Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: SH-1000 soundhead questions

This is topic SH-1000 soundhead questions 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=007558

Posted by Ed Inman (Member # 2583) on 10-23-2005, 04:50 PM:

In trying to rebuild an old projector that has been abandoned for 20 years I have a couple of additional questions--this time involving a Simplex SH-1000 soundhead.

I note that on the existing exciter lamp bracket the lamp itself sits flush against the chasis or frame of the bracket unit. Thus it would appear that 5 amps of current is running through the frame itself--including the outer cover plate.

This seems peculiar and potentially dangerous to me. Is this the proper way it was designed or is something in the way of an insulator missing?

Also, I note that from the solar cell there runs a blue wire, a purple wire, and a ground. Am I to assume this is for a right channel, a left channel, and a common ground? Is there a way to tell which one is right and which one is left by the colors?

Please advise. Thanks in advance!

Ed

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 10-23-2005, 05:22 PM:

Nope, no current should be flowing on the chassis.

In fact, the whole exciter lamp and slit lens subbase are mounted via shock mounts.

Add to that, if you have the origial terminal block, there is a terminal labeled SH Ground (or something to that effect) that terminal is supposed to be bonded to the sub base to ground it too (you don't want a static charge to build on it causing it to rise above ground).

Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 10-23-2005, 10:08 PM:

quote: Ed Inman
the lamp itself sits flush against the chasis or frame of the bracket unit.

Unless memory fails, the flat metal piece that contacts the lamp ring is insulated from the holder. The bracket is Bakelite, or something similar.

Posted by Justin West (Member # 920) on 10-24-2005, 01:48 AM:

Ed: Are you going to update that soundhead to red reader status? If so, you won't need that exciter lamp assy, anyway...nor the terminal block that Steve mentions, for that matter...and, therefore, no need to worry about any questionable wiring you might have at the present. You'll be tearing it out! [Razz]

Posted by Ed Inman (Member # 2583) on 10-24-2005, 08:18 AM:

Thanks for the replies. I'm sure red LED is in the future but for now I'm just doing this for free for a community foundation that owns the theater. There's no budget--so of course I'm just trying to make do the best I can with what's already up there.

You can't believe how filthy these projectors were. The last time they were run was sometime back in the 80's when it was a porn house.

Anyway, I went ahead and plugged the thing up and it lights up and doesn't appear to be shorting out anywhere--so I guess that's a good sign.

Ed

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 10-24-2005, 10:28 PM:

Now, since you've got power to the head and nothing "poofed" in front of you, first thing is to drain the transmission oil out of there and replace the oil with soundhead oil. If the oil doesn't drain, then the draintube is all plugged with sludge meaning a transmission teardown, clean all of the sludge out of the transmission case and the tube.

If the oil is old, better check to see how the brass gears are since they are driven by a steel worm gear.

If you have to replace any of the brass gears, make sure that the gears go back in the way they came out, for I've seen gears place in backwards and not fully meshing with the worm gear, eating the brass like nobody's business.

good luck on this project. - Monte

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 10-25-2005, 05:51 AM:

quote: Monte L Fullmer
If you have to replace any of the brass gears, make sure that the gears go back in the way they came out, for I've seen gears place in backwards and not fully meshing with the worm gear, eating the brass like nobody's business.

Monte,

Generally the position of the brass gears has little to do with them being eaten... That problem is more a function of the condition of the pinion itself. Badly worn pinions actually develope wear patterns that resemble minute teeth when viewed with a magnifier. Its these minute teeth that chew up the brass.

Mark

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 10-25-2005, 01:18 PM:

LOL, like one time the upper holdback sprocket (this was in a little crap theatre in SLC that I used to work at when I lived down there in the 70's) all of a sudden, was skipping like nobody's business, yet the lower one was doing what it was supposed to do.

I opened up the transmission, found a pile of ground up brass and the upper brass gear had the entire one side ground off due to the gear was placed in by someone with the long side in first instead of the short side to center that gear up to the pinon (worm) gear.

Just didn't forget that one.. thx, Monte

Posted by Ed Inman (Member # 2583) on 10-25-2005, 09:16 PM:

Thanks for all the advice. Of course I'm really not an expert at doing any of this but for what it's worth everything is turning very smoothly and freely now, so I take that as another good sign.

Also thanks, Mark, for providing the needed upper feed gear. I got it put in today and plan to run some film through this monster tomorrow for the first time in 20 years. You're the man!

Ed

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 10-26-2005, 04:59 AM:

Yes Monte, Thats certainly possible in that gear box but not something one would normally find.

No problem on the gear Ed, hope it runs for a long time again.... I am amazed by the number of them that are still running out in this area....

Mark

Posted by Bill Enos (Member # 440) on 10-26-2005, 11:15 PM:

Our two SH1000s were installed in early 1942 and according to the log left my my predecessors have been nearly trouble free.
Just keep 'em full of oil.

When did the SH1000 cease production?

Posted by Dick Prather (Member # 1136) on 10-27-2005, 12:38 AM:

Simplex made the SH-1000 from 1938 through 1950.

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 10-27-2005, 12:59 AM:

quote: Bill Enos
Just keep 'em full of oil.

..course, the trick is to see if the oil level drop when the motor runs, but if the oil doesn't drop, time to take them apart and clean out the sludge in the transmission case and the oil tube.

I do a service work at a local theatre, and they have a pair of SH-1000's, yet they are in the newer grey Simplex paint scheme, and the manufacturer code date is 1968. These look a bit more heftier than the earlier ones. Are these a new revision of the SH-1000's?

thx-Monte

Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 10-27-2005, 09:37 PM:

Monte: see if those have a compartment just below the exciter compartment. 1950 onward until 1970 or so was the "XL soundhead era;" almost the same as the SH-1000, except for the case and rear cover which has 4 screws, not 3. Louis

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 10-28-2005, 06:54 PM:

The gearbox (and pad roller arms) was also different on the SH-1007 - SH-1023 versus the SH-1000.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 10-28-2005, 07:10 PM:

quote: Steve Guttag
The gearbox (and pad roller arms) was also different on the SH-1007 - SH-1023 versus the SH-1000.

Yes, and much, much more troublesome because they were made from alumnium! This is the beginning of the era of what I call the "Simplex Pot Metal Projectors".

Anyone else out there ever cut off or machine off the front of an X-L of this era machine for turrett installation??? These have got to be absolutely the worst alumnium castings I've ever seen or worked with! They were definately not T-6 heat treated as they are today.

Mark