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Author Topic: Homemade Platters for 16mm or 35mm Henry Titchen Film Handler Posts: 31 From: Singleton, NSW, Australia Registered: May 2005 posted 05-19-2005 05:14 AM                     Hi, I was reading some very old posts and came across someone asking about homemade platters. Has anyone any photos/plans they could post of homemade platters? I'm sure others would be interested as well. Thanks From, Henry.  |  IP: Logged Tim Reed Better Projection Pays Posts: 5246 From: Northampton, PA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 05-19-2005 09:02 PM                       CFS... good as homemade!  |  IP: Logged Henry Titchen Film Handler Posts: 31 From: Singleton, NSW, Australia Registered: May 2005 posted 05-20-2005 07:28 PM                     I guess with the availability of used platters there is little incentive to make a homemade one any more. Henry.  |  IP: Logged Glen Rich Film Handler Posts: 55 From: Nedlands, Western Australia Registered: Feb 2002 posted 05-21-2005 04:15 AM                     Hi Henry, In regards to making your own platter you could try your local (Sydney) Atlab or Entertainment Services and they may be able to put you in touch with one of your local independent "techs" who design and build towers and platters for the independents. Failing that they can give you an idea of the availability of 2nd hand platters. If thats the way you go, stay away from 2nd, 3rd or 12th hand Christie platters they're nothing but trouble.  |  IP: Logged Paul Trimboli Master Film Handler Posts: 274 From: Perth Western Australia Registered: Dec 2002 posted 05-21-2005 04:49 AM                     Making a platter is not too dificult. Making one with centre payout like actual platters would be harder. You could make a platter with a payout deck and takeup that would require rewind after the show. 2 'yo yo' (like the take up on a Speco) could be used to provide the payout speed control and another for take up. I am building a double mutt, oatley electronics sell suitable motors VERY cheap as well as speed controls. You could probably build something up for around the $400 mark, maybe less.  |  IP: Logged Henry Titchen Film Handler Posts: 31 From: Singleton, NSW, Australia Registered: May 2005 posted 05-21-2005 05:18 PM                     Thanks for that reply Paul, I would be very interested to see a photo of what you are making and also to hear where you sourced rollers, guides etc from. Are you planning to use the 12/24V motors from Oatley electronics? What would you make the platter from? Henry.  |  IP: Logged Tim Reed Better Projection Pays Posts: 5246 From: Northampton, PA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 05-21-2005 09:19 PM                       In the U.S., you could buy the platter above for about $200.  |  IP: Logged Henry Titchen Film Handler Posts: 31 From: Singleton, NSW, Australia Registered: May 2005 posted 05-21-2005 10:22 PM                     That is very cheap. I haven't seen any available for sale here in OZ secondhand...maybe I'm not looking in the right places though. Henry.  |  IP: Logged Paul Trimboli Master Film Handler Posts: 274 From: Perth Western Australia Registered: Dec 2002 posted 05-21-2005 10:39 PM                     I am using the 24volt 300watt motors, and will be using a chain drive to gear them down. I now notice they sell gear motors which would be perfect, but I already bought the 300watt type. Once I get a bit further advanced I can send you some pictures, mine is a MUTT which uses large reels rather then a platter deck. The platter deck could be made from possibly MDF with a suitable HUB and shaft in the middle to run on, the motor driving on the outside of the deck (like actual platters). Geee I wish I could find a CFS platter for the $400 mark in Austrlia! Sure it might be rubish but would make a good base to upgrade from.  |  IP: Logged Henry Titchen Film Handler Posts: 31 From: Singleton, NSW, Australia Registered: May 2005 posted 05-21-2005 11:24 PM                     Paul, Sorry I missed that you said it was a MUT. Is it going to be similar to Greg Mueller's (as shown in the picture section)? Henry.  |  IP: Logged Tim Reed Better Projection Pays Posts: 5246 From: Northampton, PA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 05-22-2005 08:46 AM                       quote: Henry Titchen I haven't seen any available for sale here in OZ secondhand...maybe I'm not looking in the right places though. Catch a theatre that's closing down or upgrading their equipment. They might give them to you just to haul them off. The CFS units are crap, as are the Potts of that vintage, but they're good enough for home or occasional use.  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 05-22-2005 01:24 PM                     quote: Tim Reed ...but they're good enough for home or occasional use. Well, maybe. Problem is that some people running films at home are running rare prints that often are the best surviving prints of a moviein private hands. Do you really want to see them ran on anything but the best equipment??? It really depends on what he is running as to whether it is ok or not.  |  IP: Logged Tim Reed Better Projection Pays Posts: 5246 From: Northampton, PA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 05-22-2005 03:20 PM                       I was thinking more along the lines of longevity. With regards to the potential for film damage, I would put a homebrewed unit at higher risk than a used crappy. Someone saavy enough to consider building a unit from scratch should be able to make an old Potts or CFS work satisfactorily, that is, if they absolutely insist on having a shadetree mechanic platter. I personally would have neither, and when I had a screening room in my basement, I had an AW-3! Heh-heh. But crap is about all anyone's gonna get for 2 bills.  |  IP: Logged Henry Titchen Film Handler Posts: 31 From: Singleton, NSW, Australia Registered: May 2005 posted 05-25-2005 04:56 AM                     It sounds (and looks from viewing photos of private screening rooms) that homemade towers are much more common than homemade platters. Are there any plans around for these? I guess the "huge" reels could be quickly fabricated using aluminium sheet and getting them laser cut. Anybody made their own tower? Thanks, Henry.  |  IP: Logged Paul Trimboli Master Film Handler Posts: 274 From: Perth Western Australia Registered: Dec 2002 posted 05-25-2005 05:55 AM                     I do not like the idea of a tower, lifting the reels does not seem like a good idea. A double mutt is where each reel sits either side of the device. You can buy the large capacity spools, don't ask me where in Australia, maybe ask a local service company?? If you can look through the forums and find a thread about Sam Hunters tower,might be a good start. You could probably get away runing one of those 24volt GEAR motors from Oatley Electronic and linking it to the shaft driving the reel with a flex coupling. A 'dancer arm' is what controls the take up and payout speed. The films runs from the reel and under the roller on the arm, as the tension on take up goes up the arm is pulled up bringing the speed down, on payout the opposite happens. The 'dancer arm' is conected to a small gear which meshs with another gear attached to a potentiometer. This is wired into a speed control cct which runs the motors. You can buy the speed controler from Oatley for $24 I think. Again once I get some of mine done I will be able to offer more help.  |  IP: Logged

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