Anyone have experience digging a film gates channel deeper?

[slashmaster]

I've got a bell and howell 346 A super 8. It's been used a lot and the gates film rails have worn down considerably. It seems like when the projector is really warmed up the film curls like a steel tape measure and scratches itself on the base side on the center of the gate. My question is has anyone had experience digging a film gates channel deeper? If so what did you do? Put it on a mill and take off a few thousandths with a 4 flute endmill? Cut a piece of file to fit in the film channel and file it deeper? Find a piece of sandstone that fits it and sand it deeper? Then polish with a dremmel?

[Tommy]

I would not recommend this. There maybe a bur ingrained in the film channel causing the scratches....take a wooden stick ( like an ice cream bar stick)...and rub it across the channel...then clean with isopropyl alcohol soaked cloth...

[slashmaster]

I would not recommend this. There maybe a bur ingrained in the film channel causing the scratches....take a wooden stick ( like an ice cream bar stick)...and rub it across the channel...then clean with isopropyl alcohol soaked cloth...

Thanks Tommy, but already did this several times. Even unscrewed the gate from the projector so I could really see what I was doing. Used a magic marker to put marks on the rails and in the film channel so that I could see whats being worn off after running a little film through it. It did get worn off the center of the channel.

[Tommy]

Have you cleaned and lubed the film with something like Filmguard? This can make a big difference in film transport.

[milesandjules]

Sounds like you have got your moneys worth from that projector ...Try the film lube first….if you can find it ,I would buy another projector off ebay….and swap the gates….that will defiantly work instead of destroying every roll of film you run through it after milling it down…..I would imagine gates are normally precision ground and polished to exact tolerances. Hope you find a solution.

[slashmaster]

Have you cleaned and lubed the film with something like Filmguard? This can make a big difference in film transport.

I've used filmguard on a couple films that are already badly scratched and Vitafilm on the rest. Is Vitafilm a good enough lube?

[slashmaster]

Sounds like you have got your moneys worth from that projector ...Try the film lube first….if you can find it ,I would buy another projector off ebay….and swap the gates….that will defiantly work instead of destroying every roll of film you run through it after milling it down…..I would imagine gates are normally precision ground and polished to exact tolerances. Hope you find a solution.

I did exactley what you're speaking of for my regular 8 because I've already got a lightly used parts projector for that. May end up doing the same for my super 8, but if I already have unscratched footage that I don't like, I've got nothing to lose trying then testing that footage first do I?