[Frameworks] looper question

Fri Oct 10 20:53:48 UTC 2014

Here's an absurdly terrible picture of the installation I was talking
about. Film ran perfectly for several weeks with no roller or tension or
anything directly below the projector, then after a few weeks (print was
changed once at this point) that "slack" below the projector started to
shrink, so we added an additional roller beneath the projector, which
worked ok but wore the prints out prematurely because more tension was
being put on the film. We were eventually able to minimize that by
constantly cleaning and exercising all the rollers and bearings in the
looper, but it was still never as good as the first few weeks when the
looper was brand new. Humidity seems to play a big part in how well the
looper functions (same is true of regular platters) so if you're above,
say, 50% RH you may want to throw a dehumidifier in with the projector for
good measure.

A friend of mine told me RFS has a new looper with a motorized platter
which works much better. Even with all these little problems it's pretty
impressive that a print can survive over 1000 runs and various twists and
turns and still look pretty good.

[image: Inline image 1]

On Fri, Oct 10, 2014 at 2:31 PM, Julian Antos <
julian at northwestchicagofilmsociety.org> wrote:

> Assuming you're using a Robert Film Services looper I would double check
> that all the rollers and bearings are spinning freely. These things can be
> a pain: I installed one that ran perfectly for a few weeks and then started
> having problems with slack (we switched the print out every two weeks, so
> it wasn't an issue with print age or wear). Eventually we got it back to
> good operating condition but it took a lot of troubleshooting: adding extra
> rollers after the film left the projector, cleaning the rollers and
> exercising the bearings, etc. Another thing to check is that the projector
> isn't leaking oil anywhere on the film and the film path is spotless. These
> things work great when everything is *perfect*
>
> On Fri, Oct 10, 2014 at 2:01 PM, Amanda Christie <
> amanda at amandadawnchristie.ca> wrote:
>
>> i do indeed have permutable arms!
>>
>> the crazy thing is how much the slack varies within one run of the
>> loop.... it will touch the ground, but then go up and go so tight that it
>> almost jams.... that's the part that i'm struggling with....
>>
>> Amanda Dawn Christie
>> --------------------------------
>> 506-871-2062
>> www.amandadawnchristie.ca
>> amanda at amandadawnchristie.ca
>> _______________________________
>>
>>
>>
>> On 2014-10-10, at 3:40 PM, Karl Reinsalu wrote:
>>
>> I would wrap the film before it touches the ground. The pain is finding
>> that you need more slack to get the loop to fit. :(  Do you have
>> permutatable arms? (aka: you can change the distance in order to take-up
>> slack?)
>>
>> K.
>>
>> On Fri, Oct 10, 2014 at 2:10 PM, Amanda Christie <
>> amanda at amandadawnchristie.ca> wrote:
>>
>>> Thanks Karl!
>>>
>>> to clarify... am i on the right track... to keep waiting... or to keep
>>> adjusting?
>>>
>>> the spaghetti dance on the floor pains me to watch... i want to grab a
>>> ladder and wrap another loop around the outside... , but it was too tight
>>> when i did that last time, no matter where i put the rollers or the slack
>>> control.
>>>
>>> it is indeed an RFS platter.... my instinct is to adjust... but I was
>>> told to wait a bit and watch it... so painful to watch the spaghetti
>>> though.... it only seems to be getting looser.... not tighter.
>>>
>>> Amanda Dawn Christie
>>> --------------------------------
>>> 506-871-2062
>>> www.amandadawnchristie.ca
>>> amanda at amandadawnchristie.ca
>>> _______________________________
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On 2014-10-10, at 3:06 PM, Karl Reinsalu wrote:
>>>
>>> You are on the right track.  In my experience you want the platter as
>>> level as possible (RFS Type Platter Looper) to maintain balance.  Never let
>>> the loop pull backwards and this usually results in the film binding at a
>>> point in the run (not fun).  I've had instances where I have to constantly
>>> find the splice and add the slack to the outer part of the loop in order to
>>> get the sweet spot. Id suggest keep wrapping and adjust your front and rear
>>> feed (if you can) to tweak the tension right when it stops slacking.
>>>
>>> Best of luck!
>>>
>>> Karl.
>>>
>>> LIFT TECH - www.lift.ca
>>>
>>> On Fri, Oct 10, 2014 at 1:57 PM, Amanda Christie <
>>> amanda at amandadawnchristie.ca> wrote:
>>>
>>>> hello all,
>>>>
>>>> i have a bit of a looper question.
>>>>
>>>> i've worked with them in the past, but not extensively... and this is
>>>> the first time i've run into this issue.
>>>>
>>>> we loaded the 35mm looper on monday, and ran it for a bit on monday,
>>>> tuesday, and wednesday just to get the right balance and tension... but
>>>> wednesday night during the opening, it kept getting more and more slack,
>>>> dipping closer to the ground... so i spent the day at the gallery
>>>> yesterday, with some fabric on the floor watching it... because i was told
>>>> that it was normal that it would take a couple of full days running for it
>>>> to adjust to heat and humidity and find it's ideal balance... but it
>>>> started getting really really slack and like spaghetti on the ground... so
>>>> eventually i stopped it, and added another loop around the looper to take
>>>> up the slack... it was fine for a while... but then would fluctuate
>>>> extremely... with the loop dropping down to the ground, then tightening up
>>>> to as tight as it would go, then back down to the ground... i was hoping it
>>>> would just find it's balance... but then it got too tight up at the top at
>>>> the loop box, and started to pop up above the internal vertical rollers, so
>>>> i stopped it, and removed that external loop again.  now, once again it is
>>>> too slack like spaghetti on the floor.... (safely on lint free fabric
>>>> though!)
>>>>
>>>> should i give it a few more hours to tighten up and find it's balance,
>>>> or should i stop it, and wrap another loop around the outside (like i did
>>>> yesterday, but that was too tight), then release a loop from the inside (so
>>>> that it's not quite so tight)....
>>>>
>>>> is this because it's an older print (only 2 years old) with a few
>>>> splices and burns in it from previous exhibitions?  would i be better off
>>>> with a brand new print?
>>>>
>>>> or do i just sit tight and wait for it to find it's happy place?
>>>>
>>>> any advice from more experienced loopers would be much appreciated.
>>>> thank so much!
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Amanda Dawn Christie
>>>> --------------------------------
>>>> 506-871-2062
>>>> www.amandadawnchristie.ca
>>>> amanda at amandadawnchristie.ca
>>>> _______________________________
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> FrameWorks mailing list
>>>> FrameWorks at jonasmekasfilms.com
>>>> https://mailman-mail5.webfaction.com/listinfo/frameworks
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> --
>>> Karl Reinsalu
>>> e.mail: KReinsalu at gmail.com
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> FrameWorks mailing list
>>> FrameWorks at jonasmekasfilms.com
>>> https://mailman-mail5.webfaction.com/listinfo/frameworks
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> FrameWorks mailing list
>>> FrameWorks at jonasmekasfilms.com
>>> https://mailman-mail5.webfaction.com/listinfo/frameworks
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> --
>> Karl Reinsalu
>> e.mail: KReinsalu at gmail.com
>> _______________________________________________
>> FrameWorks mailing list
>> FrameWorks at jonasmekasfilms.com
>> https://mailman-mail5.webfaction.com/listinfo/frameworks
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> FrameWorks mailing list
>> FrameWorks at jonasmekasfilms.com
>> https://mailman-mail5.webfaction.com/listinfo/frameworks
>>
>>
>
>
> --
> Julian Antos
> Northwest Chicago Film Society
> www.northwestchicagofilmsociety.org
> 773 827 8991
>
>
>

-- 
Julian Antos
Northwest Chicago Film Society
www.northwestchicagofilmsociety.org
773 827 8991
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