my profile | my password | search | faq & rules | forum home

» Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE   » Operations   » Film Handlers' Forum   » Ashcraft Super Core-Lite Mirror Resurfacing/Replacement (Page 1)

This topic comprises 2 pages: 1  2

Author Topic: Ashcraft Super Core-Lite Mirror Resurfacing/Replacement Robert Minichino Master Film Handler Posts: 350 From: Haskell, NJ, USA Registered: Dec 2005 posted 09-24-2006 04:24 PM                        We're running changeovers with Super Core-Lite carbon arcs at the Loew's Jersey, and one of the mirrors has degraded to the point where there's a significant difference in light output and quality between the two lamphouses. Does anyone have any idea how feasible it would be to find a replacement mirror or have a new one manufactured? The lamphouses we've obtained for spares all had broken or missing mirrors. We're willing to consider resurfacing them, but not without a spare mirror on hand in case one were damaged during transport or recoating. Should this prove to be insurmountably difficult or prohibitively expensive, we're prepared to switch to xenons, so it's not critical. This is not a joke.  |  IP: Logged Scott Norwood Film God Posts: 8146 From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 09-24-2006 04:51 PM                        You could try Lenny Miller at Eastern Cinema Supply (781-294-0381). When I last spoke with him, he had some NOS reflectors for various types of arc lamps. I believe that Marble sells new ones as well, though I'm sure that they are not cheap and I don't know if they sell them for Ashcraft lamps.  |  IP: Logged Bill Enos Film God Posts: 2081 From: Richmond, Virginia, USA Registered: Apr 2000 posted 09-24-2006 05:47 PM                     Does UltraFlat recoat them? A couple used xenons with good mirrors might not cost much more than recoating the old mirrors.  |  IP: Logged Paul H. Rayton Expert Film Handler Posts: 210 From: Los Angeles, CA , USA Registered: Aug 2003 posted 09-24-2006 11:27 PM                    Here are a few thoughts: 1) You might post a "wanted to buy" ad here on Film-Tech; maybe someone out there has a used one to sell. 2) You might also contact (or watch for comments from) some of the service guys who normally post on here. Mark Gulbrandtson and Richard Fowler both are part of cinema service companies that normally maintain (new and) old theatre equipment, and they well have something used you could buy. (And my apologies to others on here, who I'm not aware of, who also might help out) 3) And finally, "Opti-Forms" Co. in Southern California makes re-surfaced (and replacement) mirrors for numerous lamphouses. They may already have "blanks" for your lamphouse, or be able to make them for you. No, it won't be cheap, but your patrons deserve good light on the screen. At some point you'll have to perform the triage decision -- do you get new mirrors, or go xenon at long last? Really, do you think your patrons will actually understand or appreciate the significance of the lightsource?  |  IP: Logged Bruce McGee Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1776 From: Asheville, NC USA... Nowhere in Particular. Registered: Aug 1999 posted 09-24-2006 11:41 PM                     Hope you guys find new reflectors. xenon light is so blue-ish, as we who are old know...  |  IP: Logged Stephen Furley Film God Posts: 3059 From: Coulsdon, Croydon, England Registered: May 2002 posted 09-25-2006 05:53 AM                     I believe the Loew's already has a pair of xenon lamphouses; there were on display in the lobby last year, along with the various other parts of the pair of DP-70s which they had just acquired at that time. The last time I saw a show at the Loew's, in March this year, the light was much improved from the previous year, when, frankly, it was terible. It's still not what it should be, and the xenons would probably give a better light than the Core-lites in their present condition, but I would rather see the Core-lites with decent mirrors in them. They give a very good light, I could always tell when a cinema had converted to xenon, and it's not just a question of the colour, there's something else different about the light. I find that Technicolor dye prints in particular really do look different with carbon. Please keep the Core-lights as long as you possibly can; it must be possible to get hold of some mirrors somewhere. If possible, keep them long enough to do a few 70mm shows with them when you get the DP-70s set up. Also, xenons are not well suited to running 2000 foot spools. If you can find some mirrors, or a re-silvering service somewhere then I would be prepared to make a contribution to the cost.  |  IP: Logged Mitchell Dvoskin Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1869 From: West Milford, NJ, USA Registered: Jan 2001 posted 09-25-2006 10:37 AM                     The Loews Jersey plans keep those carbon arc lamps as long as we can. In addition to hoping that some supplier still has some NOS, we were also wondering if some film-tech'er out there who is working in an older theatre has one of these lamp houses sitting in a store-room or behind stage and would be willing to send us the reflector.  |  IP: Logged Richard Fowler Film God Posts: 2392 From: Ft. Lauderdale, FL, USA Registered: Jun 2001 posted 09-25-2006 03:22 PM                     The last Ashcraft Core-light we retired in 1989. To manufacture a new glass body would involve have a custom "tool" to produce the blank which would be cost prohibitive. Recoating an existing blank or cleaned up existing reflector is do able if done on rear of glass, hot type; front cold type would be probably not available since the old glass surface would probably have microscopic damage from the arc.  |  IP: Logged Robert Minichino Master Film Handler Posts: 350 From: Haskell, NJ, USA Registered: Dec 2005 posted 09-26-2006 12:48 PM                        Thank you all for your leads and advice. Getting good replacement mirrors would be the best and most practical course of action.  |  IP: Logged Frank Angel Film God Posts: 5305 From: Brooklyn NY USA Registered: Dec 1999 posted 09-27-2006 04:34 AM                        I would also call Steve at International Cinema Equipment Company in Miami. They've got everything under the sun down there: (305) 573-7339 or www.iceco.com  |  IP: Logged Louis Bornwasser Film God Posts: 4441 From: prospect ky usa Registered: Mar 2005 posted 09-27-2006 02:13 PM                        Be careful: 20 years ago I purchased a good number of B+L front surfaced mirrors for Super Corelite. The new reflector gave less light than the one I replaced; the depth of the curvature was different. Not only did B+L not take them back; they issued all of them that way until the end. I trashed mine since I did not have something of value to sell. No one else did the same, so I COULD HAVE sold them to customers like most nearly everyone else. If you moved the arc forward into the back of the contacts, you had GREAT light for awile. They had destroyed the "mold" for the front surface ones and just used the mold for the rear surface ones. Louis  |  IP: Logged Tim Reed Better Projection Pays Posts: 5246 From: Northampton, PA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 09-27-2006 08:28 PM                       quote: Louis Bornwasser If you moved the arc forward into the back of the contacts, you had GREAT light for awile. Louis is right about the shallow f1 point. My fix for that is to mill/grind/slice off the same amount of the front of the contact assembly mount. This places the jaws forward and away from the new position of the arc.  |  IP: Logged Bill Enos Film God Posts: 2081 From: Richmond, Virginia, USA Registered: Apr 2000 posted 09-29-2006 05:14 PM                     Why flog a dead horse? Replace 'em. Why in a tech heavy industry does anybody want to hang onto an ancient, dirty, troublesome technology which is becoming ever more difficult to keep supplied with high priced consumables of indeterminate quality. The coating of fine dust that settles on everything in the booth will be gone, and you know you are breathing the stuff. If you've got a box of Nationals, there is a list of all the nice things that are floating in your air. [ 09-30-2006, 08:12 PM: Message edited by: Bill Enos ]  |  IP: Logged Tony L. Hernandez Expert Film Handler Posts: 158 From: Windsor, CO, USA Registered: Dec 2005 posted 10-08-2006 01:14 AM                     To the original poster: Pardon my stupidity but I truly know nothing about Carbon Arc systems...would a Strong reflector specification 69 work for you? One of the theaters I work at has two or three of these new (well, not new...they are about 40 years old) and in the boxes. We stopped using carbons in the early 80s and finally tore out the old equipment in winter '03 so MAYBE I could talk the owner into selling you one or two,if you could use them. And Mr. Enos, I thought you guys still had carbon arcs at The Byrd?!?!?  |  IP: Logged Robert Throop Master Film Handler Posts: 412 From: Vernon, NY USA Registered: Jun 99 posted 10-08-2006 01:39 PM                     Strong reflectors won't work in an Ashcraft. Bob  |  IP: Logged

All times are Central (GMT -6:00)

This topic comprises 2 pages: 1  2

Printer-friendly view of this topic

Hop To: Select a Forum: Category: Operations -------------------- Digital Cinema Forum Film Handlers' Forum Large Format Forum Ground Level Feature Info, Trailer Attachments & REAL Credit Offsets Category: Community -------------------- Film-Yak Film Handlers' Movie Reviews The Afterlife Bob Maar's Joke-A-Thon Category: Classified -------------------- Equipment and Supplies Wanted/For Sale Help Wanted/Seeking Employment Category: System -------------------- Software Beta Testing Forum

The Film-Tech Forums are designed for various members related to the cinema industry to express their opinions, viewpoints and testimonials on various products, services and events based upon speculation, personal knowledge and factual information through use, therefore all views represented here allow no liability upon the publishers of this web site and the owners of said views assume no liability for any ill will resulting from these postings. The posts made here are for educational as well as entertainment purposes and as such anyone viewing this portion of the website must accept these views as statements of the author of that opinion and agrees to release the authors from any and all liability.