Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Splicing

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Posted by Neil Robinson (Member # 2459) on 05-31-2007, 07:40 PM:

For many years I have used very slight overlapped joins in all film prints ect the site I work at has Cinemeccanica Victoria 5 projectors I find that Butt Joins go through the projectors much better than overlapped, just out of interest which is the most widely used type of join used by other cinemas vith Vic 5s

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 06-01-2007, 03:35 AM:

back in the late 80's I worked at a 4plex that had Vic-5's .. and we had a the good ol Neumade Neutaper 35SS model and I did absolute butt splices with all my film work with no problems...

I've never like the slight overlapped splicing variety since it seems to chatter a bit in the trap and gate assemblies.

With a butt splice, the film travel going through the gate and trap assembly seem more smoother - like if the film was never cut in the first place..

Posted by Alan Gouger (Member # 543) on 06-01-2007, 08:38 AM:

Butt splice. How many sprocket holes are you over lapping?
Does it matter what side the trailing edge falls on going through the gate to give a smoother passage?

Thanks!

Posted by Neil Robinson (Member # 2459) on 06-01-2007, 09:15 AM:

The overlap is about 1mm, the cutting block on the side of the splicer is adjusted slightly so the when the join is made there is the slight overlap

Posted by Dominic Espinosa (Member # 2122) on 06-01-2007, 11:38 AM:

A perfect splicer cuts perfectly on the middle of the frameline. A lot of 35S splicers I've had don't do that. They're usually too close to the block.

I modify all of my splicers per the tips section on this site to cut slightly off-center on the outter edge.
When cutting film the leader always stays on the right and I overlap the splice by just a hairs width.

Overlapping splices is a good thing [Wink]

Say goodbye to blooping soundtracks to avoid that blasted snap, pop, or thud your analog sound makes when the splice runs through!

Not to mention it's a little bit sturdier since a lot of splicers see much abuse and a butt splice doesn't always line up PERFECTLY EVERY TIME.

That'll be 2 cents please.

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 06-01-2007, 12:25 PM:

A good trick about curing the "bloop" syndrome is to take some electrical tape, cut tiny triangles that is the same width of the soundtrack from a small section of this tape and lay the triangle across the soundtrack with the head of the triangle facing inwards toward the picture, then draw the splicing tape across all of this. Goodbye "bloop".

But, there is a trick in making tight butt splices as well: with both ends facing each other in the die, take the left side of the film and actually press it into the right side cut. Then take the tape and lay it across the right side to hold, the rub the tape sideways to grab hold of the left side - the side that your pressing in. Then flatten out for to smooth. Then continue to do the other side. By doing this, this join will last for weeks without separating and it will not hinge.

...my three cents worth .. - Monte

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 06-01-2007, 03:05 PM:

quote: Monte L Fullmer
By doing this, this join will last for weeks without separating and it will not hinge.

By making a splice with a slight overlap, the join will last for years or decades without separating, or hinging, or stretching that would create a "pop" at the splice. It's also much faster to make splices like this with a modified cutter on the splicer rather than jacking around with trying to cut up pieces of electrical tape.

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 06-01-2007, 03:11 PM:

Or....just make a changeover [Wink]

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 06-01-2007, 03:41 PM:

lol...agree there fully, Steve. - the way I try to make splices like if I were still doing changeovers...

Well, when I ran "Titanic" for six months and the last print to leave our complex still had tight tape splices. I knew they were good ones...and done with a Guillitoine splicer.