Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Do you Filmguard your test loops?

This is topic Do you Filmguard your test loops? in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Frank Dubrois (Member # 3042) on 10-01-2006, 11:45 AM:

I was just curious if this is common practice, and if it is, how often do you do it? I noticed one of mine getting kind of scratched up and considered running a film cleaner on it, but I wasn't sure how long it should be run, or how often.

Posted by Kevin Raisler (Member # 1761) on 10-01-2006, 04:34 PM:

I coat mine using a light spray of FG on a micro-cloth after I tape my loop together. [thumbsup]

Make sure that you store your loops inside a container so they don't gather dust when your not using them.

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 10-01-2006, 05:23 PM:

Unless you have a system of rollers to keep the loop from dragging all over the floor and the side of the projector, only very minimally FG them if you want some extra scratch and embossing protection. Remember that loop runs over and over every few seconds and will be dragged across lots of dirty surfaces, so less is definitely better in this regard.

Then every time you run the loop, start the projector motor and take a dry soft cloth (or media) and run it through your fingers sort of like a makeshift cleaner for one pass to help get off the loose "handling" dirt that you just put on it when you threaded the machine. No need to keep running it through something wet with FG.

Posted by Charles Greenlee (Member # 3856) on 10-02-2006, 11:23 AM:

You know, I never even thought about that. I only have test loops made from trailer peices, so nothing special or irreplacable. But even I was at the Wynnsong, we had a Doly tone loop, and I never thought of using FG, or C-lube then, on any of my test loops.

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 10-02-2006, 03:27 PM:

C-lube, eh? Nice to know you support the criminals at CPI, Charles. [Roll Eyes]

Posted by Bruce McGee (Member # 131) on 10-02-2006, 07:42 PM:

My theatre aquired a SECOND Kelmar film cleaner while I was sick, so now, all of my films are FG'd. I've always FG'd my test loops, and before that, I used Vitafilm on my old 'Jiffy' test film in 16mm, which is still in fine shape.

Posted by Jack Ondracek (Member # 1466) on 10-02-2006, 09:56 PM:

Never gave it a second thought... FG on the loops seemed an obvious thing to do.

Posted by Tony L. Hernandez (Member # 3524) on 10-02-2006, 10:26 PM:

.

Posted by Charles Greenlee (Member # 3856) on 10-04-2006, 12:06 PM:

No Brad, Carmike supported them. We already had the product in our booth, so why not use it. At the Regal here, I use FG. Both work, but FG I don't have to shake up every time I use it, it works well, and I like the taste.