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Author Topic: Understanding Century model codes Matt Hale Expert Film Handler Posts: 123 From: Vancouver, Canada Registered: Dec 2002 posted 03-26-2003 12:39 AM                        I have just inherited a pair of Centurys. The maker's plates say model DAW. D I know denotes a double shutter, and A is the series (these ones are pre 1976) but what does W stand for? Watercooled? How much would these differ from the model SA (1975) which is listed in the manuals section? And exactly how rusty does a Century have to be before its a write-off? Thanks.  |  IP: Logged Aaron Sisemore Flaming Ribs beat Reeses Peanut Butter Cups any day! Posts: 3061 From: Rockwall TX USA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 03-26-2003 12:44 AM                     You got it, the 'W' refers to a water cooled gate. The SA manual should have addenda for the SAW and DAW versions (the water jacket and double shutter gearing are the only differences from a standard SA) in it. it would have to be pretty bad to be 'written off' as the main things that would rust (trap bands, gate shoe, sprockets, bearings) are readily and cheaply replaceable compared to obtaining another projector head. -Aaron  |  IP: Logged Randy Bowden Expert Film Handler Posts: 146 From: Portland, OR, USA Registered: Aug 2000 posted 03-26-2003 02:39 PM                     Here is my understanding of the century codes. "D" stands for direct drive(this is where the projector drives the soundhead). "S" stands for Standard drive. "A" is the model. Most double shutter machines have a "2" after the numerical listing, for instance DAW-2 stands for direct drive A water cooled with double shutter. A JJ-2 would be a double shutter 35/70 machine. Sometimes you see a "T" for Turret machines.  |  IP: Logged Robert Throop Master Film Handler Posts: 412 From: Vernon, NY USA Registered: Jun 99 posted 03-26-2003 03:56 PM                     D is double shutter, S is single shutter, M is direct drive and W is water cooled.  |  IP: Logged Matt Hale Expert Film Handler Posts: 123 From: Vancouver, Canada Registered: Dec 2002 posted 03-26-2003 07:22 PM                        Thanks, guys. Now that I've had a closer look at them they are indeed watercooled. Heres another question for you... Now that one of the demolition contractors has rolled one of the units down the booth staircase and dropped it off the end of the balcony, breaking it into more pieces than I can count, how much should I be demanding from him as a replacement cost? What he broke was: Xetron XHC-35 console Xetron Maxi-7 automation Century DAW projector Century R3-E soundhead w/ kelmar solar cell  |  IP: Logged Aaron Sisemore Flaming Ribs beat Reeses Peanut Butter Cups any day! Posts: 3061 From: Rockwall TX USA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 03-26-2003 10:01 PM                     quote: DAW-2 stands for direct drive A water cooled with double shutter. Incorrect. MDAW2 would be the direct-drive version. quote: D is double shutter, S is single shutter I have also seen these codes listed as meaning Drive-in and Standard (indoor) as there are the 'double-letter' models such as CC, HH, and JJ that the double letters refer to the double shutter variation. Also on Century soundheads (actually reproducers, hence the 'R' designation), the ones with the 'T' prefix (TR3, TR4) had a transistor preamp in them. -Aaron  |  IP: Logged Dick Prather Master Film Handler Posts: 259 From: Portland, OR, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 03-27-2003 12:06 AM                     When all is said and done all the code means is what the projector came from the factory as and perhaps not what it is now. I have seen the codes explained in one of the parts manuals. I have rebuilt ones that seemed to have more letters then serial numbers. They all left as rebuilt SA's. Water cooled stuff was left in. The 1975 manual in the manual's section would probably work just fine. You haven't told us how bad your Century's really are. Aaron was quite correct in saying unless you have a really bad corrosion or badly rusted steel such as the intermittent, trap, etc. most all parts are availible. Trap and gate parts can be had from people who updated them to Kelmar turrets. Find an old C for a lot of parts and so on.  |  IP: Logged Matt Hale Expert Film Handler Posts: 123 From: Vancouver, Canada Registered: Dec 2002 posted 03-27-2003 12:33 AM                        Well, the original plan was to run changeovers, but now that we're down to just one I guess that wont be happening. I had just reached the conclusion that they were worth rebuilding. The one thats left has been sitting disused for about 10 years now, in an abandoned theatre with a bad roof leak. Most of the exposed metal parts (sprockets, etc...) are rusted on the surface but not enough to jam. Water has gotten into the back side and mixed with the oil, forming a sticky gunk all over the shafts and gears, but the mechanism has not siezed yet. I can still turn it with a bit of extra force on the flywheel. I think if it was taken right apart and some sort of industrial degreaser applied, it would probably clean up. I am fairly sure the water was drained out of the cooling lines when it was shut down, so I dont expect they're any more rusted than the rest of it. Unfortuneatley, the one that got heaved was the better condition of the two.  |  IP: Logged Justin West Master Film Handler Posts: 271 From: Peoria, IL, USA Registered: Jul 2001 posted 03-27-2003 10:07 PM                     Matt: I tell ya, the SA isn't that much different from the older "C" models and I, a novice, have broken down, cleaned, replaced parts, and reassembled several C projector heads. That's the nice thing about these Centurys, simplicity in repair.  |  IP: Logged System Notices Forum Watchdog / Soup Nazi Posts: 215 Registered: Apr 2004 posted 04-23-2004 07:31 AM                 It has been 392 days since the last post.  |  IP: Logged Scott Norwood Film God Posts: 8146 From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 04-23-2004 07:31 AM                        Bump. Random useless trivia question: do Century serial numbers start anew from "100" for each sub-model? I know that the serial numbers for the C, SA, and JJ models are in a different series (e.g. you can have JJ #101 and also SA #101), but is the same true for, say, SA vs. SAW vs. MSA vs. etc.? I have "MSA" (and R-3) #952 and 953, which were originally purchased in 1970 (I have the shipping and delivery paperwork). In the past, I've worked with "MSA/2" #150 and 151, which were older by at least a few years (they had the H-style gate/trap). Did Century only sell 802 type "SA" projectors (and all variants) during that time period, or did the serial numbers start anew for the "MSA" and "MSA/2" series? (Does the question even make sense? ) Also, according to the paperwork, these were originally purchased with the "Century 67 Sound System"; I've never heard of this before. Does anyone know what it is (was?)?  |  IP: Logged John Pytlak Film God Posts: 9987 From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922 Registered: Jan 2000 posted 04-23-2004 07:58 AM                        During the 1960's, Century did sell a modular solid state sound system for 1, 4, and 6-channel systems. Ads said "Recipient of the SMPTE Samuel L. Warner Award, 1962". One component was the JRE-100 power amp, with a whopping 35 watts output. The Century Model 67 Sound System was "a compact, solid state sound system for regular theatres and semi-portable sound reproduction, self-contained in 35mm projectors, with an unbelievable 75Db signal to noise ratio".  |  IP: Logged Richard Fowler Film God Posts: 2392 From: Ft. Lauderdale, FL, USA Registered: Jun 2001 posted 04-23-2004 09:10 AM                     In the early 1970's I visited the original Century projector factory in New York.....the sound department fabrication line consisted of two desks side by side with raw components on one end and finished product on the opposite...35 watts was "state of the art"  |  IP: Logged John Pytlak Film God Posts: 9987 From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922 Registered: Jan 2000 posted 04-23-2004 11:19 AM                        Richard: Was that when Jack Baer headed the Company, just before they moved to NJ?  |  IP: Logged Richard Fowler Film God Posts: 2392 From: Ft. Lauderdale, FL, USA Registered: Jun 2001 posted 04-23-2004 11:44 AM                     Yes, in a loft type industrial building with about 12 - 15 employees...typical of the companies in operation at the time.  |  IP: Logged

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