Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Trouble with 5-Star casting.

This is topic Trouble with 5-Star casting. in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 06-18-2007, 06:13 PM:

Gents, I inherited a 5-star reproducer that was missing a pad roller arm. The pivot screw had broken off, and no one before me had been able to get it out, so the theatre just ran without it. Taking up the challenge, I finally got the screw out, but now I'm faced with getting the proper replacement pad arm and roller assembly (the original is long gone).

Here's my problem. The casting around the sprocket shaft has three stanchions/bosses/webs (whatever) instead of the two found on all the other soundheads in this theatre. The third protrusion (see black arrow, 1st photo) prevents my using the pad arm listed in the parts book, as it will not allow the arm to close around the sprocket; it interferes with the pad arm at the point shown by the white arrow (2nd photo).

I'm assuming this is an older design, and the proper part I need isn't listed in the current manuals. Does anyone have any ideas on this, please?

PHOTO 1: Extra support around sprocket shaft, not present in the other soundheads..

PHOTO 2: The "normal" soundheads look like this. The "third wheel" webbing in the first soundhead interferes with the pad arm at this point.

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 06-18-2007, 06:45 PM:

I'd say if the clearance from the arm to this support boss isn't too much, I'd say, get the grinding wheel on a dremel and trim that support boss down where the pad roller arm can clear it.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 06-18-2007, 07:19 PM:

There is an easy way to remove stuck screws by simply soaking it in a chemical... can't remember what chemical off hand though. I tink its been discussed on F-T before. Ya let it sit in a bucket full of the stuff and it dissolves the ferrous screw.

Thats alot of cutting to be doing with a dremel tool... or you could send me just the casting I can mill it down for you... and while I'm at it I can also bore it out and face the font and back side for the newer style removable larger bearing shaft assy. The larger bearings give far more life span whilst you will be forever replacing the small ones.

Mark

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 06-19-2007, 12:27 PM:

Tim,

Unfortunately, when the 5-star casting was changed from the SH-7310 version (which you have in that photo) to the more current casting in the early '80s (still in the NSS era of Simplex ownership), they changed the pad roller arm too but did NOT think to change the part number when they did. As such, the pad roller arm retains the same part number as the arm that has the bits and pieces bored out to fit around the webbing for the bearing bracket. As time progressed, the SH-7310 version became less and less through attrition and the older part has fallen into dissuse from a manufacturing point of view.

I know there was a period of time when you could order the part you need by description from Strong by telling them that it is for the SH-7310 and needs to be milled out to fit the bearing bracket and webbing. Try asking Paul Sanchez...he is tops!

Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 06-19-2007, 08:00 PM:

Okay, great! Thanks very much.