This is topic Kelmar Film Cleaner Knobs in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.


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Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 08-18-2009, 03:09 AM:
 
One day last week one of the assistant managers comes up to me and asked if I could get more of the good knobs for the film cleaners to replace the pathetic tiny ones we have on 3 of our 6 cleaners. He said they are much easier to deal with and save time. I agree with him wholeheartedly. I told him that for some unfathomable reason Kelmar didn't offer that kind of knob any more and instead use the micro tiny ones. He was sad, as was I.

Here is what I am talking about:



Does anyone know where these can be had? If not, what kind of homemade knobs can I make that would act in a similar way to the "awesome" ones above? Anything has to be better than the micro ones.
 

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Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 08-18-2009, 03:40 AM:
 
Unless you can find a simple bolt of the same thread pitch and needed length, then find a good wing nut of the same thread pitch, spin the wing nut backwards on the bolt to where the nut is at the head of the bolt and the finger tabs are easy to get to, then solder/tig weld the two together to make your desired device,

...just an idea ... - Monte
 

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Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 08-18-2009, 03:57 AM:
 
With this... it doesn't matter what sort of screws you use.
 

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Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 08-18-2009, 04:35 AM:
 
Yes it does because you still need to loosen the take-up.
 

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Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 08-18-2009, 07:48 AM:
 
I never loosen them.

Take an old plastic core and cut it in half, crosswise. Toss out the keyed end.

Next, cut the core in half again, lengthwise, across its diameter. You should be left with two "C" shaped pieces of plastic.

Instead of taping the cleaning media to the take-up roll just use these two plastic pieces to clip it on. These clips will hold the media tightly enough to pull the roll along as the film runs but will hold loosely enough that you shouldn't have to loosen the screws to rewind the media.

Just rewind. The clips should slip.

I started doing this about two or three years ago because I hated dealing with gooey tape after the FG partially dissolved the adhesive.

There are other advantages too.
If you clean one movie starting on a fresh roll of media, make sure you rewind every time. Don't get lazy and try to get two runs out of one roll without rewinding. Always rewind.

If you do that, when it comes time to clean a second movie you simply cut the media, pull off the dirty part and re-clip the clean part to the take-up post. Instant fresh, clean media for your second movie.

(Just make sure there's enough media left so it doesn't run out part way through the movie!)

You can't do this if you use tape because the FG will melt the adhesive and you won't be able to stick the wet end of the media onto the take-up roll.

I'm going to be working in the booth today. If I get a chance, I'll take some pictures.
 

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Posted by John Hawkinson (Member # 1135) on 08-18-2009, 09:54 AM:
 
I've never seen that exact variety of awesome, Joe, but there are a wide variety of sources for thumbscrews. Figure out what size thread those are (are they 1/4-20"? Or #10? Just test it with a regular bolt, or take one of your thumbscrews down to the hardware store and check it against a nut).

I'd be surprised if your neighborhood hardware store didn't have plenty of decent choices. If not, there's always McMaster-Carr.

Just search for "knobs":


And also "thumbscrews":


--jhawk
 

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Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 08-18-2009, 12:35 PM:
 
Here you go...

Cut a couple of film cores, thus:


Then use them to hold the media onto the take-up shaft, thus:


They might be pretty tight at first but they will loosen up with time. Then you can just use your screw gun and rewind the media without loosening anything.

Also, when your media gets too dirty, just pull off the dirty part, clip it off and secure it in the clips again. No more mucky tape adhesive!
 

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Posted by Jon P. Inghram (Member # 4125) on 08-18-2009, 01:40 PM:
 
Why didn't you post that when we still had film?! I hated having to clean the gooey tape residue when changing media.
 

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Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 08-18-2009, 03:16 PM:
 
Randy, that is very inventive. Kudos, but changing media is easy for me and the tape usually comes off with the media. A quick wipe with a shop rag readies the surface for new media. Takes maybe 5 seconds. If I have two prints in one auditorium I just resoak for the first performance of the 2nd print, but use the same media on both. If the print is only showing once a day, then I don't even resoak (provided it received a fresh soak the week before). I have also stopped having the cleaners follow the prints since I am not always there to move them. No problems, other than those that you normally see with the next-to-no backtension Strong platters.

-J-Hawk, the "Rosette" knob looks pretty awesome to me. The "Fluted" might be good as well. The "Spade" is the evil knob that is currently included with the cleaner. Even if they included the "Knurled" ones instead, I probably wouldn't be complaining.
 

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Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 08-18-2009, 04:15 PM:
 

quote: Joe Redifer

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Yes it does because you still need to loosen the take-up.

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True, but nowhere near as much as if you still do it manually.

Randy, I wonder how many Film-Tech viewers are going to be getting out their saws today?
 

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Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 08-18-2009, 04:52 PM:
 
....like me for instance .....
 

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Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 08-18-2009, 05:33 PM:
 
If you would use invisible tape (NOT "transparent", but the kind of clear tape that has a frosted appearance) on the takeup core, you will find that there is no sticky residue.
 

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Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 08-18-2009, 09:13 PM:
 
If you use plastic clips made from cores you won't need ANY tape and the issue of mucky adhesive becomes moot.

Furthermore, that's one less expendable you need to keep in stock in the booth.

Then, after a while, the plastic will stretch to its new size and it won't clamp on so tight. It will be tight enough to pull the media along but loose enough to slip when you rewind the media.

Therefore, you don't have to worry about which thumbscrew to use on the take-up shaft of your media cleaner because loosening it becomes a non-issue.

BTW: As I took those pictures I noticed that the clips are half the diameter of the take-up shaft but, to make the clip you do not cut the core exactly in half.
Cut a 90º to 100º sector out of the core. As it clips onto the shaft it will expand to cover about 180º.
If you just look at the top picture you'll see how it goes.
 

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Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 08-18-2009, 10:23 PM:
 
The issue is that not all cleaners are equal. Some of my cleaners need the old core to fit because the new cores will not fit on the take-up shaft at all. I had one that could be rewound without loosening the knob, but it advanced very slooowly during the show due to such a poor grip.
 

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Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 08-18-2009, 11:26 PM:
 
The core being gripped by the rubber on the take-up shaft and the plastic clip gripping the core are two separate things.
 

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Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 08-19-2009, 03:38 AM:
 
OK.
 

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Posted by Jack Ondracek (Member # 1466) on 08-19-2009, 11:30 AM:
 

quote: Brad Miller

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If you would use [b]invisible[/i] tape (NOT "transparent", but the kind of clear tape that has a frosted appearance) on the takeup core, you will find that there is no sticky residue.

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quote: Jack Ondracek

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and get sticky residue

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