Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Keyed adaptor for Strong MUT?

This is topic Keyed adaptor for Strong MUT? in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 05-16-2003, 05:36 PM:

I've brought this up before I believe, but now I am looking for part numbers. I want to be able to use a split reel on my Strong make up table, but the standard design does not provide any provisions for doing so since the split reel needs a regular old keyed shaft.

Is there a part I can buy to make these tables capable of this?

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 05-16-2003, 05:39 PM:

Your only option with the Strong table is to buy one of those flanges with two little drive extensions (sorry, I don't know what they are called) that fit into the two holes on the plate. Download the last video on the "Platter clutch tips" page and you will see one in action.

Posted by John Hawkinson (Member # 1135) on 05-16-2003, 05:40 PM:

It's a "drive dog."

--jhawk

Posted by Ken Layton (Member # 133) on 05-16-2003, 06:53 PM:

Part number 3930 "Makeup Table Adapter Plate" (current models with round drive plate)

Part number 3931 for old tables with the retangular drive plate.

Posted by Paul G. Thompson (Member # 655) on 05-16-2003, 07:52 PM:

It seems as though there are so many 5/16-inch bore reels out there that hardly anything will fit nothing without jazzing around unscrewing the drive pin to relocate it in another setting. Dog drives won't adapt to them all. There were times I had to use a soldering pencil to make a hole for the drive pin to fit. The only thing that fits them all is a key drive, but yet, key drive MUTS don't seem to exist anymore. Now you know why I will go to extremes to keep the old CFS MUTs running....they fit any reel that has a 5/16-inch bore.

It is very frustrating to build a show when it comes on 7 reels and each reel is different!! [Mad]

I have yet to figure out why such basic things have drifted from what used to be a standard.

Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 05-16-2003, 09:04 PM:

The two small holes on the drive spindle are, I think, 10-28 thread. I forget exactly but no matter...

Go to the hardware store and get a couple of set screws of the correct diameter and thread. Make sure they are longer than the drive plate is thick by a factor of about 1.5. Get the kind that either have an Allen head or a slotted screwdriver head. Screw them down into the holes on your drive plate so they are flush and stick out the other side of the plate. It shouldn't matter if they stick out. On mine, the spindle is high enough above the table so they don't hurt anything sticking out.

When you need them, take your screwdriver or Allen wrench and back them out of their holes so they stick up high enough to catch the holes in the reels. When you're done screw them back down. I keep a small screwdriver gaff taped to the underside of the table where I know where it is when I need it.

Next time I get my digital camera up to the booth I'll take a few shots and post them if I can get them to come out OK.

Posted by Paul G. Thompson (Member # 655) on 05-16-2003, 09:30 PM:

Randy, that is an excellent idea! [Smile]

However, some MUT's don't have all the holes necessary to accommodate the vast configurations of reels that are used today. Some more hole drilling and thread tapping will probably be in order. The industry is changing reels faster than the manufacturers that make the equipment can keep up with.

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 05-17-2003, 01:51 AM:

Randy's idea is exactly what I had in mind, since I figured that hole was there for SOMETHING. In an emergency I broke a small allen wrench and stuck it in there and it worked. However now it broke off and the bottom half is stuck in there. How do I get it out? Turn the table upside down and shake?

Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 05-17-2003, 10:53 AM:

Magnet?

Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 05-20-2003, 01:39 PM:

Just finished taking the pictures of my makeup table as mentioned above. Here's a picture of what I'm talking about.

The extra hole in my MUT exactly matches the drive hole in my split reels. When I want to use it I just "loosen" it until it's tall enough to use as a drive pin.

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 05-20-2003, 04:28 PM:

What size wrench is that? Might be helpful when I go shopping for screws.

Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 05-20-2003, 04:37 PM:

If I remember, it's a 10-28 set screw. The exact same size and thread that is used to fasten an amplifier, et. al., into your sound rack.

The Allen wrench that fits it is 3/32".

The screws cost a whole 30 cents apiece... plus tax.

I sent about a 1/2 dozen more pix to Brad. If you think they merit it, you can post them or whatever. They show the thing from all different angles.

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 05-20-2003, 07:03 PM:

I don't think a screw that small and thin would be able to reliably hold and amp to a sound rack. Those two threads are defintely smaller than the ones where the movable post goes into. The screw I wants is the one that would go right into next to the center shaft. That's what I have been doing. That way you can use split reels, trailer flanges, whatever.

Posted by John Hawkinson (Member # 1135) on 05-20-2003, 07:25 PM:

Randy, 10-28 is not a standard thread. I suspect you mean 10-32 (NF), but maybe 10-24 (NC). Set screws are available in both threads, and a 3/32" hex key fits both heads.

Joe, you should be able to measure the hole no problem and use whatever screw fits. If you don't have a good way to measure the hole diameter, just grab a set of drill bits and see which one fits, then take the drill bit to the hardware store and find screws of equal or lesser diameter.

--jhawk

Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 05-20-2003, 07:45 PM:

You're probably right.

Remembering numbers like that is rather difficult for me at times. I always get them backwards and sideways. I do know it's the exact same screw that holds the units into my sound rack and I know that that is a common screw.

The first time I fixed the problem I did it by taking a screw out of my sound rack and cutting it off. Later on I perfected it with the corect size Allen screws.

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 05-20-2003, 07:48 PM:

Yeah, and some older racks (e.g. AMPEX) and some relay racks use 12-24 screws...a size that has fallen out of favor.

Other trivia for techs...DTS chose the less popular (except to the restroom world) 10-24 for their reader mounting.

Steve

Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 05-20-2003, 08:07 PM:

Okay! Okay! Whatever fucking screw is found in the majority of your everyday, ordinary, run-of-the-mill sound rack! [Big Grin]

Honestly, I can't remember numbers that are so similar like that. You could tell me right now and five minutes from now I couldn't tell me! 10-24... 10-28... 10-32... People always get pissed off at me for forgetting such seemingly trivial things. Don't even get me started remembering people's NAMES!

I have to write things like that down. Usually I have a whole shit load of files saved on my laptop computer with notes to myself about shit I have to remember. People think I'm nuts because I take the damn thing with me everywhere I go! If I ever lost the damn thing or have a hard drive crash I'd be LOST! My whole BRAIN is stored on that thing!

Usually, after I use a piece of information enough times I start to remember it 90% of the time but I still find myself getting things like apect ratios all bass-ackwards!

So... If you don't have an old Ampex rack or if you're not trying to secure a DTS reader to its mounting or if you don't have some OTHER strange permutation of equipment... take a freakin' screw out of your sound rack and try it in that hole. It OUGHT to fit! If/when it does, take that screw to the hardware store, stick it in a screw gauge and buy a set screw that matches. That's literally what I did to get the ones I have in my makeup table!

(No hard feelings... REALLY! [Big Grin]

)

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 05-29-2003, 03:58 PM:

Well Randy your suggestion works. EXCEPT that the screws like to fall down as we are breaking down normal reels, and that makes a weird sound and can stunt the operation. So it would be best I guess if I left them out completely until needed. And yes, the thread is fine... I didn't get the wrong screw! [Smile]