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Author Topic: Who makes the smallest platter/foot print ? Alan Gouger Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 501 From: Bradenton, FL, USA Registered: Jul 2000 posted 05-16-2005 02:17 PM                        Hi Guys I have a small room in the basement for my Booth. I just do not have the space for a platter let alone getting it down the narrow stairs and past the furnace. Is there a small Platter design available for those limited on space. Thank you.  |  IP: Logged Jon Miller Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 973 From: San Diego, CA, USA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 05-16-2005 02:52 PM                     Christie Miniwind. AFAIK, the only "compact" platter out there. Used Miniwinds may be hard to find, though.  |  IP: Logged Alan Gouger Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 501 From: Bradenton, FL, USA Registered: Jul 2000 posted 05-16-2005 06:05 PM                        Thanks Jon I just did a search and found some good stuff in the archives. I use to have a Eprad sword, it was like new but sold it years ago. Im regretting it now as it would have been perfect for my current needs.  |  IP: Logged Kris Brunton Expert Film Handler Posts: 108 From: Napanee, Ontario, Canada Registered: Apr 2000 posted 05-16-2005 06:44 PM                     Strong also has a small platter, I think it is 42" discs as well..  |  IP: Logged Adam Martin I'm not even gonna point out the irony. Posts: 3686 From: Dallas, TX Registered: Nov 2000 posted 05-16-2005 07:40 PM                     SPECO also had a model with small discs.  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 05-16-2005 08:49 PM                     Yea, those 42 inch decks from Strong and others is a pretty compact unit widthwise that still contains the full functionablity of a full-size unit. Strong will be the cheapest being the most simplest built (unit has no electronics as with the others). Just don't plan on any movies over 2-1/2 hours though. -Monte  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 05-16-2005 08:50 PM                     With today's films being on polyester, you should be able to fit 3 hours quite easily onto one. If you don't mind running right up to the edge, I'll bet 3 hour 15 minutes could be achieved. If you go with the Miniwind, order the mondo sized center rings. While it may seem bizarre to use the oversize rings with a smaller deck, it permits you to time the platters are 16RPM rather than 22RPM. As such even though you lose 20 minutes worth of film in the center of the platter, the machine will run smoother on the last reel of the movie than it would if you had it timed for the normal sized rings, meaning less chance of a print toss.  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 05-16-2005 08:57 PM                     ..and I bet you can do almost the same with the optional 21" rings for the Strong, and use the microswitch brains to slow down platter rotation.  |  IP: Logged Randy Stankey Film God Posts: 6539 From: Erie, Pennsylvania Registered: Jun 99 posted 05-16-2005 09:53 PM                     Hey! I played Gandhi off a 42" Potts Alpha! That movie clocks in at 188 minutes! I always tell people my platters can hold 2 1/2 hours of acetate & 3 hours of polyester.  |  IP: Logged Michael Schaffer "Where is the Boardwalk Hotel?" Posts: 4143 From: Boston, MA Registered: Apr 2002 posted 05-17-2005 02:19 AM                        I think the longest movies I ran were "Titanic" with 194 or so minutes and "Das Boot" with 215 or so, on Kinoton ST200E platter systems with 124cm discs. "Das Boot" filled the platter almost to the edge. If I remember correctly in my old age, back then Kinoton released an updated version of the control software to make the platters run smoother. I don't remember though what I found scarier - the scenes with the depth charges or transporting the print to another auditorium.  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 05-17-2005 03:50 AM                     quote: Michael Schaffer ....the scenes with the depth charges or transporting the print to another auditorium. ....and that's a gimmie. It'd be the latter-big time SCARY! Saw someone dump LOTR-II on the floor when the clamps gave out due to not being tight enough...MESSY!  |  IP: Logged Scott Norwood Film God Posts: 8146 From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 05-17-2005 07:37 AM                        The evil CFS Super Platter also has decks which are smaller than "normal" (52" on a standard Christie). Not that I would recommend getting one, though. Take into account the size of the makeup table, as you will need to be able to position it near the platter for makeup/breakdown and store it for operation. If you aren't absolutely convinced that you need a platter, there might be other options. Depending on how your space is configured, a second projector might actually take up less space, and you can automate the changeover operation. I've never seen a double-MUT in person, but that's an option as well--they certainly look to be smaller than a platter+MUT would be. John Eickhof had one for sale at a reasonable price a while back, though I assume that he has sold it now. Another option would be to put the platter in an adjacent room and run the film across rollers through holes in the wall. It isn't ideal, but it can be done.  |  IP: Logged Jeremy Fuentes Mmmm, Dr. Pepper! Posts: 1168 From: Corpus Christi, TX United States Registered: Jan 2004 posted 05-17-2005 08:17 AM                     quote: Scott Norwood put the platter in an adjacent room In that case, couldnt he just knock down that wall?  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 05-17-2005 12:59 PM                     He can do like I did once, just buy a cheap door from Home Depot or wherever and cut out the corner. Then mount two rollers right beside the hole in the corner to guide the film in and out. If you do it right, you can open and close the door all you want too without it interfering with the film running. Later whenever he moves, he can simply put the original house door back on the hinges without a trace.  |  IP: Logged Alan Gouger Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 501 From: Bradenton, FL, USA Registered: Jul 2000 posted 05-17-2005 01:04 PM                        Right outside my projection booth sits the furnace & hot water tank ect. Right next to that is the washer/dryer. The things we will do to enjoy our hobbies. I was thinking of adding an addition to the house.  |  IP: Logged

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