This is topic Strong Alpha 3 in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.


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Posted by Michael Voiland (Member # 5386) on 01-20-2010, 12:23 AM:
 
Does anyone know the part numbers to upgrade a strong alpha 3 platter to removable brains from fixed brains.
 

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Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 01-20-2010, 02:38 AM:
 
2359 Arm Spindle in Retrofit
1183 Spacer
2357 Control Plate Plug-in adapter (to convert your wired brains to removable brains)

You gonna have to take the 110v wiring that comes out of the arm and attach female 2063 pins to wire that will go in positions 2 and 3 of the Arm Spindle.

Good luck - Monte
 

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Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 01-20-2010, 08:56 AM:
 
Monte: the adapter comes with pins, wires, and butt connectors.

This is easy to do except for loosening/tightening the nut. I have sometimes used two men and a 6 ft pipe over the end of my socket wrench. (I think they overdid it with the impact wrench.)

I convert 100% of the platters that filter through my office; I HAVE shop air there! Louis
 

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Posted by Richard Hamilton (Member # 321) on 01-20-2010, 10:30 AM:
 
Michael, as Louis said, the spindles can be a bitch to remove. The first one I tried, I was cussing, sweating and bitching out Potts. When you do the switch, make sure you have a "cheater/breaker bar" handy. Other than that, be sure to order extra 2357 plate adaptors. They tend to break on their own... and you'll have to replace these from time to time.
 

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Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 01-20-2010, 12:32 PM:
 

quote: Louis Bornwasser

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(I think they overdid it with the impact wrench.)

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Funny you say that is that I got two units that on a monthly basis, I have to tighten that flippin' nut..and with the wires already coming through, I have to use channel lock pliers to tighten that nut. If you got a better idea on for me to tighten that nut, please send the info down my way...

thx-Monte
 

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Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 01-20-2010, 12:56 PM:
 
Funny, I've never had problems loosening or tightening the nuts. I just use a large open end wrench to do the job. I beleive it's a Craftsman in fact. You may have to turn the wrench over every 1/4 turn when tightening it so you can get the nut run in all the way against the lock washer.

Monte: Use loc-tite... the blue stuff... not the red stuff!

Mark
 

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Posted by Richard Hamilton (Member # 321) on 01-20-2010, 02:08 PM:
 
Mark, you're just good at handling nuts
 

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Posted by Michael Voiland (Member # 5386) on 01-20-2010, 11:11 PM:
 
Did strong ever offer a manual or is it just remove old shaft replace with new one. We have 9 Alphas and only 2 have the fixed brains. And last minute film moves are not uncommon.
 

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Posted by Jake Spell (Member # 5294) on 01-21-2010, 09:10 AM:
 

quote: Monte L Fullmer

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I have to use channel lock pliers to tighten that nut.

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quote:

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Use loc-tite... the blue stuff... not the red stuff!

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There is a lock washer that is supplied with the spindle. Use that instead.
 

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Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 01-22-2010, 12:24 AM:
 
K, found a right-size open end wrench that would fit up in tha restricted area and pulled with all of my weight behind that wrench to torque that nut down..and it does have star washer inbetween the nut and the arm, thus no lock-tite needed.

tx-Monte
 

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Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 01-22-2010, 05:46 AM:
 
I've had the locking nut work loose on on many platters over the years. Since it's a waste of time to have to cut the wires and re-crimp them and I don't carry those lock nuts around with me I just drop the nut down and use a bit of Loc-Tite on the threads... which I do carry with me. If you look at the star washer used it is a bit on the thin side and it seems to sometimes compress or slightly flatten over the years.

Mark
 

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Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 01-24-2010, 07:14 AM:
 
This loosening is caused by pressure (splicing?) on the outside edge of the platter over time. There is a LOT of mechanical advantage. Notice that the bottom and middle decks are the only ones to loosen? Louis
 

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Posted by Tony Bandiera Jr (Member # 2365) on 01-24-2010, 01:41 PM:
 

quote: Michael Voiland

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Does anyone know the part numbers to upgrade a strong alpha 3 platter to removable brains from fixed brains.

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Yep. It's

Christie part # AW3R

Save your self the effort and cost, as you can easily find used, good condition AW3r's at reasonable prices as lots of theatres do their D-Crapema conversions. The cost could easily be less than the parts from Wrong. (Locally I have found good used AW3's with MUTs for as little as $500.)

Maybe even free if you're willing to pick up and haul off the platters.
 

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Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 01-24-2010, 02:54 PM:
 
Ah hum... The AW-3 has been discontinued... Replaced with CP-2000SB, ZX and the new breed just emerging...
 

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Posted by Tony Bandiera Jr (Member # 2365) on 01-24-2010, 08:08 PM:
 
Ah hum yourself, Captain Obvious.

But we're talkin to a guy who is smart enough to stick with film systems.

This is after all Film-Tech, NOT D-Crapema-Tech.

(Note the smileys in the above before getting mad.)

I am going to resist the craze as long as possible.
 

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Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 01-24-2010, 09:22 PM:
 
[QUOTE]I am going to resist the craze as long as possible. /QUOTE]

Ditto... I agree... Still way too many problems with Digital for the smaller theaters to have to deal with. By the time digital does take over I will have already retired...

Mark
 

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Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 01-24-2010, 09:57 PM:
 
You know the strong platters give good service and i would not replace them with AW3 if you paid me The only time I run across major issues with the Strong/potts platters if the person servicing them has no idea of how they work
 

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Posted by Jeremy Weigel (Member # 4208) on 01-24-2010, 10:26 PM:
 
Been usinf them for 20 yrs here and have had very few problems; well once we replaced those blasted carbon pile switches.
 

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Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 01-24-2010, 10:42 PM:
 

quote: Louis Bornwasser

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This loosening is caused by pressure (splicing?) on the outside edge of the platter over time.

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quote: Gordon McLeod

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You know the strong platters give good service and i would not replace them with AW3 if you paid me The only time I run across major issues with the Strong/potts platters if the person servicing them has no idea of how they work

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Gordon, you can sing that song all you want, but it seems that the majority of folks here who have the Strong/Potts platters have nothing but trouble with them, and those with AW3's keep working relatively trouble-free.

My years spent with RCA Service back up that Potts/Strong platters are troublesome, while the over 200 screens of AW3's rarely had platter problems. Heck, I had one location with 5 AW2's that ran really well..especially after I rebuilt the control modules.

But I do agree that the person servicing them WILL make or break how well they work, regardless of brand!
 

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Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 01-30-2010, 12:08 AM:
 
..Yet...have to defend these A3/AP3 units since I got 26 of them running in 4 complexes and problems are extremely rare with them..just the usual maintenace of brushes wearing down, center spindle working loose, changing out brain microswitches and once in a while, a variac that gets grumpy that needs replaced due to the button contact in the rotor.. oh, and the trombone arm getting out of "electrical zero" on a rare occasion.

I love AW3R units, but can't push these ALPHA units aside as of yet - been pretty reliable....but, you gotta know how to work with the ALPHAS to get them to behave.

-Monte
 

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