Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Carbon arc lamphouse

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Posted by Sigurd Wik (Member # 6131) on 03-04-2011, 04:42 AM:

Hi,

I have an Ernemann IV with a carbon arc lamp house, and I screen silent films on this projector. With it comes a low intensity rectifier, and therefore I use low intensity cinema carbons. First, do any of you know where I can buy these kind of cinema carbons in Europe? If not, anywhere in the US?

Also, someone told me to use a combination of 9mm and 14mm diameter carbons, and luckily I still have some left of these, but not that many. However, do anybody know which other dimension combinations that can be used? I ask this because I have some other dimensions lying around and wonder if some of them can be put to use.

Thanks,
Sigurd

Posted by Robert E. Allen (Member # 1351) on 03-04-2011, 06:51 PM:

Hi Sig:

I think 6mm neg and 7mm positive would be plenty for your needs. Contact International Cinema Company (www.iceco.com). They may be able to help you.

Posted by Dick Prather (Member # 1136) on 03-04-2011, 11:53 PM:

Sigurd, I am geussing you are running a small LI reflector lamp.
Normal Low Intensity trims are from National Carbon:
16-20 A, 54-57 V - 10mm pos, 7mm neg
21-32 A, 54-57 V - 12mm pos, 8mm neg
32-42 A, 54-57 V - 13mm pos, 9mm neg
42.52 A, 54-57 V - 14mm pos, 10mm neg

All the above carbons are black 8" long.

You might put a request in the equipment for sale / wanted part of this forum. Try Edw H. Wolk, International Cinema in GA. Should be cases of them somewhere and they last forever.

Robert, I think you were thinking of a small Suprex HI lamp.
Dick

Posted by Robert E. Allen (Member # 1351) on 03-05-2011, 12:34 AM:

You're right Richard. I ran a low intensity operation in Cathlamet years ago and I remember those black carbons. I got them from a supplier in Portland whose name I no longer remember.

Posted by Sigurd Wik (Member # 6131) on 03-06-2011, 05:07 AM:

Thanks a lot! Yes, a small LI house with black rods of about 8" length. Will post a request.

Posted by Mitchell Dvoskin (Member # 751) on 03-06-2011, 11:13 AM:

We have bought from CinemaCarbons.Com at The Landmark Loews Jersey.

Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 03-08-2011, 11:41 AM:

Jack Roe in England still lists carbon rods on their website.

Posted by Gordon Bachlund (Member # 124) on 03-09-2011, 11:02 AM:

Also Jack Roe USA in Nashville.

Posted by Stephen Furley (Member # 1277) on 03-11-2011, 07:39 PM:

quote: Leo Enticknap
Jack Roe in England still lists carbon rods on their website.

When I asked them last year they only had a few sizes left. I don't think there are any cinemas in the UK still using them now.

Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 03-19-2011, 09:59 AM:

The last one I knew of was the Tyneside Cinema in Newcastle, but I think they went xenon after their refurbishment around 4-5 years ago.

Posted by Gordon Bachlund (Member # 124) on 03-19-2011, 12:47 PM:

In the US there over a dozen theatres and performing arts centers that still use carbon arc and proudly advertise it as such, like the Landmark Loews Jersey Theatre. Another example is Copley Symphony Hall in San Diego, CA (ex San Diego Fox Theatre), which this Saturday will screen a 35mm archive print of the 1924 "Peter Pan" accompanied by the San Diego Symphony Orchestra. See http://www.sandiegosymphony.org/calendar/view.aspx?id=2156.

Posted by Stephen Furley (Member # 1277) on 03-20-2011, 12:59 PM:

I'm pretty sure that the Tyneside was the last to normally run carbon. There were a couple of places which retained one machine with carbon, and used it to run the odd reel, fur example if a feature was too long to fit on a tower, or to run adverts and trailers if they were a different format to the feature. There was at least one place which had a digital machine at the same time as one 35mm with carbon, but I can't remember where it was. If any of these are still using carbons then they will probably stop when their remaining stock runs out. There are a number of cinemas in India still using carbons, or at least were a couple of years ago.

When I asked Jack Roe about carbons they said that most of the stock which they previously held was now in the US, presumably because there are no longer any customers for them here.