center ring. It is just thick enough to prevent the ring from clanging around on the deck until enough film gets on the ring such that the film itself becomes the isolation pad.
Cheap and dirty? Sure. Does it work? Yep.
Posted by Steve Kraus (Member # 476) on 10-16-2002, 12:19 AM:
Gaffer tape is so much better than duct tape for most things people use the latter for that I'm surprised that it's not sold more widely. Granted it's expensive but people don't know what they're missing. I'd bet it would do a better job of sealing ductwork without quickly drying out, too.
Posted by Josh Jones (Member # 447) on 10-16-2002, 09:13 AM:
even our christie platters rattle, and its been doing it since it was brand new.Josh
------------------
"Film is made of silver, video is made of rust"
'nuf said
Posted by Shaun Flichel (Member # 1435) on 10-16-2002, 12:19 PM:
Brad, Thats a good idea, just two thinks that im curious about, and I'm not saying your wrong, as I haven't tried that. But wouldn't say 10 wraps of milar leader that tightly around the ring plus the weight of the "yo-yo" putting tention on the ring be enough to stop the ring from anykind of movement causing these vibrations? I'm referring to normal running here. And as far as show breakdown is concerned, wold this not cause a off balance of the print, i know it can't be any worse than strongs perfectly balanced center ring . Or maybe I missed a 2nd peice you have placed to counter act this.
Just my 2 cents, maybe different platters have there different rattles, as I recall the ones I work with dont sound like a center ring rattling, the other mind boggling part is, the theatres have been open for many years and each deck doesnt do this every run, just when it wants to.Shaun
Posted by Shaun Flichel (Member # 1435) on 10-16-2002, 12:21 PM:
Sorry bout the typo's, i just woke up........
Posted by William Leland III (Member # 1400) on 10-16-2002, 12:47 PM:
i noticed those same rattles with strong platters, also. what i think is causing the rattle is the weight if the film, if u press slightly down on the platter taking up, the rattle will stop. you are applying a little extra weight on the platter and the rattle goes away. the ring in my experience has no effect on this rattle sound. i've found out if u wait until the policy goes threw the rattles goes away.
Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 10-16-2002, 12:48 PM:
Josh, you need to change out the platter drive wheel on your motors if you are hearing a loud rumbling noise with an AW3.Shaun, no 10 wraps is far from enough. Some of the platters don't make much noise at startup, others are loud enough to get customer complaints from inside the auditorium, hence my reason to find some kind of a solution. There are 6 pieces of tape evenly spaced out on the ring. There is no balance issue.
William, film itself sitting on a platter cannot cause a metallic rattling sound. It is the center ring banging on the deck of the platter, as in metal against metal. The reason the noise goes away after 10 minutes is because there is enough film on the deck to act as a cushioner.
Posted by Ron Fleming (Member # 990) on 10-16-2002, 01:30 PM:
Your correct the rattling does go away after enough film has been taken up. But man is it annoying. Maybe the holes that the ring set in after so many runs wear to a larger size, hince the rattling of the ring.
Posted by William Leland III (Member # 1400) on 10-16-2002, 02:33 PM:
--"The reason the noise goes away after 10 minutes is because there is enough film on the deck to act as a cushioner."--
brad , how would film act as a cushioner? im taking u mean between the bottem of the ring and bottom of the platter, where u have put tape?? i this correct?
i still think it is the weigh of the film. i don't see how a ring would vibrate the hole enite platter. if platter is light, movement will cause vibration.
Posted by Paul G. Thompson (Member # 655) on 10-16-2002, 03:05 PM:
Some of the rattling of the strong platters is due to the dish banging on the outriggers. CFS used little cork shims that were wedged between the outriggers and the dish. If the rattles are coming from the outrigger/platter dish of the A-3's, stuff a thin felt shim between the two.
Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 10-16-2002, 05:07 PM:
Without having a bunch of scientific experiments to back this theory up... Take an empty center ring and semi-drop it onto a platter and notice how it rattles loudly. Now do the same with a ring that has 10 minutes worth of film on it with the tail taped down. It doesn't make that much noise. Basically the film adds to the weight of the ring so it can't shake around when the platter is in motion.
Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 10-16-2002, 06:14 PM:
Brad, I am going to jump on the bandwagon of many of the other posters in this thread and ignore the fact that you have solved this problem. Instead, I will tell you how the rattle must be something else even though you have found a perfectly acceptable way of stopping it. Next time I post I will begin spelling "you" as simply "u". u have been warned.
Posted by Steve Kraus (Member # 476) on 10-16-2002, 11:51 PM:
What's surprising is that a nearly empty Strong/Potts platter doesn't make more noise than it does. That large disk of sheet metal is a perfect sound radiator, restrained only by the frame members underneath, unlike the other brands with double wall honeycomb construction.
Posted by Shaun Flichel (Member # 1435) on 10-17-2002, 01:34 AM:
I tried the tape theory, its not the case in these theatres here, but instead of using those felt washers, I just folded a few frames of film and stuffed them under the deck, that worked.
Posted by Paul G. Thompson (Member # 655) on 10-17-2002, 02:14 AM:
That'll work. But the little felt pads with super glue would look nicer, and last longer. I even stuffed matchbook covers in mine, they seem to work. Actually, most anything will work.
Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 10-17-2002, 02:30 AM:
I don't know Sean. I only have access to play with SCDCs at present and the gaffer's tape worked. Did you use actual gaffer's tape, or something else? I would tend to stay away from actual "duct tape" as it would most certainly leave a nasty residue. Whatever works.