I was reading an article recently that went on to talk of compromise provisions now having to be made in order to lift all of our equipment to a satisfactory height in order to use it.
Maurice said he was understandingly now, really finding it difficult to lift his 16mm heavy equipment to the full 4ft ordinarily required to place in the traditional manner onto a projection stand.
I was wondering if this is something that has affected others now in this hobby and if so what compromises they were making to allow themselves to continue to enjoy using their equipment in the manner they desire?

It then also got me onto to thinking as an engineer, what can be done to solve this issue perhaps.

I would imagine a basic folding scissor lift table could be made relatively inexpensively and still remain fairly compact when folded, and would then provide an easy solution if coupled with a hydraulic cylinder or motorized assist.

Your thoughts and experiences please?

While this may not be something the majority of us devout users may not yet have to consider for the immediate future, it is perhaps food for thought for us all of us who wish to continue this crazy hobby for as far into the future as we can ever possibly imagine.

At the time I got my first 16mm projector, one of those in a wooden case, I had done weight training quite regularly, and even I found it was quite heavy. I was worried the first time that I would be able to get it on the projector stand.The more modern one is still heavy, but not like the older ones. There is a B&H film online somewhere, where they say that the newer models are light enough to be handled by a schoolboy; I don't think so. I got my equipment, as mentioned, from Michael Burrows, because he was finding it too much at 80. I hope if I'm still around at 80, and not suffering from dementia, that I can still use my 16mm projector. In the summer months, I have put the projector on a coffee table and watched a small image, just to check out a film I bought, before leaving feedback.

I think my Eumig weighs 14lbs; even that seemed quite heavy when I first got it.

I cannot imagine being limited to only winter viewings on the big screen Robert. Is there a reason as to why you cannot view your films on the big screen in the summer months?

More views on the subject matter of whether or not you are already, or feel you may one day, struggle to lift or carry our film projection equipment would be most welcomed btw as well as any possible solutions.

It's not just that the projection stand is 4ft high, it is the fact that a 16mm projector needs to lifted about another 2ft above it if using its handle for the lift.

would it be any easier for you Maurice if you had a set of two steps to get you a litle higher during lifting?



Of course ultimately, it is all down to the weight of these things as if it were a bag of sugar let's say, it would be easy to lift to almost any height within our range.

There was a time I used to watch films during the daytime with the curtains closed, but the curtains we have now don't really block out the light very much. i used to watch all my purchases the day they arrived, then in the evening I would show them to my parents. Our house is built so that the sun comes around to the front in the evenings, and it's the living room where I watch my films. I'm OK watching a smaller picture until the dark nights come back.

Like Maurice says, you have to lift the projector about another two feet to get it on the stand. I always support it with a hand underneath as well. I'm not sure if there is an answer to your question Andrew. I don't think we will see another type of projector stand. I was worried the first time I put the old 601 on a stand, wondering if it could support the weight. Now I have a wonderful Reflecta Senior stand, that is very secure, it it higher than my old one, so I don't have to elevate the front of the projector, which affects the focussing.

Sorry that we are going off topic here Andrew, but I don't see any solution. As we get older we will get weaker.

As said Robert, it would be fairly straightforward to design and manufacture a self raising stand using a scissor lift arrangement if there were ever any demand for such an item. That is why i was initially interested in people's thoughts on the matter and what solutions they would likely be seeking, come the time.

Last summer my back went out, I finally enlisted my wife to bring the projector up from the basement and out onto the deck for a few outdoor showings......

In the basement I keep my projectors on rolling av carts, so there aren't any issues down there with moving stuff around.

When I finally fully healed last fall, I moved the 35mm from my work/office to my basement - not something I would like to do ever again, talk about HEAVY!!

There really isn't anything that can be done outside of having help sometimes.

I would never balance on those steps and lift a heavy projector. But thanks for the thought.