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Topic: Kelmar Film Cleaner Trouble

James R. Hammonds, Jr
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 931
From: Houston, TX, USA
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 08-22-2001 01:02 AM

I have a Kelmar Film Cleaner that has trouble turning.

The rubber bands on the big roller were old and cracked, so I replaced them, but it still has trouble turning.

I opened the cleaner up and found that there was grease all over the gears and chain.

I have other cleaners that are different only because the casing for the gears and chain is smaller on them, and after opening those, I found that the gears and chain looked as if the were just oiled slightly.

Could it be that the grease is causing the gears to stick at a certain point and i should just get all the grease off?

If so, how do I get all the grease off without taking the whole thing apart since some parts of it are hard to reach?

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Brad Miller
Administrator

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

posted 08-22-2001 01:35 AM

First question, after tightening down the thumbscrews, can you spin the core freely or is it tight on the takeup shaft?

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Aaron Sisemore
Flaming Ribs beat Reeses Peanut Butter Cups any day!

Posts: 3061
From: Rockwall TX USA
Registered: Sep 1999

posted 08-22-2001 02:14 AM

Brad, i think that James is trying to explain that the big roller is siezing up. I have had several Kelmar and Christie cleaners do exactly the same thing, and the only thing I can think of to remedy the situation is to clean, relube, and alter the tension of the film going around the big roller in some fashion, usually by adding a roller into the film path before the cleaner.

Aaron

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James R. Hammonds, Jr
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 931
From: Houston, TX, USA
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 08-22-2001 01:29 PM

Yes, it is the big roller.

I can spin it by handn but it siezes up at the same point each time, which leads me to believe that it might be something with the gears inside.

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Brad Miller
Administrator

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

posted 08-22-2001 02:15 PM

Ah, again I was reading too fast.

Has the cleaner been dropped? A sure way to tell is when you turn the main drive wheel by hand is if it turns straight or crooked. If it turns crooked you can use a rubber mallet to hammer it back into shape. Frequently this will solve the problem alone.

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Randy Stankey
Film God

Posts: 6539
From: Erie, Pennsylvania
Registered: Jun 99

posted 08-22-2001 03:35 PM

If the rubber rings around the big drive wheel on your film cleaner are starting to dry out and crack, thus losing their grip on the film, you can take a Q-Tip® soaked in FilmGuard and wipe it on there. It'll rejuvenate the rubber a little bit and make it grip again.

At least it'll make your cleaner work long enough to allow you time to order new rubber rings.

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Aaron Sisemore
Flaming Ribs beat Reeses Peanut Butter Cups any day!

Posts: 3061
From: Rockwall TX USA
Registered: Sep 1999

posted 08-22-2001 04:57 PM

Randy: He said that he DID change the rubber O-rings already.

Aaron

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Steve Guttag
We forgot the crackers Gromit!!!

Posts: 12814
From: Annapolis, MD
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 08-22-2001 06:17 PM

One of the many changes Kelmar has done to the Film cleaner over the years was to fatten up the film drive shaft....the older ones were rather thin and could be bent easily, as Brad said. That is the only thing I have seen that will cause the the film not to have enough torque to turn the drive wheel.

The solution is to straighten it! The shaft runs in oil-lite bearings (and don't remove the grease from inside...you may also notice that your older unit has larger pitch gears than the newer ones). I also recommend getting some thin oil in the bearings. You might be able to straighten the shaft or you may need to replace it...there are 3 shafts so be sure to get the correct one (There is the current one, old-style Kelmar, and Christie (it is longer to accept the knob used on the Christie version).

Steve

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"Old projectionists never die, they just changeover!"

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