Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Suoer Simplex Aperture Plate dirt

This is topic Suoer Simplex Aperture Plate dirt in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Bernie Anderson Jr (Member # 410) on 09-20-2011, 10:54 AM:

With all the talk of Digital Projection nowadays, its probably odd to ask this question. I'm running Super Simplexs in my screening room and I tend to get hairs and dirt on the aperture as the film is running. Its annoying that you have to pull the plate sometimes as the print is running and clean it. Even after cleaning the print with the kelmar film cleaner, it can still build up dirt in the corners or the top of the picture.

Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 09-20-2011, 11:38 AM:

FilmGuard knocks down 99% of that dirt. I very rarely get "shrubbery" on the screen when using it.

You have the Kelmar cleaner. Just a bottle of FG is all you need.

Secondarily, if you get shrubbery on-screen you can take a Q-Tip or a piece of lens tissue saturated with FG and touch it to the edge of the film as it enters the gate. The "wet" spot will often catch the dirt and sweep it out of the gate as it goes by.

A long time ago, I remember being told a story that old timers would get a gob of spit on their fingers and do the same thing. While I certainly don't recommend putting a loogey on your film, there is a certain anecdotal value here.

FilmGuard is certainly the most efficacious solution.

Posted by David Mann (Member # 4917) on 09-20-2011, 10:45 PM:

I used "a gob of spit" yesterday, and it was the miracle cure. Just like 30 years ago.

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 09-21-2011, 02:46 AM:

Alcohol on a "Q-tip" was my old trick - alcohol got rid of oil that loves to attract the dust.

Tearing down that SuperSimplex from time to time to rid of the excess oil (which attracts dust like crazy and since you got all of them oil ports that needs a drop or two per each run and the oil gets flung around when it hits the gears, and that alone will mist up oil in a heartbeat) that has misted up from meshing with the gears and will settle on almost any open and exposed surfaces, including the aperture plate .. and the rear of the lens, would reduce this issue.

Posted by Bernie Anderson Jr (Member # 410) on 09-21-2011, 07:52 PM:

So it has nothing to do with how you cut the plate?

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 09-21-2011, 10:06 PM:

Nope...it's just a slight film of oil that attracts the dust, esp in the corner and any flat edges of the plate...

It's quite common to get the "fuzzy aperture plate" syndrome with gear driven machines that uses oil for lubrication.

Simplex units are notorious to inherit this syndrome.

-Monte