Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Dating a Simplex

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Posted by Ed Inman (Member # 2583) on 09-01-2004, 01:34 AM:

Is there any website or chart that anyone has where one can date the year of manufacture of Simplex projectors based on serial numbers? I'm trying to date a Super Simplex serial number 43546. The patent plate contains the date "December 1, 1934" but I do not know how the actual manufacture date corresponds with this. I don't think it's quite that old.
thanks,
Ed

Posted by Carl Martin (Member # 1146) on 09-01-2004, 03:58 AM:

sure, it's a lonely job, but... wait, that's not what you meant. can't help you.

carl

Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 09-01-2004, 07:02 AM:

I dated a Christie once....

Posted by Jeremy Fuentes (Member # 2135) on 09-01-2004, 07:07 AM:

Was it a Large Format Christie??

Posted by Steve Kraus (Member # 476) on 09-01-2004, 07:18 AM:

I thought it was too much dating that got a person simplex, herpes simplex, that is. [Mad]

Posted by Fred Georges (Member # 505) on 09-01-2004, 07:42 AM:

I dated a Simplex once with dismal results. Now CENTURYS !...TOTAL SLUTS!!! Supers were introduced in 1928 & stayed in the line till the introduction of the Mighty XL in 1949 I believe. Dick Prather, Where are you when We need you! [Wink]

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 09-01-2004, 07:50 AM:

I would never consider dating a Simplex, they're way too messy!

Mark

Posted by Richard Fowler (Member # 893) on 09-01-2004, 08:42 AM:

Yes but there always gushing lubrication if you treat them right [Big Grin]

Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 09-01-2004, 09:05 AM:

Before I got married, I had some intermittent relationships. I shutter to think about them now, but I was gearing-up for a long term committment. It was all a matter of the correct timing. [Big Grin]

Posted by Ed Inman (Member # 2583) on 09-01-2004, 10:40 AM:

Well put, John. And Richard is right about the "gushing lubrication" (as I seem to find a new little puddle of oil on the floor every day). Still wouldn't mind knowing how old these beauties are though, if anyone keeps such data. Cheers.

Posted by Peter Hall (Member # 695) on 09-01-2004, 10:55 AM:

and I've spend many a delightful evening with a handful of Victorias, but they were 5 and 8 - I'll say no more !

Posted by Aaron Sisemore (Member # 145) on 09-01-2004, 11:34 AM:

There are a couple threads about finding the manufacture date of Simplexes:

Here is one...

John Eickhof was the guru of matching manufacturing dates to the serial numbers of vintage Simplex projectors and soundheads.

-Aaron

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 09-01-2004, 12:25 PM:

peter said "and I've spend many a delightful evening with a handful of Victorias, but they were 5 and 8 - I'll say no more !"
Some of my victoria dates have been 10's [Big Grin]

Posted by Mitchell Dvoskin (Member # 751) on 09-01-2004, 12:41 PM:

Supers were introduced in 1928 & stayed in the line till the introduction of the Mighty XL in 1949

How quick people forget the other sister, the Simplex E7. Oh, she had such tight loops...

Posted by Sam D. Chavez (Member # 1841) on 09-01-2004, 01:25 PM:

When you are tired of American projectors and have a yen for something exiting and exotic, nothing beats the Asian line, Tokiwa and Shanghai Paradise come immediately to mind.

Posted by Richard Fowler (Member # 893) on 09-01-2004, 02:19 PM:

How about saucy Indian Monee [Wink]

Posted by Paul Mayer (Member # 355) on 09-01-2004, 04:21 PM:

Belts and gears and sloppy fluids just aren't my style. But chains...

Posted by Josh Jones (Member # 447) on 09-01-2004, 05:30 PM:

chains eh? I had no idea you were into S&M [evil]

As Paul would say, nothing beats an evening with the brenkerts [Smile]

Posted by Phil Hill (Member # 371) on 09-01-2004, 05:43 PM:

Hey Josh, you'd be surprised what Paul is in to. While he appears as a milquetoast (Thank you Tim!) to us all, inside in all the years I've known him, he has personally revealed to me a side that few people would understand.

I'm really amazed he didn't mention the leather, whips, and handcuffs...Oh...and the TK-60s!

>>> Phil

Posted by Jon Miller (Member # 163) on 09-01-2004, 08:52 PM:

Oh, the stories I could tell about my dates with Simplexes! That E-7, she...oh, never mind! [Big Grin]

Seriously, a thread (simply titled "Motiograph," started before non-descriptive and teaser titles became a Film-Tech no-no) from a few years ago touched on decoding a projector's year of manufacture from its serial number. John Eickhof, an occasional F-T contributor until he sold his theatre-supply business and hit the open road, had a list with production-year data on just about every Simplex model produced between 1911 and 1954. Alas, the list was never supplied to Film-Tech. [Frown]

Judging from the thread, Ed, your Super was probably made sometime between 1934 and 1936.

Posted by Joe Smith (Member # 190) on 09-01-2004, 09:49 PM:

quote: Josh Jones
nothing beats an evening with the brenkerts

Especially with TWINS that want to change-over every 20 minutes...

Posted by Ed Inman (Member # 2583) on 09-01-2004, 09:50 PM:

Thanks very much for the info and link to the thread Jon. To me one of the most interesting things John Eickhof noted is that all Supers had even numbers (standards odd). I have a pair of Supers--43544 and 43546 so I apparently have twins (while I previously thought they were one separated from each other). The old Ballantyne Model 6 sound heads they are mounted on have adjacent serial numbers also so they were obviously sold together as a pair.

I'd do anything to find someone who has a spare/junk Ballantyne Model 6 for sale (or parts) as one of them is missing the top roller (called a lateral adjustment roller I think). So if anyone sees one of those dinosaurs lying around please please please write me.

Posted by Daryl C. W. O'Shea (Member # 1303) on 09-02-2004, 03:31 AM:

You'd be better off asking for a different sound head and using one of the Mod 6s to fix the other, at least until you can replace that one too.

Now what is it with people mounting Supers on Model 6s? I see a lot like that. No wonder I'm nauseous.

Posted by Peter Hall (Member # 695) on 09-02-2004, 12:46 PM:

Gordon

Sounds like an old lady - I like em young ! Did screw with a Victoria 12 once however.. Found Christie no challenge - too easy to f**k

No Victorias around now, so I guess it's back to single manning and some sort of automation to take their place..

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 09-02-2004, 02:14 PM:

Peter said"Sounds like an old lady - I like em young"
hmm in that case i will reffer you to some 4's that I have to deal with [Big Grin]

Posted by Pete Naples (Member # 761) on 09-02-2004, 02:21 PM:

You lot need to get out more!

[sex]

Posted by Peter Hall (Member # 695) on 09-02-2004, 11:28 PM:

Victoria 4s are no good - you have to hand pump every hour otherwise the lubrication stops..

Posted by Richard Greco (Member # 2032) on 09-02-2004, 11:58 PM:

You all are sick......... [Eek!]

Posted by Ed Inman (Member # 2583) on 09-03-2004, 12:16 AM:

I'm sorry that the fact I own a Model 6 soundhead makes Daryl "nauseous." I wasn't around 70 years ago when they were made. If it makes him feel better all my local film society friends think I'm nuts too. If it were up to them I'd just junk both projectors and have nothing but digital doo-dads to play with.

The fact is that I like restoring old equipment and making it work.

Not that I mind the plethora of wise-cracks, but I still really appreciate hearing from anyone who has an appreciation for older cine equipment who can help me.

Thank you in advance.

cheers,

Ed
edinman@earthlink.net

Posted by Daryl C. W. O'Shea (Member # 1303) on 09-03-2004, 01:12 AM:

I was just kidding and actually trying to give some advice. The Model 6 likes to go through parts with a Super sitting on top of it. You really would be better off with just about any other soundhead. So if you are looking for someone to donate a soundhead, I'd accept anything and then use the extra Model 6 for parts.

On another note, if you let me know the part number of the solar cell you're looking for I'll take a look in my boxes of good old stuff to see if I've got one for you. The Model 6's that I said I would check for you (and did) had PE cells.

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 09-03-2004, 10:03 AM:

The model was a soundhead designed and marketed for theatres that could afford nothing else
That said the felt damped flywheel actuall had excellent damping characteristics
Regretably the cast iron gears in the gear box didn't stand up that well on heavy loaded projectors
the scariest thing was many got sold with BX80's or GK19'son top of them up here and that was a horendous load
They like a very thick heavy oil in them
The only solar cell i ver saw for them was from wolk and was a white delrin assembly

Posted by Dick Prather (Member # 1136) on 09-04-2004, 02:47 PM:

Ed,
Both your Supers #43544 & #43546 were made in 1936. Since Supers use even serial numbers they are consecutive. Standards used odd serial numbers after the Super came out in 1929.

I'am not a fan of your Ballantyne soundheads either. Hard to get parts. You should be able to fine some RCA 1040, 1050 soundheads which would work great and match the year of your Supers.
Dick