Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: What to do with old equipment?

This is topic What to do with old equipment? in forum Digital Cinema Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Ronda Fitzsimmons (Member # 1418) on 01-10-2013, 10:05 AM:

As I'm looking through the lists of things to deal with for digital conversion, one I haven't seen on the boards is what folks are doing with the old equipment, other than Regal trashing it.

I've found a market for the old sound equipment, and a possible market for the old rectifiers. Anyone have ideas on the projectors, soundheads, lamphouses, and platters?

Posted by Matthew McBride (Member # 6598) on 01-10-2013, 10:26 AM:

Depending on who actually owns the equipment, one of the things you can do is try to sell the projectors, platters etc. for scrap metal. You can try posting the equipment on here in the classifieds, if you choose to go that route, make sure to read the rules carefully. One other possibility is to donate them to an art house or a college or a museum depending on what condition they are in.

Posted by Jeff Taylor (Member # 443) on 01-10-2013, 10:29 AM:

Also try the 35mm Film Collectors Forum (Jeff Joseph's site). Lots of people lurk there looking for equipment. 16mmfilmtalk also has a 35mm section.

Posted by Dennis Benjamin (Member # 1137) on 01-10-2013, 12:10 PM:

We called a scrap yard, they sent someone out to pick it up. Paid us some money, not much.

Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 01-10-2013, 12:15 PM:

You can always sell the lenses and other small items on Ebay. These and the sound equipment will probably get you more money than the rest of the equipment combined.

I would suggest offering the projectos, bases, platters, automations, etc. to other theatres (possibly through the FS forum here).

At the very least, save the lenses, intermittents, lamphouse reflectors (if good), platter motors, and any NOS parts that are lying around. Someone has a use for these items.

Posted by Jim Cassedy (Member # 4115) on 01-10-2013, 01:13 PM:

Landfill

Posted by Stephen Furley (Member # 1277) on 01-10-2013, 02:24 PM:

If you've got room for it, keep it and show film with it from time to time?

Posted by Martin McCaffery (Member # 37) on 01-10-2013, 03:58 PM:

If you have a non-profit art theatre [cough-cough] nearby, see if they can use the equipment for spares. You can get a tax-deduction out of it.

Posted by Jack Theakston (Member # 4484) on 01-10-2013, 04:28 PM:

Those in the Central New York region should contact me about the possibility of donation for tax write-off.

Posted by Frank Cox (Member # 6258) on 01-10-2013, 04:53 PM:

I gave all of my film equipment away to a community-owned theatre on the condition that they would come and pick it up on the day that I said it was ready to go. Which they did -- a guy came with a truck and enclosed trailer and helped haul everything out on the day after I played my last movie on film.

Posted by Jock Blakley (Member # 6552) on 01-10-2013, 05:17 PM:

I agree with Scott - try to keep or sell or at least keep from scrap as much as you can, with particular reference to sound equipment and anything that could be used as a spare part. As long as there are repertory prints, or even private collectors, there are going to be people trying to show them and they'll be needing to keep their machines in good condition.

Posted by Bernie Anderson Jr (Member # 410) on 01-10-2013, 05:50 PM:

I know a handful of places in the NJ area that could give you a tax deduction too.

Keep or sell lenses, intermittents. There will still be places that will show film. I know MoMA will not be dropping their film shows anytime soon.

Posted by Gavin Lewarne (Member # 5397) on 01-10-2013, 07:02 PM:

We badly needed to change our 2 changeover westars (totally knackered) and got a complete long play vic5, lenses, spares, spools and rectifier from another cinema going all-digital.

The vic5 had 17!! hours on it from manufacture, and we got everything for an amazing price. It actually cost us more for the install and electrical rewire than the projector.

As a small independent, was a godsend.........Id ask around the local independents and arthouses before calling the scrap people. This deal saved us an incredible amount of cash compared to other options, as although we ourselves are now 90% digital screenings, we will continue to play older films, specials and private hires whenever we can