Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Century C clutch pad

This is topic Century C clutch pad in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Luci Reeve (Member # 3651) on 06-16-2008, 12:58 PM:

Six months ago my 6k feed reel clutch caused the film to stop. It is located inside the lamphouse base. I called Ross Krantz who talked me through removing and cleaning the felt pad with lighter fluid, reassembling the clutch and everything was fine. A few days later I had to clean the pad on the other projector. I had to clean them again last night!

Where is the black grease coming from? What is the best cleaning method?

Posted by Dan Lyons (Member # 1454) on 06-16-2008, 02:53 PM:

Are you running the clutch pads dry or oiled? Is it possible that heat is building up inside the base and causing the oil on the pad to gum up?

I've always run my feed arm (with 6k reels) dry with very low tension and never had any problems.

Posted by Luci Reeve (Member # 3651) on 06-17-2008, 01:06 PM:

The clutch pads on the take up reels look white and dry. These are black and very very greasy, grease is dripping off of them. I'm thinking of putting them through the laundry or something. Ross did say to oil new ones when installing but why couldn't I wash off these ones?

Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 06-17-2008, 01:42 PM:

Go ahead and wash them. Save the $5.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 06-18-2008, 10:19 AM:

Actually the felt pads will absorb and hold a gob of oil and gunk. Washing them isn't really too good an idea either. Mix water, soap, and oil and you may have a bigger white gunk mess that you may not be able to clean off. The condision of the pads is important too. Felt compresses over time and looses its ability to properly hold lubricant. Having two sets of pads is actually beneficial and would allow you a quick fix even between reels. To clean the pads I soak them overnight in solvent then rinse at least three more times in clean solvent to get the remainder of the gunk out. I use lacquer thinner, benzine, lighter fluid, or some similar but handy solvent that evaporates completely. Kerosene could also be used but the pads may end up smelling like it. What ever you use do this outside. Let the solvent evaporate at least several hours then saturate in clean 40 weight oil. Be sure to clean the other clutch parts as well but don't get any solvent into any ball bearings in the process, also clean the take up belt/chain. If its a chain also re-lube the chain.
Reassemble the clutch and adjust for proper running tension with the take up reel nearly full.

Cheers!

Mark

Posted by Luci Reeve (Member # 3651) on 06-22-2008, 07:15 PM:

Thanks Mark.

What would be your preferred solvent? I will take them out and clean them as soon as I get my new ones.

Do you recommend putting anything on them when I install the new dry clean ones?

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 06-22-2008, 07:45 PM:

Hi Luci,

I reccomend just clean SAE40 weight non detergent oil. Saturate then let them drip. Store the oiled and readied pads in zip lock bags.

Mark

Posted by Luci Reeve (Member # 3651) on 06-27-2008, 11:18 PM:

Now I know what to do I'm just waiting on the new clutch pads to arrive.

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 06-27-2008, 11:44 PM:

I am in the camp with Dan. Buy them new and never, ever oil them. Set your tension lower and forget about them. Oiling them just creates another point of maintenance.

Posted by Luci Reeve (Member # 3651) on 07-24-2008, 05:09 PM:

OK. Got 2 new clutch pads. I just replaced the kelmar rewind clutch pad because the old one is horribly black so I might as well experiment with this one. I'm going to soak it overnight. I've got mineral spirits, turpentine, acetone and denatured alcohol. Which would be the best?

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 07-24-2008, 07:24 PM:

Acetone will work the best but only use it outdoors. Its too flamable... and the fumes make you feel like you'e had a dozen [beer]

Posted by Luci Reeve (Member # 3651) on 09-10-2008, 12:36 PM:

I decided to oil the pads because I was told the oil collects the crud and keeps on working. And we have plenty of crud flying around our booth what with the popcorn machine being right below our projectors. I just pulled out the two pads from the take up clutches and had to throw them away...even after cleaning they still had shiny bits embedded in them...and they started out dry.

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 09-10-2008, 01:08 PM:

quote: Luci Reeve
I decided to oil the pads because I was told the oil collects the crud and keeps on working.

You were given bad information. The oil attracts and collects the crud and continually requires maintenance. When they are wet you have to have higher tension than when they dry out. If you never wet them, the tension required stays at a constant.

You should come visit me sometime. I can takeup on a 6K split reel with very little tension on the film and pop the sides off to reveal a perfectly wound roll of film. I've never been able to achieve that with wet pads, and my adjustments never drift.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 09-10-2008, 06:06 PM:

I certainly disagree... All felt type clutch pads need the proper type of lubrication so the metal clutch disks don't wear and increase the friction of the clutch assembly. If the friction increases, especially unknowingly not only do you stand to damage film but you will be purchasing more parts to rebuild your feed and taleup clutches... now if these are the old style Century clutches parts are NLA and you'd be SOL. I can't tell you how many Kelmar metal clutch disks I've replaced in 32 years in systems running hour reels that never received proper lubrication

Mark

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 09-11-2008, 04:14 AM:

Mark must sure like to crank down that tension. I find it barely takes any to do the job right, and there is just no way light tension on a felt pad will wear down the metal clutch. As such, these problems he claims occurs have never happened to me or anyone I know running them dry...but ok, whatever. I shall stand firm that his operators were running them too damn tight.