Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: magazine roller recommendations

This is topic magazine roller recommendations in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Chris Hipp (Member # 1788) on 07-20-2004, 12:56 PM:

I want to change out all of my mag rollers, but I need help with a couple questions first.

Is there any purpose for a split roller? I am currently using the SPECO split rollers and I have problem with them constantly. Either one half of it wont be spinning or they start to separate and the image makes contact with the roller.

I ordered some of the strong rollers, which are split but they snap together and also use bearings. This seems like a much better design to me. However, with the bearings it will add up to appr. $15 per roller, that adds up on a 30 screen. Anyone have any experience with them?

Last thing, does anyone know of a good bearing supply that I could order from and maybe get a faster bearing than what strong sells?

Thanks.

Posted by Will Kutler (Member # 770) on 07-20-2004, 05:20 PM:

Get a LaVezzi Catalog...

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 07-20-2004, 06:17 PM:

Goldberg makes the best rollers. I would say Kelmar, but they now have that annoying "16mm groove" in the middle which is a pain to thread when you are short on time. Neumade is also an option, but they never did understand the concept that the keeper roller's entry point must be toward the end of the rod! [Mad]

Your SPECO rollers will work fine if you will just go through and reorient all of them. I was looking at that when I last visited your booth. You may want to save the money and put it elsewhere in the booth. I'll be happy to swing by one day and show you how to align them so they spin properly. Once they are set up a certain way, they will never stop spinning again. [thumbsup]

Posted by Chris Hipp (Member # 1788) on 07-20-2004, 07:29 PM:

Stop by anytime you like, some of them have small scratches that could be abrasive if they stopped and those will need to be replaced. I can always find something else to spend the money on.

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 07-20-2004, 07:34 PM:

Actually, the scratches can be fixed too. [Wink]

Posted by Dan Lyons (Member # 1454) on 07-20-2004, 10:25 PM:

Am I missing something here? I always thought a magazine roller was a fire-roller assembley that's part of the old reel magazines. You're not still running with magazines on the projector are you?

Now i'm all confused. [Confused]

Put up some pics of these things. [thumbsup]

Danny
...waiting for my next dose of painkillers....

Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 07-21-2004, 06:04 AM:

What's wrong with enclosed magazines? As long as the fire rollers are replaced with plastic ones which aren't going to damage the film, I'd think that keeping the film enclosed while running would be a good idea.

Posted by Stephen Furley (Member # 1277) on 07-21-2004, 06:14 AM:

Kinoton have them as an option on some of their projectors, though now made of plastic, and only designed to keep dust off the film.

http://www.kinoton.com/spulenkasten.htm

Posted by John Hawkinson (Member # 1135) on 07-21-2004, 06:59 AM:

Magazines generally make it hard to see how much film is left from across the booth. (I realize some have a small window, and Kinoton's look transparent.)

--jhawk

Posted by Will Kutler (Member # 770) on 07-21-2004, 11:21 AM:

DUH...John:

I guess thats why magazines were also equipped with end-of-reel alarm bells. Also, If you know the size reels you are using, and the approximate running time per reeel. You can look at your watch to note when the c/o was made...and figure the rest out from there!

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 07-21-2004, 12:50 PM:

Yeah Will, because if you've got to take a crap and the alarm bell hasn't gone off yet there's sure to be enough time without actually SEEING how much film is left on the reel. [Roll Eyes]

Posted by Dan Lyons (Member # 1454) on 07-21-2004, 12:53 PM:

quote: Scott Norwood
What's wrong with enclosed magazines?

If you run platters, as i'm sure Chris' theatre does, there is a lot wrong with having magazines! [Wink]

If you don't run a platter, they just offer a section of the film path where damage could occur because you can't see if a roller stopped or something got stuck in it while the film is running! [puke]

danny

Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 07-21-2004, 01:25 PM:

The old magazine "fire rollers" were a significant source of scratched prints. Not only did the rollers catch abrading debris and sometimes not turn, Kodak often found many wore to the point of being so flat they abraded the full width of the film:

Kodak Article on Fire Rollers, Page 10

Kodak - Do Fire Rollers Rotate? Page 8

Posted by Dan Lyons (Member # 1454) on 07-21-2004, 04:30 PM:

quote:
The old magazine "fire rollers" were a significant source of scratched prints. Not only did the rollers catch abrading debris and sometimes not turn, Kodak often found many wore to the point of being so flat they abraded the full width of the film:

Uh oh... don't you know all the "great (union) showmen" ran that kind of thing back in the good old days? [Razz]

heh

Danny

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 07-21-2004, 04:34 PM:

Danny said"Uh oh... don't you know all the "great (union) showmen" ran that kind of thing back in the good old days? heh"
yah ran them never had one seize up since I checked them every day ( since I ran nitrate for a while in one theatre they came in rather usefull) along with a lot of other items like feed motors

Posted by Chris Hipp (Member # 1788) on 07-21-2004, 04:38 PM:

quote:
m I missing something here? I always thought a magazine roller was a fire-roller assembley that's part of the old reel magazines. You're not still running with magazines on the projector are you?

Well, I must be confused, I am just talking about the top and bottom rollers going to and from the platter. I have just always heard them called magazine rollers.

Posted by Erick Akers (Member # 875) on 07-21-2004, 05:16 PM:

Chris,
If you or anyone in our local area, are looking for the best in replacement bearings at a great price,

Check with:
BearCo.
3220 Irving Blvd.
214-631-8701

15 years of dealing with them and never once did they fail to find exactly what I was looking for, including some really oddball stuff!!!

They win the "Arse Kickers Seal of Approval!" [thumbsup]

Posted by Ken Lackner (Member # 1002) on 07-21-2004, 05:35 PM:

I've always just called them upper and lower guide rollers. I've never heard them called magazine rollers before. Can someone else verify if that is the correct term?

Posted by John T. Hendrickson, Jr (Member # 849) on 07-21-2004, 07:44 PM:

Brad Miller wrote:

"Yeah Will, because if you've got to take a crap and the alarm bell hasn't gone off yet there's sure to be enough time without actually SEEING how much film is left on the reel."

Got to take a crap? How about just opening up the magazine to see how much time is left? Difficult?

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 07-21-2004, 07:47 PM:

Not difficult, but if you go back and read jhawk's post, then Will's response, you'll get mine. Once dumb response deserves another, ya know. [Wink]

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 07-21-2004, 09:36 PM:

Actually it would be interesting to see Jhawk survive in a booth with ernamann 8b magazines They don't accept bells (the shaft doesn't protrude and the door is what holds the reel on the spindle and in a darkened booth it is hard sometimes to see through the mesh