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Topic: Perf. Fixer help needed

Mike Heenan
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1896
From: Scottsdale, AZ, USA
Registered: Mar 2000

posted 06-02-2001 04:41 PM

Hi all, I just got in one of the small perf. fixing things called a Cinebug, but I cannot really figure out how to use it. Does anyone have one of these? Also, another question I have is that I have a reel of an older film which has some weak sprocket spots throughout the entire reel, is there any place that can professionally repair the sprockets on the entire reel? Thanks.

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Ken Layton
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1452
From: Olympia, Wash. USA
Registered: Sep 1999

posted 06-02-2001 07:09 PM

Mike:

Email me at KLayton888@aol.com with your snail mail address and I'll send you a photocopy of the operating booklet. It's only a few pages long.

Larry Urbanski sells supplies for the Cinebug. I think his website is listed on Film-Center or 16mmfilms.com

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John Pytlak
Film God

Posts: 9987
From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922
Registered: Jan 2000

posted 06-03-2001 07:08 AM

Mike said: "I have a reel of an older film which has some weak sprocket spots throughout the entire reel, is there any place that can professionally repair the sprockets on the entire reel?"

A reel full of worn or damaged perforations would probably be repaired in the same way you intend to do it --- with the Cinebug or Perf-Fix tape.

For those who aren't familiar with these devices, they applied a special narrow perforated adhesive tape to only the perforation area of the film, so torn perfs could be reinforced without tape being visible in the projected image.
http://members.tripod.com/~Moviecraft/supplies.html

------------------
John P. Pytlak, Senior Technical Specialist
Worldwide Technical Services, Entertainment Imaging
Eastman Kodak Company
Research Labs, Building 69, Room 7419
Rochester, New York, 14650-1922 USA
Tel: 716-477-5325 Cell: 716-781-4036 Fax: 716-722-7243
E-Mail: john.pytlak@kodak.com
Web site: http://www.kodak.com/go/motion

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Mark Gulbrandsen
Resident Trollmaster

Posts: 16657
From: Music City
Registered: Jun 99

posted 06-03-2001 07:36 AM

Don't waste your time or money for Perf-Fix tape. It usually provides only a marginal service and sometimes will fail to work at all. Unless this is an irreplacable reel of film it is a waste of time and costs allot of money. I've always regarded Perf-Fix as an invention similar to the chrome plated muffler bearing.
Mark @ GTS

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Mike Heenan
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1896
From: Scottsdale, AZ, USA
Registered: Mar 2000

posted 06-03-2001 03:21 PM

I'll have to agree with you Mark, after playing around with this thing, its pretty hard to get it to work the way it's supposed to. The film isnt rare one of a kind, so hopefully either an odd reel with show up, or someone can point me to a lab that has a professional machine that will do this.

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Darryl Spicer
Film God

Posts: 3250
From: Lexington, KY, USA
Registered: Dec 2000

posted 06-03-2001 04:05 PM

The cinebug is a waste of time and money. I used this thing years ago when I would get a film with sprocket damage. After a few runs the tape would start coming back off so I just spend extra time and try to use splicing tape. It is stronger and does not peal away.

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Brad Miller
Administrator

Posts: 17775
From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall)
Registered: May 99

posted 06-03-2001 04:11 PM

Get a long table, say 8 feet long and lay a strip of film on it and tape the ends down so it will not move and is pulled taught. Then get yourself some Hudson Photographic clear splicing tape and lay a strip from one end to the other, where the edge of the tape is where the dts timecode track would normally lie and tape it down to the film and table. Then use an exacto knife and slit the edge of the tape flush with the edge of the film. Repeat for the other side and then punch that section with a good splicer. It takes some time, but this technique does work pretty well. I've tried other kinds of tape and was only pleased with the Hudson for repairing sprockets. The Neumade is too thick and the other brands of tape I tried do not have a clean enough slit on the edges and can cause noise in the soundtrack, lines on the projected left edge of the picture or stick in the gate.

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Pete Lawrence
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 192
From: Middleburg, PA
Registered: Aug 1999

posted 06-04-2001 12:12 AM

I've had good luck with the clear perf-fix tape on both 35mm and 16mm. It sticks well and is resistant to most cleaners. The white stuff is worthless. Brad seems to have found an alternative method with regular splicing tape, and it's much cheaper than using the real perf-fix tape. If the tape is applied to the base side of the print, what difference does it make as to how thick it is? It may be a little noiser in the gate, but it shouldn't have any effect on screen.

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Brad Miller
Administrator

Posts: 17775
From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall)
Registered: May 99

posted 06-04-2001 12:47 AM

The thicker tape like Neumade's can throw off the focus.

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Jeff Taylor
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 601
From: Chatham, NJ/East Hampton, NY
Registered: Apr 2000

posted 06-04-2001 08:11 AM

Ever gotten in a print with major sections of perf repair where the adhesive has leached out and stuck the adjacent layers of film together? That's a wonderful experience! I haven't tried a Cinebug, but I've tried using perf tape with a long block with registration pins and on balance root canal is more fun--especially with older film that has some shrinkage. I'll vote for Brad's method, or for just a few torn sprockets just give in and make a series of splices (without cutting the film, obviously) next to eachother. It holds up much better with two layers of tape although it does show on the screen.

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Barry Hans
Film Handler

Posts: 92
From: Minneapolis, MN, USA
Registered: May 2000

posted 06-04-2001 04:34 PM

Many years ago I had a relief operator use perfix on the edge of a old worn out trailer for a film we would only show during christmas. I came in the following day and ran the trailer before the feature and heard a "zinging" sound. I walked over and opened the projector door and the perfix tape was spewing out at me! That was my first and last experience with the stuuf.

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Ron Crookham
Film Handler

Posts: 6
From: Las Vegas, NV, USA
Registered: Jun 2001

posted 07-19-2001 07:31 PM

Brad, Do you have a source for the Hudson Photographic Repair tape?
What splicer do you recommend to open the perfs?

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John Pytlak
Film God

Posts: 9987
From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922
Registered: Jan 2000

posted 07-19-2001 09:45 PM

A few vendors of HPI Splicing Tape:
http://www.modernsoundpictures.com/FrameFilmSupplies-118-119.html
http://www.chamblesscineequip.com/catalog/editing.htm
http://philfilm.simplenet.com/supplies.htm

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Gordon McLeod
Film God

Posts: 9532
From: Toronto Ontario Canada
Registered: Jun 99

posted 07-19-2001 09:50 PM

Entertainment Equipment Corp is Hudson dealer
1 800 448 1656

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Mike Heenan
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1896
From: Scottsdale, AZ, USA
Registered: Mar 2000

posted 07-20-2001 12:15 AM

Is this HPI tape supposed to cover the entire frame? Im looking for good tape with Brad's method of fixing it, just fixing the sprockets, because my problem reel is some extensive. Ive searched out several labs, all have which come up nothing, other than they offer inspection services, and fixing with splicing tape, which I can do myself.

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