New 35mm install for Theatrical Exhibition

[Jacob Tutt]

Hello,

I have two identical late-model Century C variant projectors (1950s or 60s). They were used occasionally to project archival films at a screening room in Toronto. The machines are mostly complete and in good condition. Century Pedestals, Xenex lamphouses, reel arms, kelmar changeovers and drive motors. The original Westrex R6 sound-heads were modified and need to be replaced. I'm also in search of rectifiers, lenses and aperture plates.

A couple technicians in my area have suggested instead to see if I can dig up a pair of Simplex XLs, which have spare parts more readily available.

Is it worth my pursuing solutions for these Century C's, or am I better off looking for an alternative?

I have a Simplex 35 Head, a spare parts Simplex XL head, a Simplex heavy-duty pedestal. So I am at least partway there with the Simplex route (plus the usable equipment from the Century's like the lamphouses and changeovers).

Thanks in advance for your help. I've been a passive reader of the forums for some time and appreciate you sharing your knowledge.

Jacob

[Phillip Grace]

Hi.
A couple of things come to mind. You mention that the projectors were used to screen archival films. This brings up the possibility that they may have variable speed, three-blade shutters and full-aperture for silent films, which are highly desirable options. Do you know if any of these modifications have been made to your machines? If that is the case I would keep them as they stand, and work from there.
What has happened to the R6 sound heads that they need to be replaced?
The Simplex XL has an oil bath mechanism, and is superior in that respect. Its design is more recent than the Century. However, the drive connection between projector and sound head might have to be altered if you change away from the Century projectors. With proper care a Century projector will give many years of excellent service.

[Frank Cox]

And by oil bath, he means expect some oil on the floor under the Simplex projectors. (I always kept an old newspaper on the floor under mine for that reason.)

But kept clean and with the oil topped up as needed, the Simplex is as close to a trouble-free unit as you can get. The only serious problem that I ever had with mine was when a pad roller axle snapped off one day (metal fatigue I guess) -- I had the local machine shop make me a new one. At least when it broke it was when I was threading up the show, not when the movie was playing...

[Jacob Tutt]

Hi Phillip,

These are double-blade shutters and the motor does have a variable speed device. The R6 heads appear to have the interior cast walls (separating the exciter lamp from the film path) cut out. I was told the sound heads were modified so that the imagine print ran on one projector, and magnetic sound print ran on the other projector. Unfortunately, all thats left on the operator side is the sound drum and a misplaced sprocket pad assembly.

Our old Super's would leak oil like no tomorrow, but they were reliable.

I'm also wondering about these Xenex Lamphouses. The manual says a LP1000 can light up to 28 ft screen with a 1000 watt bulb, which would be right at the limit of our needs. Could I put a brighter bulb, and put more power through the Lamphouse to get the desired level of brightness, or do they have a limit? We use a 2.1kilowatt bulb on our digital projector, if that is a fair comparable.

[Sean McKinnon]

keep the centuries especially if they are double shutter and variable speed. Century parts are not hard to find. We can supply aperture plates and rectifiers if you need as well as most film parts.

[Gordon McLeod]

Well since I was contacted about htese the soundheads were converted for double system. Being Century C with the 4" lens mount most modern lens will not go back far enough in them to focus. Also they have style H gates in them

[Mark Gulbrandsen]

I would love to see a picture of the sound head. I had 6 dailies systems that were all Century C and R-8's that ran double system on a whole lot of features for dailies. I sold another 6 systems to cinematographers and post houses. They were basically bullet proof and extremely portable, Could be set up by one person. I preferred the smaller mount because adapters were not at all necessary and modern lenses worked very well. BTW, the very best Century's ever made were the pre war cast iron Model C circa 1938 and 1939.


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[Jacob Tutt]

Hi Mark,

Is that three strips of film? How exactly did these 'double-systems' work?

Here is a picture of a projector and sound head. As you can see the sound head film path has been gutted and altered. I'm thinking it will be easier to replace the sound heads.

Sean - Thank you. I'll send you a direct message.

Jacob

[Phillip Grace]

Hi Jacob

Just quickly, I think your Century machines probably were not meant for screening silent films - the two blade shutters are not sufficient to deal with flicker at anything below about 22 fps. I suspect the variable speed drive has been applied to make a smooth run up to operating speed. Conventional motor start systems tend to get stuck into it pretty quickly which may not be suitable for this particular configuration.

The "double system" machine seen in Mark's picture shows two bands of film. One is picture, the other is sound. The sound could be separate optical or magnetic depending on the era. The projector is fitted with a special take-up magazine (called a cloverleaf) which contains three spindles spaced out to allow for three reels to turn inside it. Two of the spindles are driven and the third is for film feed. The band of film containing the picture is threaded from the upper magazine, through the gate, and onto the lower feed sprocket as normal. From there it is diverted out of the projector head and down onto one of the take-up spindles. The band of film containing the sound is loaded into the lower magazine, then threaded up into the bottom of the projector head, over the lower feed sprocket, then down through the sound head to the other take-up spindle in the lower magazine. The two bands of film a kept in sync as they are both driven by the lower feed sprocket in the projector. Your machines have been modified for this system.
Double-system projection is most useful in the late stages of post production and for audience preview screenings, where alterations to the editing may be made prior to committing to the final form of the film. This kind of set-up is relatively easy to apply to conventional theatre projectors and could be found outside production houses in some large public theatres regularly used for previews of new films. There were several of these in the Los Angeles area, for example.

Mark's machines were set up for magnetic sound reproduction, and would mostly be used for "dailies" screenings on location. The image band would be the work print prior to editing, and the sound would be a magnetic striped 35mm transfer made from the location recordings - the two rolls assembled in synchronisation by the assistant editor prior to screening. A reference mark on the head of each roll (in this case a punched hole) enables both rolls to be correctly threaded in the projector.

This would have been the main work for your machines.

[Mark Gulbrandsen]

Here is a picture of a projector and sound head. As you can see the sound head film path has been gutted and altered. I'm thinking it will be easier to replace the sound heads.

Thanks for posting those pictures. It is a similar idea to what I did but IDK why they moved the pad roller around the other side. My system was based on a Westrex R-8 sound reproducer that I stumbled across in the basement of a long time equipment dealer in Milwaukee back in the mid 80's. I was able to track down more of them in Miami and assembled what you see in the image above. In the end they worked out great, brought in lots of work and were reliable and easily moved from job to job. Aside fomr the pad roller on yours being relocated, I think you could salvage those sound heads if you don't mind the relocated pad roller. All the threaded holes you need to install a BACP red reader are there. You just need the dual roller damper assembly for each one that mounts on that rectangular machined pad area. You can see that dual roller assembly in my picture. IN this image you can see better how it worked. The mag track feeds in fomr the bottom rear and runs over the lower projector sprocket with the picture film. The sound takes up lower center and the picture takes up on the front reel.

[Sam Chavez]

Following up on Mark's assessment. Mainly you need the optical bench as it has the upper and lower rollers and a lens mount that will hold BACP or other readers. If you want to go all the way back to front scan, you'll need a slit lens as well as exciter lamp mount and a solar cell with mounting bracket, x 2. I thank Mark for the plug and I still have a few reader kits left but for how long, who knows. If you do find complete soundheads, I would pluck the optical benches out of them and use them in your existing soundheads and save for future spare parts.

[Sean McKinnon]

Phillip, He has double shutter machines.

[Phillip Grace]

Hi Sean. I was looking at the photo of the mechanism in post #8 above. It's been a while since I have seen inside a Century, but I'm pretty sure we're talking about a single shutter machine.

[Dave Macaulay]

The image absolutely shows a single shutter projector mechanism. A double shutter gearbox would be very obvious and is not present.
The soundheads can not, in my opinion, be economically reworked to read optical sound.
You may be able to find disused soundheads. Independent cinema owners tended to keep their 35mm projectors after going digital, they remembered what the things cost in the 60s (maybe 40s...) and couldn't scrap that money. I know of at least a dozen Century C heads and R3 reproducers sitting in lobbies, booths, and cellars.

[Sean McKinnon]

I stand corrected, you are correct. He told me in chat that they had been modified to double shutter (HH?) machines but looking at the picture of the shutter shaft it is clearly single shutter. My apologies!