I have not had the fortune to work with but I can pretty much guarantee I'd like:
-Kinoton (current series)

I can somewhat tolerate but they have serious design flaws:
-Simplex (current models; bad sound drum design with the rubber PTR-thingy, it leaks oil which is always mega-lame, and it is a bit cramped and can be a pain to work on)
-Cinemeccanica (easy to thread and great in concept, but lousy registration)

I do not like:
-Brenkert (Sue me. I just don't like 'em. If you want to emulate the Brenkert experience, open up a can of oil and dump it onto the floor. They are also cramped and I do not like the soundhead design)
-Norelco (Sue me again. I've only threaded one of these two or three times, but it is a pain in the ass. Also there is NO REASON for them to be so huge!)

I have not worked with but know I would hate:
-Ballantyne
-Christie's funky new PG35GPS that has not been released

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I Don Not like
Brenkert (s) Leak oil a bitch to repair
Motiograph K's
Wassman
FPSuper7's
GK21's
Bauers
Christie's
Super Simplex

Projectors I think I would like but haven't used
Westrex7000
Aga Baltic

Machines I have worked with and like

Century SA/MSA/DA
Century H/HH STRAIGHT GATE
Simplex XL/1015/1050 with and without turrets
Simplex E-7
Brenkert BX-60
Brenkert BX-80
Motiograph AAA

Machines I have seen in operation but never used that I would like:

Norelco AAII/DP70
Norelco/Kinoton DP75
Century JJ
Any of the newer Kinoton machines
Ernemann
CFS Dreamcatcher prototype version
IMAX
MegaSystems 15/70
Westar

Machines I have seen/seen operating but I probably wouldn't like:

Any model Christie
CFS Dreamcatcher production version

Machines I have worked with that I cannot stand:

Cinecita SA
Monee MSP
Cinemeccanica Victoria 8
Super Simplex
Century H/HH CURVED GATE
Norelco FP20

The jury is still out:

Ballantyne Pro-35
Tokiwa TSR

-Aaron

Projectors I would have loved 50 years ago:
Brenkerts BX60 (Their time has passed)

Projectors I can live with but don't love:
Century (The entire group)(They work very well)

Projectors that belong in a museum:
Norelco AAII (I mean they should be running in a museum)

Projectors that I covet:
Kinoton FP60D

Bastard Projector:
Strong/Simplex 35/70 (They couldn't even get the gate to soundhead distance correct!)

The Projector that I hate:
Ballantyne Pro35/70 (In 35mm configuration)

Gordon, the Motiographs are nice machines, but I never liked the sound of them. The movement sounds like someone wiping their butt with a corn cob.

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Thats all folks.

They dont leak an unreasonable amount of oil, and I dont find them that hard to work on. Besides, when was the last time one of these machines did need something done to it? they just keep running, and running.

In the mean time, I have to keep a Simplex 35/70 running(and you guys are bitching about the regular XL being cramped!)

Projectors I have not worked with yet, but have a strong feeling I would fall in love with...
*Kinoton's current line

Projectors I have not worked with enough to make a decision on...
*Cinemecannica V8
*Cinemecannica V10

Projectors I have not worked with, but am fairly positive I will not like...
*Brenkert
*Ernemann

Projectors I do not like...
*Simplex (all models - no exceptions until they fix the soundhead design)
*Ballantyne PRO 35
*Cinecita
*Monee
*Norelco AA2/DP70 (like Joe said "sue me"! I used to have one of these beasts in my screening room and dearly hated the damn thing. I could write an essay on all the stupid things about this machine. The only part I liked about it was how it handled 70mm film. Everything else is a joke. I have no idea why people love this machine so much.)

*...and finally, any projector not still in production. That right there really does say something. If the design was so wonderful, they would still be in production today.

It is a machine that stayed happy as long as you kept oil in it. They were, for many years, a projector of choice in 3rd and 4th run houses. You could run just about anything through that machine from stick pins to staples, and it would not jump out of frame.

If you guys had some factory spec brand new Brenkerts, you would love them. True, they can be a bitch to work on, but that hardly ever happened until the machine finally reached the age of 40 years or so. Most of those problems were because of snagged shutters due to arc-lamp heat warping, or someone ran the damned thing out of oil.

I have to say I had 4 Brenkert BX-60's at the old Circus Drive-in in Anacortes. None of them leaked oil because we had orginal Brenkert Gaskets instead of that cheap shit made today. At the Station Theater at NAS Whidbey, we had 2 BX-80's before the USN converted to 16mm. The left machine never leaked oil, but the right one did because of a screwed up pump cover gasket.

Century C/SA/JJ
Simplex X-L/PR-1014

I have worked with and have mixed feelings about:

Cinemeccanica V5

I have not worked with but think I would like:

Kinoton (current models)

I have not worked with but think I would not like:

Christie gearless

I have not worked with but would like to someday:

Norelco AA-II

Westar 2001s. They were running in my cinema for 32 years without a single mechanical failure. They were as good as new when I sold them with reconditioned intermittent assemblies.

The very best Westar 2001 specials I worked with was in London, being the water cooled gates and rear double shutters model.

I also liked:

The Philips DP70, for the experience of running 70mm.

Philips (Kineton) FP 20s.

I would like to work on any good new projector, including the newer Christie, but there are no Christie installations in the UK I believe.

I have enjoyed working on most projectors during my other freelance days, with the exception of certain features e.g. aperture plate changing method etc.

BTH model KB, I thought was their best.
BTH Mk 1 & 2 Supa’s.
Kalee 7, 20, 21, 37s.
RCA.
Ross GC3.
Super Simplex.

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