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Topic: HEY! Did you leave the equipment?

Andrew McCrea
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 645
From: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 03-16-2001 08:30 AM

Hi!

I just wanted to know if Canadian drive-ins leave the projectors and popcorn makers and all equipment in the building while the season is over.

In Winnipeg, the winters are blistering cold! Do they leave all the equipment behind or is it taken out and heated during the winter?

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Andrew McCrea

"I'm Not Bad, I'm Just Drawn That Way!" - Jessica Rabbit

Bruce McGee
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1776
From: Asheville, NC USA... Nowhere in Particular.
Registered: Aug 1999

posted 03-16-2001 08:58 AM

In the mountains of North Carolina, the equipment stays in the booth year-round. One theatre that remains here in Waynesville, NC has a small heating system in the booth that keeps the temperature at least 60 degrees F in the colder winter months. These machines have been installed since 1970.

Randy Loy
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 156

Registered: Aug 1999

posted 03-16-2001 09:31 AM

I've not yet had a chance to visit any Canadian drive-ins but I know a lot of folks who own drive-ins on the east coast of the United States and I know that most of them leave the equipment but "winterize" it.

For instance, one friend removes the xenon bulb from the lamp house and takes it home with him until spring. He also leaves an extension light lit inside the lamp house to
chase away any condensation and keeps the booth heated to some degree. His drive-in is in the snow belt of Pennsylvania so he probably experiences winters similar to those in Canada. So far he hasn't had any problems doing this.

Ken Layton
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1452
From: Olympia, Wash. USA
Registered: Sep 1999

posted 03-16-2001 10:12 AM

Here in Washington state we winterize the equipment. A portable electric heater is placed in the middle of the booth (well away from anything that may melt or catch fire) and the booth is heated to 60 degrees. Once a week the equipment is run for a period of 15 minutes---amplifier is turned on and intermission music is run thru the speakers, projector motor is run (no film in machine), and lamphouse is run (with hand dowser CLOSED). Water is shut off (including the water heater) and pipes drained to prevent freezing.

Jerry Chase
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1068
From: Margate, FL, USA
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 03-16-2001 11:27 AM

Memory rush...

Closing the drive-in for the winter in Vermont meant draining the water and anti-freezing the drains, propping open refrigerator doors, boarding up windows, and greasing some things down, like the grill, to prevent rust. Carbons and lenses were stored at the hardtop for the winter.

From October to Memorial Day, the place was checked for vandalism, but that was about all.

The big fun of closing the D.I. was that all the food stock had to be removed, including canned goods that could freeze and burst the can. While we honestly tried to cut down ordering towards the end of the season, some things were always split up among the staff.

Boxes of frozen hot-dogs, #10 cans of pizza sauce and huge chunks of cheese, frozen french fries, ice cream novelties, etc. were all distributed out. The harvest at the end of the season saved a couple weeks food budget for the employees that remained after labor day.

John Pytlak
Film God

Posts: 9987
From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922
Registered: Jan 2000

posted 03-16-2001 01:20 PM

At the Grandview Drive-In in Angola NY (just across Lake Erie from Ontario Canada), we usually closed from mid-October to mid-April. We drained and blew out all the water lines (the Ashcraft 11mm carbon "jaws" were water cooled, as well as the Century C gates). Lenses, reflectors and carbons were taken home to stay warm and dry. We put an extra layer of lube on the gear trains, and wiped a thin layer of oil on exposed metal parts (e.g., the sound drums) to minimize rust and corrosion. All power was turned off for the winter. In the spring, we carefully cleaned off all the winterizing, relubed and reoiled, and checked the operation of the projectors and lamps. We didn't turn on the sound system (type 807 output tubes!) or rectifiers until the heat had been on a few days to get out any residual moisture. Always checked for any "critters" who may have come in from the cold and built a nest during the winter.

As Jerry said, no food was left in the snackbar.

All the toilets and sinks had to be drained and glycol antifreeze put in the traps.

I always enjoyed putting that first light on the screen (for lining up the lamp) and the test reel when getting ready to open in April.

We usually waited until May to put a fresh coat of paint on the 42 x 100 foot screen -- the bright picture on a freshly painted screen was wonderful.

------------------
John P. Pytlak, Senior Technical Specialist
Worldwide Technical Services, Entertainment Imaging
Eastman Kodak Company
Research Labs, Building 69, Room 7419
Rochester, New York, 14650-1922 USA
Tel: 716-477-5325 Cell: 716-781-4036 Fax: 716-722-7243
E-Mail: john.pytlak@kodak.com
Web site: http://www.kodak.com/go/motion

Aaron Mehocic
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 804
From: New Castle, PA, USA
Registered: Jun 99

posted 03-16-2001 04:29 PM

Ah, Angola! A quaint western New York town near the lake shore. I didn't know you were from that neck of the woods John. Good wine country up there!

John Pytlak
Film God

Posts: 9987
From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922
Registered: Jan 2000

posted 03-16-2001 05:52 PM

Yeah, lots of grapes are grown in the area between Angola NY and Erie PA. But they're not famous for the wine (mostly Concords), but rather the excellent jams, jellies and grape juice.

But just south of Rochester, the Finger Lakes wineries do produce quite a bit of really good wine.

Gordon McLeod
Film God

Posts: 9532
From: Toronto Ontario Canada
Registered: Jun 99

posted 03-16-2001 07:47 PM

All Canadian Driveins leave the equipment in over the winter.
The better ones winterize it to prevent condensation on it to cause surface rust and some even minimally heat the booth
other do nothing but lock the door

All times are Central (GMT -6:00)

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