Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Simplex 35 and oil

This is topic Simplex 35 and oil in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Bill Duelly (Member # 3612) on 06-25-2019, 04:14 PM:

I have a Simplex 35, one of the silver/grey models, mounted on a 5 Star sound head I wanted some input before i start to disassemble these pieces....I know oil and Simplex go together but want to see what i should do ( i know some dont like this model but this setup was from a theater i worked in so there is a lot of sentiment with it). I get some drops at the heads of the 2 bolts that hold the picture head to the sound head. It is NOT the sight glass, gear side hole, glass cover gasket or from inside the head.

Qiuestion, do the bolt holes go all the way through to the oil pit? What should i put on the screws if i do to help prevent leakthrough? Should i put something between the soundhead and picture head? suggestions?

Many thanks in advance to all....

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 06-26-2019, 03:48 PM:

It's great you got a hold of an old friend! No, they don't go allmthe way through unless some one ram roded an extra long bolt in thise spaces. try gasket sealer, but its still eventually gonna drip... The only wayu I found to completely stop the leaks is to powder coat the main casting and back cover...

Mark

quote: Bill Duelly was the last to post

Posted by Bill Duelly (Member # 3612) on 06-26-2019, 08:43 PM:

Basically, remove the picture head, clean both surfaces of oil, apply gasket sealer all around the mating surface, bolt back down....

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 06-27-2019, 02:12 PM:

I only aplied it to the bolt threads and then tightened them down. If its a pre-Strong casting the oil is gonna leak straight through the bottom because pre-Strong castings are extremely porus and they are not heat treated. The later castings are excellent, but then Strong mucked up some other aspects of the projector. The old black X-L's are the worst and the most porus castings of all the X-L's. I only know because I machined off the fronts on about 50 to mount TU-2000 turrets back in the 80's and 90's. The quality on the black ones was just pathetic.

Mark

Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 07-31-2019, 03:56 PM:

Anything that looks like an XL has a severe oil problem when nearly level. 5 degree up or down helps a lot (see manual for sight gauge settings). The problem has always been the 2 return-oil-holes at the bottom of the main drive bearing. I saved my XLs for steep pitch theatres.