Neumade 35SS Splicer Alignment

[Gary Wachter]

I have a new Neumade 35SS splicer that is a little out of kilter. The blade holder assembly is at a slight angle and too far forward. It notches the film on the far side. Is there a known procedure to align this block so it only cuts the tape in the proper places or is it just trial and error? I am referring to the holder under handle, not the screw holding the blade in place.

Also, the perf punch fits very tightly in the die. It has to be coaxed to release. Both sides are clean. Is this normal for a new set until it wears in or might something else need attention?

[Randy Stankey]

Never remove the punch from its mounting base.

It's a bitch and a half to get back into place. The die and punch are a matched set and they only go together one way. If you assemble them wrong, you can easily break them. This day and age, they are probably like hen's teeth.

If you need to realign the razor blades, take off the handle and carefully lift the punch base off its posts. Do not disturb those guide posts. Keep track of which way it was originally installed. Mark it with a Sharpie marker if you like. Lift off the springs then carefully slide the base down, onto the posts. Make sure you always put it back the same way it came off.

Put a piece of scrap film into the splicer, close the top plate and gently slide the punch base down, until the blades are at the height of the film. Loosen the screws that fasten the blade holders in place just enough that you can weasel the blade holder into correct position. Carefully re-tighten the screws. Sometimes, the act of tightening those screws causes the blades to move. It's frustrating! It'll probably take several tries to get it right.

Reassemble in reverse of disassembly.

If your punch is sticking or binding, you've got a problem. Either it's misaligned or it's bent or broken. Not good!
The punches and die plates are stamped with numbers which must match or else they won't fit.

Realigning those parts is a real pain in the ass!

Back in the days when I worked at Cinemark, it got so bad that I collected up a dozen broken splicers from theaters that I serviced then took them all home and worked on them at my kitchen table. I put them in cardboard boxes and stashed them in the trunk of my car. Each time I visited a theater, I would pick up an old splicer and leave a rebuilt one.

If you wanted to really piss me off, you could take a splicer apart!

[Dave Macaulay]

I've taken them apart many times and realignment of the punch is no fun but it can be done. The main problem is that tightening the bolts moves the punch and its clearance is extremely tight. You can, as I recall, loosen the bolts on the support posts to let the upper punch bridge move around slightly. Remove the springs first and set the bridge so the punches just barely enter the die holes, I think the holes and maybe the punches are relieved slightly past there. Tighten the bolts snug and see if the punches move freely in the die. Tap the bridge slightly and find the spot where they are most easy to move. Tighten the bolts a bit and check, tap again if it tightened up... repeat until the bolts are plenty tight. The posts should be lightly oiled with light oil - WD40 will turn to glue if used that way.
Dropping the splicer can misalign the punch and die, even if nothing breaks. That, and being horribly gummed up, are the prime causes of sticky operation. The springs are pretty strong so it should always return up.
The blade alignment information is good.
Remember to always have a layer of tape on the die to help pull the punchouts off, avoiding having them all over your splicing table. The tape has to be taken off and replaced occasionally.

[Frank Cox]

I used to occasionally use a wooden toothpick to push the little punched-out tape bits through so I could clean the thing off some. The tape on the die definitely helps there, too, but it always seems to gather sticky crap on the teeth.

[Randy Stankey]

If the support posts haven't been moved, you can mate the punch and the die together then slide the punch base down, over the pins. You can then install the bolts and lift the whole assembly off. Everything should be aligned or at least close. Try it, by hand, a few times to be sure it works the way you want it to before reassembling the rest of the splicer.

If the posts have been disassembled or moved, you have to make sure that they are perpendicular to the die and parallel to each other. You have to tweak the posts into position then go back to aligning the punch and die.

Even on a good day, it will probably take some trial and error. On a bad day, there will be plenty of cussing and swearing.

If you are just realigning the blades or checking to be sure that the punch and die are aligned, it probably won't be too hard. Just take your time and work carefully.

If you are dealing with a disassembled splicer, you're going to be in for some fun.

Yes, I have found splicers that were just a pile of loose parts.

I think I invented a couple of new swear words, that day.

[Gary Wachter]

Thank you for all of the valuable advice! I will now need to find a bucket of patience before proceeding .........