This is topic Help with timing a barrel shutter in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.
To visit this topic, use this URL:
https://ft-forum.com/ft/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=004179
Posted by Don Furr (Member # 1469) on 11-07-2002, 10:07 PM:
Can anyone tell me what the correct position of a barrel shutter should be when a framing line is pulled down to the middle of the framing window? I'm trying to time a DeVry XD.
Thanks
Posted by Josh Jones (Member # 447) on 11-08-2002, 12:15 AM:
Done this many a time 
The blade should be centered in the aperture when the frame line is as well. you may have to adjust this slightly, as the slop in the drive train will cause a difference in adjustment.Josh
Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 11-08-2002, 03:18 AM:
I once had to do this on a GK-37 and applied that theory. But the job turned out to be seriously fiddly and within a couple of hours I was screaming abuse at the thing. Those mechs are 
!
Posted by Peter Hall (Member # 695) on 11-08-2002, 10:38 AM:
Do NOT slagg off Kalee ! Oil bath, dead silent and a total virtue to their design that there are plenty of them still running 40 years after they stopped being made. Plus the drum shutter supposedly is more efficient than blades. OK, they piss out oil and the aperture is a pain (wasn't pre 1952, when they were designed, or pre platter, when they had their heyday) but coming from New Zealand I know and love them. If w(p) = q(p), w being weight and q being quality (P is projector) then the Kalee is a close third to the DP70 and the mightly Ernemann 7.8.9.10 range.
Posted by Ken McFall (Member # 845) on 11-08-2002, 06:35 PM:
The old 'BRAT', bottom retard, top advance does not apply in the usual way as light can in fact pass over the top of one blade and under the bottom of the other....The film should not start to move until both blades of the drum are vertical. I can't remember which way the drum rotates. If we assume its clock wise the top of the cone of light can pass over the top of the rising blade and under the falling blade and visa versa. So it is important to ensure the film does not move until the blades are vertical to each other giving maxium cut off. I seem to recall you timed looking at the blade nearest to the film gate.
Sorry if this explanation isn't very clear.... it's been a long time.
Its not enough to time them so that the middle line is covered as the top or bottom of the light cone could pass thru the top or bottom of each side of the drum.
The problem with drum shutters from what I recall is that the depth of the actual shutter drum required a narrower cone of light than the flat type of blade other wise there was a serious loss of light!
The contra rotating twin shutter that was avaiable for the Westar was much easier to setup and gave the same effect as a drum shutter.
This is all from memory of a long long time ago so excuse the accuracy.
Have to say I loved the Kalee range, 19 with president arc, and projectomatic model 'O' was a fairly typical install in many army cinemas in the UK. They were very reliable and as Peter says they were, are, quality machines.
Posted by Luciano Brigite (Member # 1104) on 11-08-2002, 08:12 PM:
Josh is right about how to time the shutter.
I have a pair of Kalee's model 12 and they have barrel shutters.
had to re-time them after a good cleaning before putting them back to work. also did the same with a few Erneman's most of them, the model 4. frame line in the centre of apperture, both blades closing the light passage. make sure you have the centre of each blade aligned with the frame line. And.. the kalee's are good stuff.
Posted by Bob Koch (Member # 1062) on 11-08-2002, 11:56 PM:
As always; inch the proj with handwheel or whatever and advance 2 intermittent sprocket teeth. Assuming you have loosened the barrel shutter previously, hold the mechanism firm where you have advanced it 2 teeth and rotate the barrel to a horizonal position ie it completely blocks the light beam. This always worked with Motiograph from the Model F, K, Hu,,and up to the AA. A Devry is something I would prefer not to remember.