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Author Topic: Keeping rollers spinning Christopher Meredith Expert Film Handler Posts: 126 From: Jackson, MS, USA Registered: Apr 2006 posted 07-07-2006 09:18 PM                        This is related to the other thread I just posted but I think it's different enough to warrant its own discussion. Anyway, in the past few days I've noticed several rollers here and there that had stopped spinning. A shot of WD40 freed them up but I think it's time to go through and service all our rollers. The rollers that gum up the most are the ones in the brains so I started with them. I removed the sticky ball-bearing rollers from one of my brains, took out the axle and wiped the residue off it, then put a drop of projector oil in each of the bearing assemblies and spun it around my finger enough to distribute it. I put it all back together again and while it did spin better, it still didn't spin near as freely as some of the new rollers in the parts cabinet. In a couple cases. the rollers actually felt a little more sluggish than they had before. So my question: what's the best way to approximate frictionless rollser with these things? Better cleaner? Better lubricant? Both? Second part: When I'm walking the booth and monitoring the eqipment, it's hard to see at a glance if the rollers are actually spinning. They almost always are, so I don't think the task warrants the bending down and squatting to get an up-close look that the job would otherwise require. I had considered putting a dot of whiteout on the oter flange of the rollers to make it immediately apparent if they are spinning but I wanted to see if any of you had done this or something similar and if it's a good idea? Thanks in advance!  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 07-07-2006 09:27 PM                     What kind of platters are you using? Don't use WD40 or oil. You will just gum them up more. Someone probably "lubricated" them in the past and that's why you are having problems now. I have found if absolutely nothing other than a dry wiping is done to the rollers on occasion, that they never have to be serviced. Your mileage may vary depending on your booth environment, film cleanliness and platter model though.  |  IP: Logged Christopher Meredith Expert Film Handler Posts: 126 From: Jackson, MS, USA Registered: Apr 2006 posted 07-07-2006 09:42 PM                        We use Strong platters. You're right about the lubrication thing. There's a maintenance schedule hanging in the booth. It looks old and it suggests projector oil for the rollers. There must be some lubricant that can free these things up. Same for the plastic pad rollers. Those things are especially important because we use microswitches. The film is always dragging on one or the other as the film wraps and the platter has to catch up.  |  IP: Logged Kevin Raisler Film Handler Posts: 52 From: Warsaw, IN, USA Registered: Jun 2003 posted 07-07-2006 10:17 PM                    This may sound Crazy but I use Zekote 2 (nuemade) on roller berings.. works good and does not gum up just be careful this stuff causes your babys to look funny  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 07-08-2006 02:22 AM                     I've dabbed a shot of Film-Guard on the rollers...pretty good stuff.. - monte  |  IP: Logged Bernard Tonks Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 619 From: Cranleigh, Surrey, England Registered: Apr 2001 posted 07-08-2006 08:52 AM                     quote: Brad Miller I have found if absolutely nothing other than a dry wiping is done to the rollers on occasion, that they never have to be serviced. As Brad recommends. Also if you coat over completely the axles with a soft lead pencil, the rollers will spin freely for a long time span.  |  IP: Logged Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 07-08-2006 09:16 AM                     Most of the strong platters use ballbearing rollers and some are open construction and do require some oil  |  IP: Logged Raphael Friedland Film Handler Posts: 37 From: Raanana Israel Registered: Nov 2005 posted 07-08-2006 10:09 AM                     Also if you coat over completely the axles with a soft lead pencil= molebiden-H from molycoat.  |  IP: Logged

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