Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Mounting a DTS reader to an older Simplex XL

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Posted by William T. Parr (Member # 677) on 02-12-2004, 09:36 PM:

Hey all,

I recieved a DTS unit this past week and went to mount the reader bracket to the top of our 1950 era Simplex XL's. There listed as PR 1006's on the builders plate and came with a Fire Roller at the top of the projector. The top reel arm has a switch on the backside of it and is held to the top of the projector by 4 mid sized allen keyed screws. Is there a special adapter plate for this or do I need to Drill and Tap holes in the casting? DTS unit had a standard mounting bracket in it by the way.

Posted by Aaron Sisemore (Member # 145) on 02-12-2004, 09:53 PM:

the part with the fire rollers should be removeable, and the reader should bolt right on.

-Aaron

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 02-12-2004, 10:12 PM:

If you remove the fire trap and you end up with a smallish rectanguluar hole in the top plate then remove the top plate and cut that half of the plate off that has the small film opening in it. This will leave you with a thicker piece of plate that you will mount the DTS adaptor to. You will also have a much larger opening in the top of the projector for film to pass down through. That small film opening may be fine for the fire trap but its a bit to tight for passing film down through.

Mark @ CLACO

Posted by Ken Layton (Member # 133) on 02-13-2004, 01:20 AM:

You may need to order Simplex # P-1839 Adapter Plate from Wolk.

Posted by Manny Knowles (Member # 1171) on 02-13-2004, 02:15 PM:

I've seen DTS readers mounted onto the feed roller hardware. It doesn't have to be fastened onto the projector itself.

Posted by Richard B. Perrine (Member # 409) on 02-14-2004, 03:23 AM:

Kens got it right.....the orginal XL's came with XL magazines.
They had the 4 screw mount...which was different from the earlier
Simplex 2 bolt magazine.
A couple of other screw will remove the whole plate and you can replace it with the PN# plate Ken suggested.
or you could have a 1/2" plate cut and threaded with the holes to bolt the DTS reader onto the machine.

RBPerrine@aol.com
IATSE #364

Posted by Ken Layton (Member # 133) on 02-14-2004, 10:22 AM:

The adapter plate as shipped from Wolk is painted in modern silver gray Hammerite. I repaint them in black wrinkle to match the old XL's that they'll be mounted on.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 02-14-2004, 10:36 AM:

Sorry Ken but that old(or new) black wrinkle paint sucks big time [puke]

. Many like the looks of it but it certainly is a big time dust collector and does nothing to seal up the porus leaky old X-L main castings [Eek!]

!

A nice modern Powder Coat finish is far superior and very environmentally friendly [thumbsup]

. It is also very inexpensive to have done [Smile]

. BTW: Powder coating is also available in Black wrinkle for you Wrinkle die hards [Confused]

if you don't mind the hassles involved in keeping it clean..... Oily rags and all...... [Roll Eyes]

Mark @ CLACO

Posted by William T. Parr (Member # 677) on 03-17-2004, 07:39 PM:

OK I had my tech order the Adapter plates which have arrived. Mine came from Strong and they do not look like they are the right piece. What I have is a rectangular piece of metal about 3/4 of an inch thick with 4 hole in it and none of them line up with the DTS bracket either. Am I supposed to tap and drill this for mounting the bracket or is the P1839 supposed to come already pre drilled for the original mounting holes as well at the DTS bracket. If some one can include a Photo of a P1839 plate it would be greatly appreciated.

Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 03-18-2004, 12:48 PM:

If you have a mag penthouse (and need to keep it as we do) then everything above goes out the window and we needed to Jerry-rig the whole thing with stove bolts and big flat washers stacked up to make everything hold together. And yes the fire trap and roller assemble has to go. What to do should we have to run nitrate....our approach to that question is, well, we just don't talk about it. [Wink]

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 03-18-2004, 07:06 PM:

Actually the Kelmar X-L top plate would have probably been the wiser choice for your installation. It conforms to the older Simplex mounting and has the two 3/8X16 holes in the correct location for mounting a magazine or standard reel arm. All older black wrinkle machines have the top plate secured by four allen head screws...I think 12-24. The later blue hammertone and all others have real arm mounting holes in the standard location. Even the Simnplex 35/70 top holes are in the standard locations.

Mounting a DTS bracket should be an easy thing, not a mass of confusion over which bracket and hole to use. You should not have to drill and tap anything...there are only two versions involved here.....

Still can't figure it out... please post a photo of the top of your machine.....

Mark

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 03-18-2004, 08:31 PM:

One the old simplex 35/70 penthouse with the curved top that the magazine sat into what was the mounting arrangement