Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: New Gaskets For Simplex And RCA Soundhead Gearboxes

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Topic: New Gaskets For Simplex And RCA Soundhead Gearboxes

Will Kutler
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1506
From: Tucson, AZ, USA
Registered: Feb 2001

posted 08-17-2002 06:23 PM

Ok gang...

Now that I am working full time as a die maker...I have a proposition for everyone.

I came across some gasket material that should work beautifully for RCA and Simplex Soundheads. It is 1/32 rubber/fiber gasket material for auto engine applications (water, gas and oil). Anyhow, this material should work much better than the existing material...(knowing how everyone LOVES leaking gearboxes)!

Anyhow, If I get enough interest, I will go ahead and make the dies to cut them out...and can run them at work.

If I get enough interest, the cost should be not much more than the gaskets currently on the market, but I have not done any cost sheets, yet. Depends on how much interest I get...

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Paul G. Thompson
The Weenie Man

Posts: 4718
From: Mount Vernon WA USA
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 08-17-2002 06:30 PM

One thing to be concerned about: The RCA-1040/1050 sound heads don't have a complete gearbox, as part of the gearbox is actually the soundhead casting. The gasket may be too thick to allow for proper end play of the shafts, thereby causing a mis-alignment. It might be a good idea to try one first before you go to press on them.

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Mark Gulbrandsen
Resident Trollmaster

Posts: 16657
From: Music City
Registered: Jun 99

posted 08-17-2002 07:54 PM

Will, another thing you HAVE to watch is Gasket thickness. Too thick of material is bad for proper clearances between the bearing caps and main housing. I juat rebuilt a gearbox yesterday with some OS Simplex gaskets and they are extremely thin for the bearing caps, the main housing gaskets are also thin, but not sure on actual thickness. The Housing gasket I used was a Wolk gasket and was really just a bit too thick IMHO. The sort that you talk about would be nice though.

Do the Simplex, and RCA stuff first!! You'll sell some of those right off the bat. BTW, the gaskets for the 4 star and XL-type gear boxes are exactly the same. Worry about the others after you make your first million!
Mark

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Pete Lawrence
Expert Film Handler

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

posted 08-17-2002 08:14 PM

Will has a good idea here. I wasn't to happy with a RCA 1040 gear box gasket I got form Wolk some time ago, so I hand cut one from a material similar to what Will described. Got a small roll of the stuff at the local auto parts store. Works great. The "original" that I replaced measures about 0.032" where it wasn't squeezed and about 0.020" where it was compressed for many years.

Will, you might consider doing the round gaskets for the shaft ends also. These are a slightly thinner material however. About 0.015" after being squeezed.

The last ones I got from Wolk were a shrunken paper material that really didn't fit right.

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Will Kutler
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1506
From: Tucson, AZ, USA
Registered: Feb 2001

posted 08-19-2002 03:53 PM

Pete, Paul and Mark....

I will get in touch with the material manufacturer to see what thicknesses this material comes in, and what it "crushes" down to.

Maybe you guys, or Pat Moore, can supply me with the approperiate data regarding gasket thickness for proper shaft alignment.

And yes, I can make the dies to cut all the gaskets...

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Josh Jones
Redhat

Posts: 1207
From: Plano, TX
Registered: Apr 2000

posted 08-19-2002 11:54 PM

well then perhaps you could make me some new oil pump gaskets

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Harry Robinson
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 155
From: Franklin Tennessee
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 08-20-2002 12:11 AM

Will, count me in. I'd like to see if it's possible to have my 1040 running without any leakage.

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Paul G. Thompson
The Weenie Man

Posts: 4718
From: Mount Vernon WA USA
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 08-20-2002 02:35 AM

Harry, the only time the 1040's, 1050's, 9030's, 9050's and the Simplex SH10** didn't leak is when they were sittin' on the shelf. And, that's because there was nothing in them.

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Mark Gulbrandsen
Resident Trollmaster

Posts: 16657
From: Music City
Registered: Jun 99

posted 08-20-2002 09:33 AM

Actually bearing caps with seals would also be a good idea. One could add more oil to the box and use a level tube like on the Pro 35.
About double or triple the amount of oil in them would help alot.
Mark

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Paul G. Thompson
The Weenie Man

Posts: 4718
From: Mount Vernon WA USA
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 08-21-2002 09:43 PM

Mark:

I don't think sealed bearings would do the trick unless they were a press fit on the shafts.

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Harry Robinson
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 155
From: Franklin Tennessee
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 08-22-2002 12:22 AM

Paul, the old 1040 has been running great since I rebuilt it. But you know, it wouldn't suck to not have to oil the damn thing every time I use it. The problem is if I change out to a 9050 (and there is one available to me at a reasonable cost) I'll also have to change out my pedestal. And while I'm at it I might as well find an XL. It's kind of a pandora's box. The fact is, I'm grateful for what I've got.

By the way Paul, love the new picture. Wait, it keeps changing!

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Josh Jones
Redhat

Posts: 1207
From: Plano, TX
Registered: Apr 2000

posted 08-22-2002 12:37 AM

Harry, what kind of pedestal do you have?

Josh

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Dick Prather
Master Film Handler

Posts: 259
From: Portland, OR, USA
Registered: Feb 2002

posted 08-22-2002 03:20 AM

Most of the gearbox soundheads did seep a little oil but if set up correctly not much. In addition to proper gasket thickness you need the proper weight oil to the correct height. Never above the holdback sprocket shaft or it will leak every time. Sometimes you can't trust the mark on the oil sight glass. Correct oil slingers in the proper places. RCA has a couple of different sized ones. Nothing wrong with a 1040-70 series soundheads if kept up. Flywheel version being better such as 1050-60 soundheads. They use the same gears and pinion as the 9030-50's. Remember the 1040 mount is the same as Simplex or Century soundheads.

I used to by "no leak kits" for soundheads which included all gaskets and screws from Perke Industries in Chicago then he moved to Arizona. He had a gasket with a tar like look inside that sealed real good. Mark, I don't know if you remember him or not. The only problem was his thickness on Simplex gaskets which are very thin and do make a difference in shaft play. His were like RCA gaskest and did not work. I think he went out of business several years ago.

I would also be interested in seeing what gaskets you come up with.

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Gordon McLeod
Film God

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

posted 08-22-2002 09:10 AM

I have often wondered about the century/simplex soundhead mounting as one thing I have found that when ever I put a century soundhead on a Simplex base the projector head is too low to align with the lamphouse yet with a Ballantyne 7 or any simplex it is usuall smack on or close enough that the minimal adjustment simplex allowed for could get it within the ball park

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Paul G. Thompson
The Weenie Man

Posts: 4718
From: Mount Vernon WA USA
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 08-22-2002 05:13 PM

Mark, I mis-read your post.

If seals are included in the bearing caps, there would be no need to have press-fit bearings on the shafts.

Paul

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