Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Restoration Photos

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Posted by Dave Ritchie (Member # 4030) on 03-06-2007, 10:39 PM:

I have been in the process of restoring a Ernemann Imperator and thought that I'd put some pics up in the hope that anyone else who has done any restoring would put some pics up to [Smile]

Here is a photo of the projector when i found it and one of where I'm upto

I'm stoked because i got the intermittent working today and it is moving as smooth as new,

There is still a long way till I'm finished but I'll put more pics up if anyone is interested.

I was not 100% sure where to put this post so if it needs moving go for it.

by the way if anyone has any spares for this and wants to donate them to a good cause let me know [beer]

[ 03-07-2007, 12:08 AM: Message edited by: Dave Ritchie ]

Posted by Matthew Taylor (Member # 2310) on 03-07-2007, 10:12 AM:

Nice job!

How did you get rid of the rust on all the sprockets and get 'em looking that shiny?

Posted by Dennis Benjamin (Member # 1137) on 03-07-2007, 10:30 AM:

quote: Matthew Taylor
How did you get rid of the rust on all the sprockets and get 'em looking that shiny?

Chrome spray paint. "Because everything is chrome in the future".

Just kidding.
[Wink]

Posted by Dave Ritchie (Member # 4030) on 03-07-2007, 12:52 PM:

Autosol polisher and very very fine wire wool and lots of time [Smile]

Posted by Bob Koch (Member # 1062) on 03-07-2007, 01:22 PM:

Does anyone know how old this Erneman is? When I was very young, about 1937 the Erneman was sold in the US as Fulco. Several of the old Golden State circuit theatres in the eastbay had them and also the old Camino Theater in San Rafael Ca had a pair.From what I remember they were a great projector with many innovations not yet seen on this side of the pond such as full oil bath simple dismantle procedures and real quiet running with beautiful machining. Remember about this time the only choices here were the Super Simplex and the model "F" Motiograph.

Posted by Dave Ritchie (Member # 4030) on 03-07-2007, 02:10 PM:

I have been told that this was built in 1916, but it sounds like you are talking about the Ernemann II, They are a very nice machine, I'll take a photo of mine later today and post it

Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 03-07-2007, 02:58 PM:

DAMN, DAVE!!! How freakin impressive is THAT?!! All I can say is, incredible and totally awesome. I have seen more than one of the institutions that I work for throw out equipment that is in MUCH better shape and which they claim is junk....even equipment that is in working order. I've had to fight to save a number of perfectly good items (like two working Strong Super Trouper followspots, if you can believe that).

I am going to print out both your pictures and shove them under the noses of any of these bureaucratic neanderthals (no offense to the cave men) when they are about to throw out salvagble equipment.

Dave, you are THE MAN! Many Hi Fives to you! Thanks for the inspiration. [beer]

Posted by Dave Ritchie (Member # 4030) on 03-07-2007, 03:20 PM:

Thanks Frank most people i show just think I'm insane - but I'm dam well looking ford to the day i can run film with it, here is my Ernemann II it has been modified to run a rear drum shutter instead of the front blade.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 03-07-2007, 04:59 PM:

Great work you're doing! Hey, that looks like a Kalee 21 framing knob on the lower sprocket shaft...... Do you have a full view photo of that machine with the lampenhausen you could post??? Also, what type of sound reproducer is that... Klangfilm?

Mark

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 03-07-2007, 05:17 PM:

When he gets done with his Ernemann Imperator, this is what it will look like (if he has the lamphouse as well...)

-Monte

Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 03-08-2007, 03:03 AM:

Beautiful! Absolutely beautiful. Good work!

Posted by Dave Ritchie (Member # 4030) on 03-08-2007, 08:06 PM:

Hi Mark here is a full pic of my Ernemann II and yes you are right that is a framing knob of a kalee 21 (we have 2 kalee 21's where I work the new guys always put there hand in front of the w/s lens if they have to move the framing [Mad]

)

The sound head was made here in New Zealand by De Forest Phonofilms

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 03-08-2007, 08:50 PM:

Thats fine work Dave! That soundhead has similarities to the "Wiffle Tree" Eprad sound head of years ago. Thanks for posting the photos!

Mark

Posted by Chad M Calpito (Member # 3736) on 03-08-2007, 11:08 PM:

WOW, Dave, that is totally awesome. I am in awe as to how well of a job you are doing. [Big Grin]

Posted by Phil Hill (Member # 371) on 03-08-2007, 11:24 PM:

Dave, I totally agree with the others here... GREAT work!

I envy your patience...something I don't have. I probably would have just spray-painted it all Krylon Machine Gray and called it "done!". [Wink]

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 03-08-2007, 11:49 PM:

Yes, fully agree ... congrats on the excellent tasks in restoring that Imperator...It's fun restoring items of great interest.

I do have to as a question from anybody with these international machines (as with the Ernemann II setup, which is an excellent display of restoration): It's interesting that these early machines have fully enclosed magazines with the proper firetrap rollers, yet the film path from upper to lower magazines is fully exposed and we know that nitrate film was used during this time when these units were in operation.

Granted, here in the Americas, machinery were fully enclosed-from upper to lower magazine.

Thus, was there a reason why the European manufacturers chose not to fully encase the machine part of the projector along with the magazines for fire safety reasons or another?

thx-Monte

Posted by Dave Ritchie (Member # 4030) on 03-09-2007, 12:12 AM:

Thanks everyone - Phil i not so sure about the patience there are times when i think why the hell am i doing this - I have the lamphouse that is in the pic Monte posted but it is really rotten and i have no idea yet what i'm going to do with it.

Posted by John Anastasio (Member # 607) on 03-09-2007, 05:15 PM:

Holy bovine! I'm totally gobsmacked at your restorative talents. Bravo on a truly fantastic job. [beer]

Posted by Bob Koch (Member # 1062) on 03-09-2007, 11:29 PM:

Dave:
It looks like your photos of the Erneman II are the Fulco projector I remember in the late 1930`s and it was a wonderful machine.I think the late unpleasentness called WW II interrupted my association with this projector as after 1940 we never saw this in the USA. Instead we got Simplex E7; Sam Kaplan invented the Century which we have today; then in 1950 the Simplex XL; and after a history of fine projectors Motiograph came up with the abortion called Motiograph AA or something similar. The best projectors we`ve ever had over here are the aforementioned Erneman and of course the Philips FP 7 and developed for 70mm Todd AO the finest AA II.
Great work on your restorations. Great to see people like you.

Posted by Richard Fowler (Member # 893) on 03-10-2007, 12:15 PM:

The Fulco machine in the US was licensed to build that unit in the states since the E-II design had been retired in Europe and Ernemann was building a more modern version in Germany. I saw a Fulco and an E-II in a private collection of a retired manufacturer and they looked identical.
Mr. Kaplan was one of the principal in the Projectionist Union in New York in the late 1920s - early 1930s. He had a rocky relationship which ending him leaving his position. He made Kapan "sure fit" parts for Simplex projector, then a Simplex standard knockoff and eventually Century. Century Simplex Ernemann have had many owners over the years; Cinemeccanica Prevost the least. [Smile]

Posted by Dave Ritchie (Member # 4030) on 03-11-2007, 04:53 PM:

Does anyone have a pic of a fulco? I was also hoping when i started this post that others might post pics of there older projectors - there are a few Simplex down here but i have never come across a Motiograph.

Posted by Dave Ritchie (Member # 4030) on 09-19-2007, 11:49 PM:

Will i finally finished stage one so here's a pic

Hooked it up to a motor for the first time about half a hour ago and its all turning over nice and smoothly

Stage two is the lamphouse

i cant wait to get it all together its been a long project but well worth it

Posted by Floyd Justin Newton (Member # 1316) on 09-20-2007, 04:48 PM:

Now, [B]THIS[/B is a 'reel' project. A looooong time ago when
I was a kid of 18 years old I restored a Simplex Regular that
was completly incased with rust. When I got through that Simplex didn't look anything like your Ermann. Your machine
has a lot of 'spit & polish'! [Wink]

Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 09-20-2007, 08:12 PM:

You do good work, Dave! [thumbsup]

Can't wait to see the lamp after your magic touch.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 09-20-2007, 08:18 PM:

Absolutely awsome work Dave! That IS museum quallity stuff.

Mark

Posted by Stephen Furley (Member # 1277) on 09-21-2007, 12:54 PM:

Nice job you've made of that Dave.

Is the lamphouse the type with just an asbestos curtain at the back, or is it metal? If it's asbestos cloth, what are you going to do about it? Is there a suitable alternative that still looks reasonably like the original?

Posted by Dave Ritchie (Member # 4030) on 09-24-2007, 03:34 AM:

Stephen -It's the type with just an asbestos curtain, I am going to put a piece or flame retardant cloth on the back for now- I going to put all the arc gear back in but hook up a halogen bulb in for my own use,

Posted by Phillip Grace (Member # 2262) on 09-25-2007, 02:46 AM:

Hi David. Fanstastic job!
Looking at the front of the lamphouse, I think it may have the condensor mount from a regular Simplex vertical lamp grafted on in place of the original assembly. The Simplex one is that general shape, with the lenses inside the lamphouse. It swings open outwards on a hinge. The Ernemann, I think, has the condensors in a holder which rests on a bracket on the outside of the case. You might find a picture of the Simplex in an old Cameron to compare. What the hell though! Your machine is a beaut!
Cheers.

Posted by Dave Ritchie (Member # 4030) on 09-25-2007, 05:27 AM:

Thanks for the info Phillip- In the long run i'm only doing this up for myself so if it's not all original so be it- Hell it has a sound head [Big Grin]

- The other day my partner said that i should sell it when i'm done because why do i need more then one working projector- thats a bit like asking why the hell she needs to own 25 pairs of shoes [Razz]

Posted by Daryl C. W. O'Shea (Member # 1303) on 09-25-2007, 07:27 AM:

I'll bet that she won't let you have 25 pairs of projectors. [Big Grin]

Posted by Andres Briano (Member # 4621) on 01-21-2008, 11:41 AM:

Hi Dave,
I´d like to join the rest of the community in saying: Terrific job!. In accordance with your original intention, I am posting a picture of the restoration of my Ernemann III (that we have been discussing privately).

This is a pic of the E-III the day I got it.

...and this is a picture taken yesterday:

If anyone is interested in seeing detailed pictures of the restoration process, you can go to my blog at www.dragonflyfilms.blogspot.com

Cheers!

Posted by Bruce McGee (Member # 131) on 01-21-2008, 06:46 PM:

These machines look like they were built to last. My congratulations on your rebuild projects!

Posted by System Notices (Member # 2357) on 03-02-2011, 01:09 PM:

It has been 1135 days since the last post.