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

» Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE   » Operations   » Film Handlers' Forum   » Intermittent on Simplex XL

Author Topic: Intermittent on Simplex XL Stephen Frazza Expert Film Handler Posts: 161 From: Nutley, NJ, USA Registered: Mar 2004 posted 08-08-2012 09:11 AM                        I just changed out an intermittent on Simplex XL . I had just put a different one in about 4 months and that makes it the 3rd one in a year or so. This time it just doesn't sound right although I cant pinpoint why. Also with this one it is causing the prints to shed in the gate on the outside tension band. My questions are what would be causing the projector to kill Intermittents or what could I take a look at and also what could be causing the shedding this time. We are converting to digital soon in this house but I don't know when so I just have to make it till then. I have been pulling the Intermittents out of projectors that we have already converted to digital. So any idea what or where to look at would be great thanks.  |  IP: Logged Dave Macaulay Film God Posts: 2321 From: Toronto, Canada Registered: Apr 2001 posted 08-08-2012 10:11 AM                     Make sure the "SprayMatic" oiling system is working right... This may sound mad, but it's how it should work: The oil pump squirts oil out the little tube at the top, oil dribbles/squirts out down onto the fire shutter governor (or a paddle thing if yours doesn't have an automatic fire shutter). The governor or paddle then flings oil drops all around, these drops will hopefully hit everything that needs oil. Quite a few drops should be flung into the square funnel thing above the shutter compensator. The bottom of the funnel goes into another small tube that dribbles oil into the intermittent oil pump. Things to look for: - Do you have good oil flow from the pump outlet tube at the top? Usually this means a lot of spray onto the window when running. Poor flow can be from a loose connection at the pump (sucking air rather than oil), a blocked pickup screen (clean it so it's nice clear mesh), or a sticky pump (just disassemble it, clean, and reassemble... usually). - Is the top tube dribbling onto the governor/paddle at a place where plenty of drops land in the funnel? Just bend the tube end so it does, if not. - Is there plenty of oil (a constant stream or very close to a constant stream) coming from the tube from the bottom of the funnel? This is visible if you rack the framing to one end so the flywheel shifts out of the way. Sometimes gunk blocks the tube. - Is the funnel outlet tube pouring into the intermittent oil pump? This means the tube should point downish just behind the flywheel, almost touching the back of the flywheel. It's not unusual to bend it out of the way to change the intermittent and not put it back in place. The intermittent oil pump is the two meshed gears visible from the top looking down directly behind the flywheel. As well as being part of the intermittent drive, these are a gear pump. It seals against the flywheel though, so check the flywheel is set as close as possible without dragging on the intermittent body. Each different intermittent has to be adjusted for correct gear mesh with the vertical shaft on its projector. This is done by moving the little rotation stop on the intermittent, should have small hex bolts holding it down. Correct mesh allows a very slight backlash between the intermittent drive gear and the vertical shaft gear. It should not be tight (no backlash, gears will wear and there's a whining noise and the projector doesn't turn easily) or too loose (noisy operation and also gear wear, may work the vertical shaft gear screw loose as well). Note that the door seal is very sensitive to oil contamination, and it will never seal no matter how tight you make the thumbscrews if there's oil on the sealing face or gasket face. Clean both with paper towels until no oil is seen on a towel, then use alcohol or windex to get both squeaky clean. You won't have leaking then, and you won't have to crank the nuts down with pliers. Film wear at the gate is likely from the intermittent sprocket being off centre. There's a fair bit of movement possible when the clamping screw is loosened. I centre the teeth as well as possible in the perfs of some new film (there was a steel film gauge available once for this) then tighten the clamp screw. There are a lot of different adjustments in the XL gear train to get ideal meshing on all the gears, but I've never seen any documentation about how to do it. The difference in sound and smoothness when it's all just right is amazing. Probably now, in the waning days of 35mm, this arcane knowledge will be lost to mankind.  |  IP: Logged Brent Francis Film Handler Posts: 84 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Nov 2008 posted 08-08-2012 10:25 AM                        Those are great machines. I used to love watching the assembly merrily spray oil all over the landscape. (We had a tin can welded to the bottom of the assembly to catch oil leaks. We'd pour it back in when it was done...)  |  IP: Logged Louis Bornwasser Film God Posts: 4441 From: prospect ky usa Registered: Mar 2005 posted 08-08-2012 03:48 PM                        Dave: you made me shed a small tear. Yes, it is passing before us right now. (I'm sure the ones before us thought the same thing when they turned it all over to us.) Louia  |  IP: Logged Dick Prather Master Film Handler Posts: 259 From: Portland, OR, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 08-08-2012 04:15 PM                     Sorry Dave but isn't the stop adjestment you mention for a Century not a Simplex X-L? Usually X-L Intermittents fit right in. The Intermittent for a X-L doesn't usually wear out unless it is not getting oil. I agree with the rest of your problem solving. You must make sure the funnel looking part is indeed dripping oil into the intermittent. Line up with the intermittent sprocket and film trap guide roller is critical to prevent movement and possible film damage. Dick  |  IP: Logged Louis Bornwasser Film God Posts: 4441 From: prospect ky usa Registered: Mar 2005 posted 08-08-2012 06:59 PM                        Everything Dick said. Also, be sure the oil tube doesn't actually hit the "oil pump" (gears) when fully framed in both directions. Louis  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 08-08-2012 08:33 PM                     I like to see oil come out of both overflow holes on the back side of the assembly. Behind the flywheel, is a small trough that the oil is captured by the drain tube from the above funnel that directs the oil on the spiral cut shaft. The oil is then pumped in by the spiral shaft to the inside of the assembly and the oil being pumped in is pushed out through the two overflow holes. I always maintain the tube to be aimed directly inbetween the case and the flywheel since the trough is built to capture the oil in any rotated direction, but I've always maintained that the word 'FRAME' is readable on the knob. This centers the assembly for best oiling. You might have a plugged pump screen since that unit sits in the oil galley of the projector.  |  IP: Logged Randy Stankey Film God Posts: 6539 From: Erie, Pennsylvania Registered: Jun 99 posted 08-08-2012 08:47 PM                     Do all of ^^that^stuff^^ then put a cow magnet down in the oil sump. The oil strainer is supposed to be magnetic but the cow magnet, being larger and stronger, will attract a lot more junk than the strainer. Just be sure the cow magnet is out of the way of any moving parts like the oil pump gears. You don't want it to get caught up in there!  |  IP: Logged Dave Macaulay Film God Posts: 2321 From: Toronto, Canada Registered: Apr 2001 posted 08-09-2012 07:12 AM                     Yes, confused Simplex and Century. Once upon a time rebuilding or repairing both - and the occasional CInemeccanica, Prevost, E7 (ouch) and others - were regular tasks. Not for a long time though! Confusion sets in when familiarity fades. Getting the gear meshes just right on an XL is a bit of a pain! There are two unmovable driven gears, the main drive and the intermittent. Set up the vertical shaft so these are correct, then move the other three gears to suit. No big deal for the constant speed sprockets but moving the compensator is a bit of a chore. Most XLs came from the factory pretty good, but I've reset a few fairly new ones that sounded like worn out tank engines. The intermittent should last many years without attention. Lack of oil will kill it but even that takes a while. Very tight tension bands or a tightly misadjusted gate can destroy the intermittent but that is usually a sudden crash on startup or shutdown when the pin snaps off. I've never seen a magnetic oil pickup, unless some wizard at IPC managed to magnetize brass.  |  IP: Logged Stephen Frazza Expert Film Handler Posts: 161 From: Nutley, NJ, USA Registered: Mar 2004 posted 08-09-2012 01:43 PM                        I cleaned the filter and aimed the part below the funnel better, it seemed to not be putting oil where it should. Does sound better, gonna check again tomorrow to see if the shedding is any better.  |  IP: Logged Tony Bandiera Jr Film God Posts: 3067 From: Moreland Idaho Registered: Apr 2004 posted 08-09-2012 06:49 PM                     Fixing the oiling issue will not do a damn thing about the shedding issue. The shedding is due to sprocket misalignment or too much pressure on the gate shoe for the intermittent sprocket. The tension on that shoe can be checked visually..with no film in the machine, look at the shoe closely and slowly close the gate. The shoe should just barely compress as the gate closes fully. If it is tight to the sprocket before the gate is fully closed it is too tight.  |  IP: Logged

All times are Central (GMT -6:00)

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.