Just wonder what collectors are doing to secure enough equipment to keep the films on the screen for the years ahead?
Reading elsewhere, a collector has had problems with a projector which, by the looks of it, has gone array.
Many of us, (me included) seem happy to spend hard earned cash on our films and looking on ebay the last two weeks, there have been many many titles that have sold for thousands, two recently for well over £3000 each .
But what do some collectors do when a machine goes wrong? They often look on forums to get views from other collectors which is often the wrong advise.
If collectors are happy to spend many hundreds, even thousands on films, I'm curious as to why so many collectors dont appear to want to spend a couple of hundred either on servicing/repairs or at the very least, securing enough decent well maintained projectors to show their films on?
In the past, I have spoken to two repair specialists and both have comment, (in years gone by) on how some collectors would be given a price, but then asked, "cant you do it any cheaper"? Honestly, you either want it running properly so it doesn't scratch your films or you dont. Whatever it costs, its a hell of a lot cheaper than most feature films these days.

Well I've got 3 x ELMO 1200's here plus another for spare parts, plus a boxed new Sankyo 700 and a B & H DCT projector in London which I use for my twice yearly shows, So I'm well covered...for now

Mike that's more or less the only way forward, we have multiple numbers of machines, all I'm looking for now is another decent well looked after/serviced 16mm projector, ideally another Eiki. I have a very good SL2 super slot loader, so I would either like another one or a very good NT1 as I have two that I will use as spares. Bell and Howell is out for me as with no one to repair them anymore they have too much to go wrong and those worm gears are a pain, once they go, it is a major job.
I know there are many collectors out there with extensive repair knowledge and indeed, are electrical engineers, in those cases you have the advantage, but for the majority, its the end of the line for official engineers. How many wish they had their projector's maintained professionally now?
I will only buy from a very few people who i can trust as I've been stung before.
I'll be surprised if no more than the usual responders dont join in on this subject, these are the threads collectors from all over can help with.

Here in the UK Kevin Brown is no longer a lifeline for those who used him in the past, he has now retired, anyone who tries to call him wont get very far, I spoke with Kevin previously and he told me he is no longer repairing or servicing any projectors. So there you go!!

Good subject Tom,it will be interesting to see who replies.Regarding the price of films reaching the thousands,one must assume the new owners if they can afford the films can afford the projectors and would already have a supply.I suspect these owners have possibly pedestal machines,and I would hope if they are willing to pay these sort of prices they have some knowledge of how to look after and maintain their equipment.
Consider there are machines from just after the turn of the last century out there being brought back to use,my thinking is look after the machine and the machine will do likewise.
If not then they have more money than sense buying at these prices.
Now to your hobby collectors,which I think I would place myself. I have a few machines like Mike and your goodself which I hope will see me through my collecting time.Yes it has become very difficult to find anyone able to fix some machines as I have found with my Fumeo 9271,Even with expert help and some repair,the cost and finding the parts proved too much and to actually send the machine to Italy would not have been viable.
To be fair though all was not lost as I was able to reuse the top spool arm and the take off long play and fully adapt to use with other machines.Also completely stripped the defunct machine for everything that may come in handy.In my mind I believe you have to be able to help yourself ie.take the back off the projector and fiddle.I know it’s not for everyone but I think it’s part of the hobby.You clean the gate,the film path,you have to be prepared to go further.
As to the future, one would hope anyone coming into the hobby surely realises you can’t really just buy a machine on any format of EBay for instance and suddenly become a home projectionist.Mind you looking at some of the contributions to sites I do wonder.
I dont think there will come a time when parts will become an issue with the three d printing available and people adapt.Yes it will cost but as said this hobby is not cheap.Who would have thought some years back that you would have prints from discs.
Yes it’s a sad fact that there are few professional engineers out there and getting less and less,but I think this began with the loss of the projectionist and as we all know the loss of reel film and projectors along with going to the cinema and watching a professional show and all that encases.
I am hopeful that I can get by with what I have and maybe a bit of help along the way,but any newbie hopefully realises what they are getting into.
P.S.Big thank you to the engineer who did everything possible to get my Fumeo running…………

There are definatly a fair number of collectors who were projectionists, you included I believe , I think from memory Maurice Leaky and also Dave Hardy among others were also projectionists. Some collectors have given some good advice regarding servicing projectors on the forums but quite often, as i was advised, much information given was wrong and thats were problems can arise. I always shudder when I see anyone advising other collectors to "try adjusting the claw" or when there is a sound fault someone will say, "have you tried adjusting the sound head by adjusting the screws on the side of the head". Sounds head and claw positions are two things that if played with are likely to mess things up more, without the skills and tools to do either.
Fortunately, there does seem to be quite a few projectors around for sale at present time and like many collectors, I think we have enough to see us through our time, I dont intend to keep everything we have for ever but every now and again something else catches my eye. What we have done and continue to do is to sell to buy in order to keep numbers at a sensible level. Hording only ends in tears as I have seen from other collectors who have sadly passed on with hundred's of films, all their films end up in the hands of others who buy them for peanuts and make thousands, (literally).
Back to the point of the thread, perhaps now is the time for any collectors who only operate one or two machines to think about the future and buy a good projector or two for backup, unless as said, your are a capable or engineer minded person.

Can I just point out now it's MARK not MIKE

oops, my apologies to Mark, my silly mistake

Regarding projectors it's just a case now to buy up good condition projectors when you see them. Not go mad but maybe a decade ago or more you would think about having 5 good projectors and leaving it at that. Now I would think about 10. Also to pick the projectors what you think will give you the least trouble in the future. In my case it would be Sankyo's, Bell and Howell Super 8, small Elmo's etc.

I do notice however that the mighty GS1200 doesn't seem to get the high prices anymore. I think collectors are wary of the maintenance needed in the future and the availability of the correct ESC bulb for the Halogen model. Also as collectors get older their backs play a part in not wanting one anymore to lug around. All this means the GS1200 is a bit harder to sell now.

We are lucky that Van Eck has made many parts to help up keep them going.

Graham S

As it happens Graham, someone elsewhere put one up for sale, a version three with a statement of "I think it was new when I bought it 15 years ago", to me that would mean nothing without evidence. The fact these were stopped being manufactured well over 30 years ago means, it is over 30 years old and if it has had very little use, this doesn't do them any good at all, price started at 900 on September 8th 2023, then dropped to 850, then 800 and now 700!!
Thats some price dropping, and seven months later still no one wants it. I think a good price these days for a GS as a private sale, (its a big risk) is 300 maybe 400. The exception would be if it was bought from a dealer offering a minimum of six months warranty. You would also need to make sure it has the modified parts fitted otherwise you will risk emulsion lines on expensive films.
Between my Brother and I we do have 8 projectors but two of his are Eumigs which I cant count in as I have yet to see one run with no problems.
I bought two Eumigs myself in the last few years and both were very cheap and were fitted with the 1:2 suprogen Lens so they were were worth the £20/25 for the lens alone.
For the two my Brother has, I did swop the lens on one of them to upgrade it and sold the cheapie with the standard lens and made a few quid on the deal, this paid for the second one which I bought, (an 810DLUX) to play with and replaced the claw. Now the darn thing needs a total break down to get it running as it should but as of yet, have not found the time to do it.
I do agree with you Graham, collectors should consider adding a few machines so they can ensure being able to screen their prized movies for years to come.

I have four Eumig S938s, all working with good sound heads (which I clean regularly) and no broken volume/tone sliders.

Luckily we still have the excellent John White on call for repairs in Wembley, and Van-Eck, as already mentioned above, for consumables!

Not so sure Van Eck do repairs anymore, as I had three machines I was gonna fix with them. They did not repair anymore and I was given two or three other people in Netherlands. I used one, he was extreme cheap, I think I paid around 50 Euro for checking three machines, he fixed two, but needed a tool for the GS-1200. He now has instructions on how to fix that one too, Thanks to the amazing Bill Parsons, so hopefully I have my GS-1200 back in working condition this summer when my son come to Norway for a visit.

Hi Vidar,

I was mainly referring to the parts which Van Eck supplies to do the repair yourself.

Its fair to say i have a few spare projectors, but i find its very much like owning a classic car, and that everyone is searching for the same part, but if they are cheap enough
i say why not ........

Agree with Graham. I was also only referring to Van-Eck's supply of parts. Some of them have been no less than projector life savers for me.

Paul, if you have the room for loads of projectors then why not? I recall Maurice being the proud owner of around 100 machines and I know he kept Kevin Brown busy with the servicing and repairs when necessary.
An important part of this thread was how much some collectors seem to be prepared to pay for a few films while often only having their projectors sorted when they went wrong, Its probably one of the reasons there are so many damage and scratched films out there. I speak here from the experience of have chatted extensively in the past to Bill, Kevin and also, John White, and the state of some machines sounds horrendous. There is having a go and having a go, often messed up, (yes I am guilty of this as well) and then having to send it off to be sorted properly, unfortunately, with all but John White, (Eumig specialist) now retired, I am wondering how many collectors may be wishing they had treated their machines to a proper full service, one thing we all know, Its a lot more than just a bit of oil.
As it stands now, you cant have too many projectors, the chances are , at some point you will need them.

We ALL need to learn how to service our projectors, thanks to Bill, I can now happily service any of my projectors including re greasing the Cam, which is very important for a steady running machine. Both of my GS1200's have rollers fitted to any scratch area's, and the two I have coming will get the same treatment. I'm like Paul, I now have a spare ST1200 and a spare GS1200 for spares, and they have already been a godsend. I have also by-passed the micro switches, thanks again to Bill, they are a pain in the ass when they go.

I'm now more than happy to help other collectors with advice in servicing their machines, I have spoken to many to try and encourage them to have a go

Fabulous topic by the way Tom

Cheers Del, appreciate your kind words.
Im always happy to learn anything regarding servicing / repairs on our machines.