1600/1200/800 foot reels and ST1200 questions

[Angus]

I've just taken delivery of an Elmo ST-1200 HD. Its in great condition, original box and instructions etc. I've run a couple of films through it and I find that the machine is quite noisy, is this normal?

The frame counter isn't functioning but I imagine that is just a belt somewhere?

Lastly...where is a good and economic source of 1600, 1200 and 800' reels these days? I've found a lot of four 1600' supaspools on eBay which doesn't look too bad, even with postage from the USA...but I'm wondering where else I can get some?

Thanks.

[richard p. t.]

g'day Angus,
the st1200 has 4 belts. The belt for the counter is a very tiny one like a small rubber band. Super 8 Stuff sells sets of belts, but last time I visited their site their st1200 sets came without the counter belt. I bought a set from another business in the USA (name escapes me but a google of st1200 belts would find them) but here is an ebay auction for just such a belt!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ELMO-ST-1200-D,--Pr ... 52001r7672

Are you sure you can put 1600' spools on an st 1200? The '1200' stands for '1200 foot'.
Wittner sells a full range of spools up to 2000' I think. Check their range out.
richard

[MovieStuff]

One thing to watch out for on the Elmo projectors: Their belts degrade over time and turn into black, sticky, gummi bear-like yuk. If you can find a new set of belts on ebay, I would buy them and replace all the belts on your unit while it is still clean inside and easy to do so. Once the belts start to soften and turn to yuk, it is really, really messy. The stuff seems to migrate around with a mind of its own like the black spidey suit in Spider Man 3. I worked on one with bad belts and kept finding the black goo on various things around the shop that weren't even near where the Elmo was serviced. Creepy.

Roger

[marc]

I worked on one with bad belts and kept finding the black goo on various things around the shop that weren't even near where the Elmo was serviced. Creepy.

Roger

Didn't you ever see "The Blob"?

[Angus]

Thanks everyone.

Roger I will make it a priority to check on the condition of the belts, I know at least two sources of new belts for the machine...neither especially expensive. I thnk it needs a look at mechanically as the projection isn't rock solid. But hey, I spent less than half what Derann wants for one.

Richard, there's a reel called a "supaspool" which is the same diameter as a regular 1200' spool but holds 1600' due to having a small inner diameter.

Which means Its A Wonderful Life will fit on two reels! Keeps the Mrs happy at Christmas.

PS I also tried out my scope lens for the first time, bloody fantastic!

[adamgarner]

scope lens? Is that an add on for the 1200?

[Angus]

Its certainly not standard for the ST1200. I picked up one on eBay which is really intended for 16mm projectors, but it works fine with the ST1200.