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Author
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Topic: Align-A-Tron 101 - How to use with a Century/Monee Turret?
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Matt Close
Expert Film Handler
![](http://www.film-tech.com/ubbmembers/996.jpg)
Posts: 226
From: Hervey Bay, QLD, Australia
Registered: Sep 2001
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posted 02-04-2003 02:38 AM
I am shortly to receive my Align-O-Tron from Greg, and my mind is dancing with the wonderful improvements I hope to make .... however.... I got to thinking, with a Century/Monee turret system (The one currently pictured in Brad's 'Strong Turret Tips' thread) and all it's various adjustments, how could you 'really' be sure that your lens holder is in true 'square' alignment with the centre of the film-trap? Surely you would have to check this before even starting to play with lamphouse alignment... yes?
As far as getting a centre spot to aim at, most suggest using a aperture plate with a hole .... but how do you know the aperture plate holder is adjusted dead centre? .... I thought of perhaps threading up some PA35, guessing the up/down position and aiming for that ..... but neither of these methods would account for all the turret/lens holder adjustments.
How could I be sure the centre of the laser is aiming 'squarely' at whatever centre marker I choose to use? i.e. How can you be sure the lens holder is perfectly perpendicular to the film plane? I may be able to place the laser spot on the centre marker, but it could originate from anywhere.... and with the short range involved, I doubt I would be able to see any elliptical spread in one direction..... so, the mind boggles. Perhaps I am a complete dumbass, and there is a dead simple way to do this ..... if so, don't flame me guys.
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Matt Close
Expert Film Handler
![](http://www.film-tech.com/ubbmembers/996.jpg)
Posts: 226
From: Hervey Bay, QLD, Australia
Registered: Sep 2001
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posted 02-04-2003 06:27 PM
Well ... I am thinking the PA35 is going to be more the go for me ..... but I will mark a blank aperture plate with a dead centre vertical 'line' using a metal scribe, so I can adjust framing to that.
In those surreal, blurry moments between being asleep and awake this morning ..... you know what I'm talking about ...... when I seem to have some of me best ideas, I had this one. I haven't played with lasers very much, but what if I polished up a blank aperture plate? .. Would it be reflective enough to reflect the laser back so I could see where it was aimed.....then adjust the turret's locked position to send the laser back on itself? If that were possible to do, I should then have the turret parallel with the film plane, and be able to adjust the lens mount, and turret stop positions to line up with the PA35, and the scribe line in the aperture plate..... I hope
As an afterthought, Manny ... can you try your Align-O-Tron with a bit of PA35 laced up, and maybe a blank plate if you have one, and tell me if it 'does' reflect a visible spot back to the turret..... thanks.
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