On a different forum, a well known Italian repairer has rebuilt a GS1200, a xenon, but no modification to the tracks,
the first should be to film, NOT how the projector should perform, sorry Ugo, but you are NOT a film lover, just an engineer. Bill
Parsons on the other hand, made a piece for me that ensured scratch evasion, he is a film man that knows the job. No offence intended
Ugo, but my films are my first love, apart from my nearest, but they come before the performance of any projector, film protection,
as opposed to projection is a world apart. My thanks to the Yoda of film projector repairs, Bill Parsons.

I wanted to add, Bill Parsons is becoming a legend, and a nice guy.

Hugh what is the part that Bill Parsons made for you that ensures scratch evasion on the GS 1200 ?
I am interested in getting my one done.

have to say Hugh, much that it pains me to do so (for the reasons surrounding the total respect I have for you in this great great hobby of ours), that Ugo has just answered your dilemma regarding the upgrade to the film guides on his GS1200 Xenon that he currently has up for sale over on the other forum.

In answering our very own Paul Browning from here, he says he has retained almost all of the originality of the Xenon machine, including the arms and the spindle motors, but has indeed upgraded the guides to conform with the known non scratch modifications that are out there as well as modifying the sound head section for similar reasons.

He also reduced the angle of the shutter blades to allow the maximum light output onto the screen that can be obtained from a three bladed shutter in order to retain the 18fps projection mode.

Sounds like perfection from Ugo's work here to me, I have to say.

I am sure Ugo has made a good job of his clean up, he always makes an excellent job, we have had many discussions in the past over the GS1200 Xenon lamps and I have helped him on occasions with Xenon power supply problems, the Xenon lamps he has had made are excellent, better than the original Toshiba.
I would like to add Andrew that apart from the usual guide mods, I also have altered the angle of the shutters for customers on occasions, plus make and fit two blade shutters for people that want 24fps only, which gives a really good light output, if you need it !

Is a modified 3 blade shutter as bright Bill on the xenon machine ?. I thought the mod was done to squeeze as much light out of the xenon lamp, is Ugo's new clone lamp that
good that a slightly modified 3 blade machine is now as bright, obviously the trade off was the loss of the 18 frame's option, could a mod be done on the Elmo similar too the
beaulieu where you retain the option of both at flick of the switch from 24 to 18 ?.

I am here, back on after much clearing up my sawdust etc from work upstairs. Yes I agree Andrew, I am too quick to jump, but I
wonder exactly at what anti scratch mods did Ugo make? Mine are only through the advice given by the late but great, Paul van Someren
and Keith Wilton on the Elmo projectors, there are some collectors who maintain that their's don't scratch, which is either they don't use 'em too often or don't see the same film twice! Anyway, Ugo should specify what mods he has done for anti scratch, the parts from
Wittners do not cover the whole problem, which to me, is quite serious, folk are paying good money for prints, only to take a chance on them being spoiled by these atrocious guides. I am on my second GS1200 at present, I can promise there will never be a third. It seemed to me that it was akin to remaking Campbell's "Bluebird", to try for a different result, if all factors remain the same, tragedy will follow.
I am not, or ever was a fan of Elmo, they are okay for occasional use, but not long term, Ugo is a good technician, so are many others, Bill Parsons springs to mind, he also covers many other makes to, "BP for me".Now there's a logo for the 8mm mob.

As a reply to David, it was a part Bill kindly made for my Fumeo, he had asked for a spare head for use which I'd taken from a second
machine, packed it up for the man, but it ended up being packed away with the Christmas decorations. So despite my tirade and bad language, meant that Bill very kindly fashioned a plastic piece to replace the head and it works a treat, need less to say when unpacking the tree ornaments, here was my little head still in its envelope. Too late was the cry on that episode, but this man is worthy of the word Genius, he's kept Scott's machine ticking over, Yoda is thy name. There are no peers to Bill Parsons.

That type of shutter would be ideal Paul, I have never seen or tried to make one, but I would say when it comes to the Xenon in a domestic situation, its debatable if the shutter needs altering at all.
Ref Ugos lamps, yes I think the light has a better look to it, and brighter plus they do not appear to fall off in output as soon as the Toshiba lamps do, and are better at striking after a lot of use, I suppose lamp technology must have improved since the original lamps were made.

It's a real shame the Xenon HAS to be quite so noisy as it is for use in the home.

I am sure it's perfect in a booth or at a large hall convention say, but I'm not at all sure it would suit me personally, for use in the home.

Stunning images though it has to be said with that f1 lens and all.

Which nicely leads me Andrew to fading of prints before their time due to these very bright hot lamps, it must have a bearing I feel.

Perhaps a little bleaching effect maybe Hugh? I don't know, if I'm honest.
It's only 1/24th of a second after all I suppose???

Equally I don't know if I've ever owned a print that's been used regularly on a xenon?

Certainly I don't recall seeing any print I have on lpp or Agfa looking drained of colour.

Would be interesting to see if anyone ever has here though?

I would never use a Xenon Lamp in a domestic situation. Far too bright for most prints.

I have just noticed Hugh you mention Paul Van Someron , it was Paul who pointed out to Elmo one of their first errors, when they first introduced the ST1200 they decided in their wisdom to use the same rollers as in there reg 8 machines, this resulted in the ridge of the roller on one side being in the picture area on super 8, this could cause a scratch if the roller stopped, I think it was Paul pointing this out to Elmo caused them to make and fit rollers suitable for super 8 from then on, this story was told to me by a friend of mine Dave Locke who incidentally pioneered the roller guide mods in the Elmo projectors.

Bill can you do the Dave Locke anti-scratch modifications on the Elmos ?

I didn't know that Bill, but the first ST1200's had metal rollers, which were replaced by the nylon jobs, I do remember getting in
touch with Paul at the time, he was accessible and he advised that there was a "petition" being sent to Elmo on their guides, to which
I sent in my letter and a private complaint to Elmo Nagoya. I have never owned a Jap projector that didn't scratch, hence my comments
on their products. It did result in a more "toughened" plastic and redesigned guides, but not infallible, the marks continued.

Yes David I can do the guide mods.

Ref the colour fade, I myself am not an expert on film stock, we all know that light can have a bleaching effect on a lot of things, but not certain if it accelerates the fade on film, I imagine you would have to run the same print many times.
I once had a lovely scope print of “The Boyfriend” with good colour I had not run it for about 5 years, invited some people round to watch it, telling them they were in for a treat, imagine my embarrassment, it was almost completely red ! that was certainly not from over exposure to light.

Maybe it was your letter that did it Hugh!!

I doubt it Bill, although at the time when new prints of mine were damaged I scoured the streets of Whitehaven looking for someone
Japanese to take it out on, such is youth!!

LoL.

True Andrew, a pic on a well known forum shows a member pointing towards the ELMO sign, it should read "Yes these are the people that
fucked up your prints of expensive films",

I re read the forums comments again Andrew, Ugo makes no real mention of any modernisation to scratching, so my "Bluebird" theory
runs true, a new projector with all the horrors waiting, genius my arse, the man prolongs the agony, get with it Ugo, the Elmo's spoil
film, are you thick Ugo?

The words I wrote earlier were taken from his comments on the other forum Hugh, so I'm completely baffled by the fact you cannot find those comments Hugh sorry, in what Ugo wrote?

Well Andrew, I hold you in all respect too, you know your stuff, no doubt on that, but Ugo has yet to set my mind at rest he has
"created" this dream machine, indeed he has evaded with the skill of a mountain goat how he hasn't done anything that would
make me part with a whole lot of money on an outsider that will eventually ruin prints! Any of our technicians in the UK could given the parts do a similar job, indeed MY money would be placed on William Parsons, a man who places these buckets above Fumeo, but that's Bill's preference,he is the best for all that, I stand by what I said, the guy is good at doing what any good technician with a set of instructions and parts can do, Ugo gets the casing and all the bits, lucky bloody him,
he assembles, I'm not casting doubts, but he is recreating heartbreak for some poor soul in the future, hence my comments, protection
over projection, he has yet to make that bit clear.

I am one that will never convert either Hugh. I am delighted with all of my favourites in the way, when maintained, they correctly and respectfully regard my films in the very same manner I do myself. However, I don't doubt for one minute that this machine of Ugo's is very very good in every aspect.

Bill is someone in this hobby of ours that everyone at some point will have learned a great deal from if they pursue the hobby to it's maximum potential, no doubt about that one! I myself hold him in the highest regard, he knows that.