I stopped the show, took off the side panel and could see that the shutter was out of time. So I grabbed my Allen wrenches and tried to loosen the shutter so I could turn it. I discover that I could move the shutter on the shaft without loosening the Allen screws. So I retimed it and tried to tighten the screws. I had difficulty figuring out which Allen wrench to use. It seemed to be in-between sizes. So I just closed the side cover and got on with the show.

Next stop is the hardware store to buy the best, most expensive set of Allen wrenches I can find, with the balls on the end so I can do it an angle.

I've noticed that the shutter will always rock back and forth a little tiny bit even when super tight on the shaft (it is actually the shaft rocking back and forth). I usually only have to loosen one of the allen screws before I can rotate the shutter around (the screw closest towards you). When you get it all set, spin the flywheel back slowly so the screw is at a more accessible angle and tighten it down as you hold the shutter with the other hand so it doesn't spin. Oh and before you do ANY of this be sure to re-center the shutter knob on the top of the projector. Once you get everything closed back up you will probably have to adjust with that knob ever so slightly anyway.

You'll find they come in VERY handy for doing things like working on shutters, etc. The extra long reach makes the job a LOT easier. You can flex the tool just a bit if you need to get at a screw that's at an angle.

One thing to watch out for with the ball end wrenches. The "neck", just above the ball is a weak point which increases the likelihood that the tool will break. Of course, Murphy's Law says it will break at the most inopportune time, in the most inopportune place. I learned the hard way. There's a screw in the gate of a Century that still has a broken wrench stuck in it to this day.

Geez! I hope nobody ever has to adjust that gate!

I'm just hoping that somebody hasn't stripped out the head of that set screw. It OUGHT to be a SAE.
Most of the time when I find a loose shutter loosening it, rotating it on the shaft and tightening it again takes care of it. If the screw has lost its "bite" on the shaft this will give it something to grip.

I bought the ball-headed ones only to have two of the balls break in the first month, therefore I strongly recommend the allan wrenches with no balls.

Guess I was a real ball-breaker.

Ahem.

Here's a URL to one vendor's Series 99 line of hand tools (not sure if they've been given the Barbara Feldon Seal of Approval).
http://shop.store.yahoo.com/tmt/ser99intool.html

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Cheers,
PJ Dougherty

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I'm pretty sure you've got it now. How old is that machine? I'm surprised about the cracked collar on the shutter...

Glad it all worked out.

This is actually the second time I have had to replace a shutter. In both cases the old shutter was a two piece adjustable shutter and was replaced with a one piece shutter. I'm sure adjustable shutters were for drive-in theatres or places where they were trying to maximize light output. But with our 10 X 24 foot screens we don't need to worry about light output. We got too much and we like it.