Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Adjusting take-up tension on old red Speco platter

This is topic Adjusting take-up tension on old red Speco platter in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Dan Chilton (Member # 2288) on 11-29-2008, 06:49 PM:

Is there a way to adjust how high the accumulator roller climbs after you've threaded up? We're using old red Speco platters with those awesomely flimsy roller rods at the top of the platter, and every time we thread up, it pulls the accumulator to the stopping point at the top of the tree and puts a lot of stress on the rods.

Is there any way to prevent the accumulator going up so high, so should I just modify it with compression springs? I certainly don't want the tension transferring through to my brand new cue detectors.

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 11-29-2008, 09:16 PM:

..thought about adjusting the twist rod that goes to the variac in the bottom so it would close earlier?

Posted by Dan Chilton (Member # 2288) on 11-29-2008, 09:59 PM:

How do I make that adjustment, Monte? The Specos are new to me!

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 11-30-2008, 02:45 AM:

Okey, I jumped ahead of you for a bit there, sorry, didn't know that you had no experience with Drive-In (SPECO) LP-270 platters (where the decks were actual K-Mart picnic tables..lol)

In my days of running LP-270's: When you thread your platter, keep the yellow takeup button in the control box off until the "trombone" roller, that is on the spiral shaft have reached end of the twist on the rotating shaft when you manually tighten up the film on the takeup platter by hand.

Then, after this is done THEN is when you depress the takeup button on the control box attached to the tower so the Yellow light is on (if the bulbs under the switches still work...)

This will keep those roller spindles from bending down when that trombone goes above the twist on that rotating shaft.

Hope this helps. good luck - Monte

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 11-30-2008, 03:03 AM:

Or when you pull takeup tension at the projector you can simply pull MORE film than you are currently doing. Pull a good 2-3 feet's worth...wait 3-4 seconds...then release the excess.