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Author Topic: STATIC!!!!!! Richard Greco Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1180 From: Plant City, FL Registered: Nov 2003 posted 11-30-2003 09:41 PM                     OMG! If I find the inventor of static cling, I'll strangle him with my burnt piece of film from tonight. I had to move two films tonight temporarily and run them in different theatres that before. I start playing them and about 30 mins later I hear film dropping to the floor. I run to that projector and sure enough, The Missing burned. Lost about 3 feet of it in the 1st reel. I radio for assistance and the problem gets fixed. Only to find that it is still pulling layer after layer to the brain. I had to get a concession worker to watch it while I checked on my other movies. I get to the other moved film and what do you know, sBad Santa is staticy too. I saved that one before it could get tangled up. I ended up staying with Bad Santa till the end and the concession worker stayed with The Missing till the 5th reel when it finally smoothed out. My question: WHY did this happen???? HOW can I remedy it for future moves? Also, I noticed that there was a noticable hump on one section of the film and when it passed the payout arm, it started pulling the film. How does this "hump" happen and how can it be relieved? Thanks Richard  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 11-30-2003 09:57 PM                     Filmguard!!!!!!! Using it will eliminate your static cling problems!!!!! Mark  |  IP: Logged Tom Wienholt Master Film Handler Posts: 371 From: Towson, MD, USA Registered: Dec 2002 posted 11-30-2003 10:37 PM                     What kind of platters do you have? Probably Christie. That is why I don't like Christie platters. With strong platters, static is NEVER and issue. The film will run perfectly every time even with a lot of static. With Christie's, the static causes the control arm on the center-feed to jerk back and forth causing the film to be thrown.  |  IP: Logged Gracia L. Babbidge Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 709 From: Bowdoin, Maine Registered: Aug 2000 posted 11-30-2003 10:38 PM                        Film Guard is a definite help. I'd also say that you should monitor the humidity level of the booth - too dry and you'll get more static than you want to think about. Humidifiers are good to have when the air is dry.  |  IP: Logged Richard Greco Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1180 From: Plant City, FL Registered: Nov 2003 posted 11-30-2003 11:15 PM                     Tom, they are Speco LP-270 platters  |  IP: Logged Jason Black Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1723 From: Myrtle Beach, SC, USA Registered: Nov 2000 posted 11-30-2003 11:35 PM                        Richard, Ask your manager to order FilmGaurd for you. It's on the approved list of booth supplies, only you can't get it from CPI anymore, from what I've been told. They can order it from another one of our suppliers tho...  |  IP: Logged Chris Hipp Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1462 From: Mesquite, Tx (east of Dallas) Registered: Jul 2003 posted 11-30-2003 11:40 PM                     quote: With strong platters, static is NEVER and issue. I would have to strongly disagree with that statement. I run strong platter and static does not usually cause a problem but it can cause a big problem. If there is enough static to cause the film to jump over the outside keepers on the brain, it will either cause the brain arm to be stuck open or closed. In turn either speeding up the platter or stopping it. Also, if you motor is not adjusted right and the static is causing the brain arm to move rapidly it will toss the print. Did you ever get any Filmguard Richard? If so just run it through a cleaner and it should take care of the static.  |  IP: Logged Peter Mork Expert Film Handler Posts: 181 From: Newton, MA, USA Registered: Jun 2002 posted 11-30-2003 11:56 PM                     Ah, the Speco. They don't handle clings very well, do they? (As for the Christie platters: au contraire, I've never had one jam due to layers of film sticking together, since the brain pulls the film upward as it winds off, which seems to do the trick as far as separating any static clings. Now yes, they can surge forward if the control arm is jerked suddenly, and that can and will throw the print - but that's a different problem, I say.) Here is something that may help with the Speco platters. Get one or two small round magnets that are 1/4 inch or so thick and place them inside the doughnut of film. As the film pays out it will hit these barriers and have to jump over them - providing a little tug which is quite effective in separating clings before they hit the brain and cause jams.  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 12-01-2003 12:24 AM                     Richard, you probably have older style LP270s with only one roller on the takeup elevator, right? Two at the top and one that moves up and down? Those takeup with greater tension than the newer design with two rollers on the elevator. The increased tension causes the film to wrap tighter and bulge inward at the opening in the ring. Regardless your problem is static and yes FilmGuard will take care of it. However to specifically answer your question WHY the bulge in your film aggravates your situation causing more layers of film to pull into the brain it is literally because of that bulge and the way for that one inch how the film can more easily "grab" the next layer of film via static and bring it into the brain. Besides the FilmGuard recommendation, you should get rid of those bent up center rings you are using. You know, the kind with the big 1-2 inch gaping hole and tall pins of which you grab to remove it from the roll when threading. Those rings are absolute Have your tech order you some of SPECO's current rings that look similar in design to the Christie rings. There are pictures in the SPECO LP280 review on this site. The Christie platter by it's design can handle static better than a platter such as a Strong which pulls the film straight out of the roll. That slight twist upward makes all the difference, as since the film is pulling off at an angle, the static has to be much higher for the inner layer of film to be able to grasp the next layer of film. However when static IS that high, if the platters are not timed properly (as Tom's most likely are not properly calibrated), then you've got a nice print toss on your hands. So when running Christie's, just calibrate the thing properly (tip: use the instructions on this website under the TIPS section, not what is in the Christie manual) and you won't have any more problems. If static is present, even if you don't have a media cleaning machine, literally wiping FilmGuard onto the edge of the print as it sits on the platter will stop about 90% of the static too. Detailed instructions on the proper way to do this with just a paper towel are enclosed with the bottle.  |  IP: Logged Darryl Spicer Film God Posts: 3250 From: Lexington, KY, USA Registered: Dec 2000 posted 12-01-2003 12:40 AM                    What I have done on the Speco platters is place a 1 inch round core between the stop and the controle fingers so when the fingers open up they stop not allowing a big gap to pull the film layers into the brain. You will find those newer rings to be very welcome in the booth. They do prevent that bulging problem.  |  IP: Logged Joe Redifer You need a beating today Posts: 12859 From: Denver, Colorado Registered: May 99 posted 12-01-2003 01:55 AM                        quote: The one and only Richard Greco wrote: OMG! If I find the inventor of static cling, I'll strangle him with my burnt piece of film from tonight. If you knew all of the effort and time that went into inventing static cling, perhaps you'd feel differently. When John Pytlak invented static cling he only wanted to make the world a better place by thwarting would-be print thieves with a powerful **ZZAAPP!!** when they tried to steal the print. Ouch.  |  IP: Logged Jeff Klump Film Handler Posts: 22 From: Austin, Texas, USA Registered: Aug 2003 posted 12-01-2003 02:57 AM                    Another option to go along with film guard is turning down the A/C in the booth. If you keep the temperature low you'll help prevent the cause of static all together. We keep ours at 62 during the day so even if 16 projectors are running at the same time it stays cool.  |  IP: Logged Paul G. Thompson The Weenie Man Posts: 4718 From: Mount Vernon WA USA Registered: Nov 2000 posted 12-01-2003 04:03 AM                     Static cling? I hate that. In Anacortes I have to either take my shoes off and run around in stocking feet to prevent a static discharge when I touch the projector or dump a couple of cups of water on the carpet around the projector and platter. Two weeks ago, I drew an arc off the computer case in the booth that was strong enough to blow the computer into the reboot mode. The charge emitted from my fingers was about 3/8ths of an inch. It irritates me when I get zapped by static discharge when I start the projector. However, I would not recommend the water thing to anyone because if there is piss-poor grounding of the equipment in the booth, you could get yourself electrocuted. I even sprayed Film Guard on the floor around the projection station. That didn't help. All it did was make the carper slicker than snot on a brass doorknob. Although Film-Guard is a marvelous product, it was not designed for that purpose.  |  IP: Logged Chris Byrne Expert Film Handler Posts: 102 From: Kirwan, Australia Registered: Jan 2003 posted 12-01-2003 06:01 AM                     For a quick fix, I do as Paul suggested; pour a coffee mug of boiled water directly underneath the platters. Our floors are linoleum and it has always fixed the problem immediately. The long term fix is best achieved by acquiring a 'sling' off your a/c guys and testing the relative humidity in your booth. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think between 50-60% is ideal. As for film guard, you can't argue with the product if you get approval for its purchase on a regular basis.  |  IP: Logged John Pytlak Film God Posts: 9987 From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922 Registered: Jan 2000 posted 12-01-2003 11:28 AM                        Even though Kodak VISION Color Print film has a conductive anti-static layer on the back side, static charge still needs a PATH to ground to be fully discharged. Platters with a PAINTED surface (like the Speco) may not have enough conductivity to provide that path to ground, so the static charge can build up on on the film. Definitely keep the relative humidity near the ideal 50 to 60 percent RH range --- the film will wind better (less curl) and the moisture in the air provides additional conductivity. Treat non-conductive platter surfaces, plastic rollers, and carpeting with a conductive anti-stat like "Static Guard", "Endust for Electronics", "Staticide", etc.: http://www.aclstaticide.com/01/index.html http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/may98/892692114.Ch.r.html http://www.shoplet.com/office/db/g15032.html Use an EVAPORATIVE humidifier to add needed moisture to the air. Do NOT use a vaporizer or ultrasonic humidifier that sprays or mists water into the air.  |  IP: Logged

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