Weber Syncrofilm Model E

[Rich Haddard]

there were also some 16mm projectors (I think Victor Animatograph?) that used a similar design that remained in use long enough that it would wear down to the point that it became a problem. On all of the ones I've seen, they were relieved in the center to protect the picture area, with only the edges dragging across the surface. Eventually the sides wear down to the point that the picture can contact the relieved portion, and then you're scratching it to hell.

I have 60 years of experience with Victor Animatograph (and later Kalart-Victor) projectors and a collection of a couple dozen examples of same from the mid 1930s into the 1980s. My first job as a teenager was at a dealer doing repairs and overhauls mostly for school systems. I've never seen the wear condition you describe on the "sound drum" and assuming it is possible, spare parts for these machines were always readily available.

[Jesse Crooks]

Did the Victor Animatographs use the style of a fixed stabilizer being discussed, rather than rotary? If so, then I remembered it correctly and was told by my friend who was a major collector that he had seen them in that condition. He brought it up in a conversation while I was restoring an early 30s soundhead with a similar style.

[Tj Hopland]

I wasn't around Victor's much so I can't comment on those. The Model E I saw up close 30 some years ago it had worn the raised areas flat and there was a wear mark starting across the whole surface. Just now I got to wondering if maybe they made it round so you could just rotate it to a new surface? But that would require more holes for the light to pass through which I don't recall it having.

[Mark Gulbrandsen]

I wasn't around Victor's much so I can't comment on those. The Model E I saw up close 30 some years ago it had worn the raised areas flat and there was a wear mark starting across the whole surface. Just now I got to wondering if maybe they made it round so you could just rotate it to a new surface? But that would require more holes for the light to pass through which I don't recall it having.

The proper way would have been to at least have made it from high grade tool steel, and then harden it. Better et, had chrome on top of that. But from the factory as it was made though, it was likely an inexpensive part and cheap to replace.

[Gordon McLeod]

The round fixed drum was found in several other early soundheads such as some of the early WE/NE soundheads and CTR and others