This concerns me a different reason. I own a few features that are on big spools, so are the entire feature going through a projector, so some fluff and muck can get offloaded in to the film path, and i'm not likely to keep stopping to clean the gate, so I invested in a film o clean system that does the job "other people don't like to do ", very well, as it can lube the film too. I guess my other concern would be, did Phil watch and grade the film, that Tim had ?, I suspect he bought it as Tim did " in good faith ", BUYER BEWARE EVERYTIME.

I run films in their entirety quite regularly Paul.
I haven't been too put off in doing so.
It's true to say it benefits the screening experience to ensure the film is recently cleaned to a very high standard before doing so, but my only advice I would give out to collectors before projecting on 2400ft spools or larger, would be to ensure you give plenty of room before input guide and take off spool.

The guy who owned my Beaulieu projector before I did, always used a long play system coupled with the projector before attempting to project full features despite the fact the Beaulieu is more than capable on its own merits.

It gives a good six inches this way,even at the very start of the film, between input guide and roller and the unravelling film.

It's something I have learned myself in the past, to now do likewise.
Mistakes otherwise can be costly it has to be said

It's nigh on impossible to keep a 15" spool running perfectly true from its central hub.

On the long play projectors, only the front leg of a long play unit is either necessary or indeed beneficial I've found.

This is equally why running a long play unit with its completely silent operation, is simply superb with many of the mid range projectors out there.
The Bauer and one of these, is simply a match made in heaven!
Brilliant results and zero risk, time after time. 😊

Thanks guys for the warm welcome and suggestions.When I started collecting 8mm/16mm films about 7 to 8 years ago. I was what I call an uneducated newbie.I would see a title of a film and like a kid in a sweetshop go buy it.It would then just be added to my stack of films digest etc.I have about 70+ 16mm features and about 30 or so super 8 features digest, trailers.Most are unwatched crazy I know. I have had an addiction to collecting them and just hoarding them basically.Ive watched my favourites such as the time machine, ghostbusters, short circuit etc.I have calmed down alot now as it has cost me a fortune and have learned to only buy films occasionally.

Most I spent on a film is £440 and that is a 16mm print raiders of the lost ark about 5/6 years ago from the usa and still to date I have yet to view it.It could be scratched to pieces for all I know.I dont mind scratches and such myself but when I think back what I have paid I would never have give that sort of money if I had know the conditions etc.

Lately I have gotten to that point myself, due to my health. I always watched the films as soon as they came in, but now I do have a stack of unwatched films. Hope to catch up soon, need a re-organizing of my films first (ie find new places to put them)

I fear I have to sell some soon (ouch, just thinking of it makes me feel pain)

There you go Tim!

Another who claims to not mind emulsion scratches but as you quite rightly say...you'd never have paid one half of what you did if you'd have known for one second, the actual real condition of these films!

It's one thing to be be a collector or even a self confessed hoarder of such items, but you simply have to ensure you want to be an end user of these items in order to guarantee that you aren't simply being taken for a ride!

There's plenty out there who'd have us all for fools if we make it easy for them!

I wonder just how many sci fi geeks there are out there for example, who have purchased Star Wars prints and never even projected them once?
Some of these characters don't even own a projector I believe, and simply buy them to add to their already momentous amount of film memorabilia!

Makes you wonder what condition a lot of these are in, doesn't it?

I have just purchased 3 films from ebay on Sunday, "a visit to london", Pathe pic "Hawaii" (Derann original box) and a "Bugs Bunny" (Derann original box). Well they turned up yesterday and what a mess, A visit to London was standard 8 and so warped as you ran some of the film off the spool it twisted like a snake, it cost me £3.20 and the seller has ok'd it for me to return it to him, it will cost him £2.99 for me to return it to him, whereas he will gain a whole 21p. The Bugs Bunny was a beautiful print with great colour and NO SOUND, yes you read right, not a sausage, now this was gutting as it only cost me £2.20, but I will now have to return it at a cost to the seller of £2.99, yep he'll make a loss on me returning that one. The last one was Pathe pic Hawaii, this one was again a gorgeous print, however every 5/10/20 seconds it was as if someone had held a yellow filter in front of the lens and it was all the way through the print, yep you guessed it, it's going back, so that's another £2.99 for the seller to find. The guy doesn't live far from me and I wanted to pick the films up from his house but I was met with a "you can't come to my house as you might upset my pets"

There are getting toooooo many sellers on ebay who have absolutely no idea what they are selling

Del ,maybe the pets 'vet'the films before they are sent!!!😃😃

I will record your new bugs bunny for you if you like Del. Just bring it with you and leave it with me for a short while.

I looked at this one myself, then figured it was too good to be true at the price. I smelt a rat if I'm honest Del for a Derann print.

To your last statement there above Del, maybe they know Exactly what it is they are selling, but choose to play it dumb perhaps?

As we are now witnessing from all of the conversation here today, there are still plenty of people out there who are willing to part with their hard earned for films in this condition.

Maybe they are simply chancng their arm in landing on one of these guys?

Sadly for them, if it's you or I buying them, it won't be beneficial to them whatsoever!

The key to buying from ebay is knowing the condition as a regular ebay seller i only sell films that ive watched in the entirety and post screen shots and list any scratches etc ,i personally dont mind the odd scratch or two if its a film i realy want but i just cant stand pink or red prints ,i very rarely buy from ebay now days unless its something im looking for and not likely to turn up anytime soon ,having said that i wont pay silly money either ,This is not a sales pitch in anyway but anyone who buys form me knows exactly what they are getting and thats the way it will stay .

Silly money as you call it Nigel, unfortunately has to be paid nowadays if you want top Super 8mm feature prints in top condition.

The guys with these, selling these, always know of their value in today's marketplace and are not afraid to pass on as many screenshots as you may ask them to.

If you want things bang on, it's a fact of life, you simply have to pay the going rate for these items.

If it looks too good to be true, it usually is in my experiences of all things on this planet!

I have been offered some superb titles in what I know will be in excellent shape going into the new year from a tried and trusted seller I know.
But guess what? Not a one of them is anything like what you'd call cheap.

The only issue I have with anyone selling anything at top dollar, is make sure you're product warrants the asking price!
There are many out there who will place a 500 euro price tag onto a film as if it were a fiver, but then keep their cards very close to their chest surrounding condition.
These people are to be avoided at all cost! ...You Have Been Warned!

Got to agree with Andrew on the too good to be true.For my money I only would buy from someone I was pretty sure of and have usually dealt with before.All this nonsense about not having a projector,and have you noticed the ones where the film reels are laid out so you can't see the titles reel numbers etc,and of course the seller can't be bothered or have the time to look at a few feet against the light.
I'm not saying everyone on eBay is out to screw the buyers,but as we all know the collection of films on any gauge and its ancillary equipment is not easy unless you have some knowledge of what you are buying ,and some of the film descriptions are off the planet.
There are plenty of good ,honest dealers / sellers out there and this site boasts a lot so for me it's stick to who you know.📽📽

You've hit the nail right on its head there Gwyn!

Just find the good guys, and stick with them.

But if like me, you like only the good stuff, do be prepared to pay the going rate as well.
None of it is cheap anymore, just like many of us have been saying to some of the guys here who wish for 1988 prices all over again for the best stuff remaining.
It's just not going to happen.

You get nothing for nothing in this world!

Thanks for the offer Andrew, but the guy has cheesed me off too much now so he can pay to have to send them back. I'm more gutted at the Hawaii one as that was great but could not live with the constant yellow tinge every few seconds, it was typical Derann sharp print with great colour too

It was like a typical low fade pin sharp print, only like watching it in a nightclub! 😂😂😂

Give it them back Del. They deserve nothing less than at least at little inconvenience!

This is the only way to list on ebay ..
Here is a super 8mm tape i have no idea what it does ,it was left to me after mt uncles 3rd cousin twice removed passed away ,i think you may need a projector or something to play it on but then again not sure ,have several to sell look like the reels are in good condtion so i assume the content is aswell ,not been used for many years and has a musty smell ,box is a bit tatty as found in the coal shed under a load of paint tins ,i see other 8mm tapes going for good money so assume this will also ,dont be put off by the £200 start price as just seen a star wars go for £1000 so this must be a bargain ,you may ask me questions but doubt ill be able to answer as have no means of checking this or the 200 other 8mm tapes i have for sale ,good luck youll need it .

sorry guys thought id just try and make someone laugh

Yep, that's the type....and more fool those that either swallow this crap or buy from these chancing b@#tards!!

in all seriousness i think you can go wrong if you buy from most of the people on the forums honesty amongst collectors ,we have a good community and word would soon get round if you sold bad films ,i feel for anyone that gets ripped of by ebay chancers ive been there myself ,but rember ebay always goes in buyers favour so you will get refunds even though its a pain all the time it takes to sort out .

Can or cannot Nigel???

I'm confused by your statement??

My statement above was in all seriousness Nigel btw!

sorry andrew it was a typo should have said cant go wrong ,i know your comment was serious i hope you didnt think i thought otherwise ,apologies if you thought i offended you i would never do that .

No mate I was not, or could not be offended on here Nigel, least of all by yourself buddy 😊😊

Wenn Sie hier auf Links zu eBay klicken und einen Kauf tätigen, kann dies dazu führen, dass diese Website eine Provision erhält.

I've had dodgy films and equipment from so called dealers and at the shows too, but I've had great stuff off Ebay. Its buyer beware, in god we trust, everyone else has to earn it. I think Tim has done the right thing and his description on Ebay is more honest than many would do, its an open appraisal of what there buying with pictures to show this, but as always you can't please all the people all of the time, good luck Tim, I'm sure this film will find a good home.

Terminator does £695.00 !!!!!!!. I suspect Tim will be a happy bunny now, well done for being so honest in your description, will terminator 2 do the same, who knows.

Well shows what i know with my £250 estimate! Ha ha ha

Well done Tim, and I have no doubt some collectors including myself, will feel suicidal this evening after hearing this, surrounding their next purchases!

Pays for Christmas eh Tim!

I bought mine off rob young Andrew, and I'm sure it was half that amount, so would mine fetch twice that ?, I doubt it. It has been said before that Ebay certainly gets people carried away with there bidding finger to a fever pitch, although I do remember this time last year around about the northern film convention when all manner of films surfaced on Ebay and the forums, it just seems to focus peoples minds, good luck to those on the receiving end of all that dosh, luv verlly money.

Good Guy is Rob, Paul...as I am certain you know already.

Nice when we see titles we already have fetching absurd money. Not to sell and make huge profit, but just to know we didn't have to pay today's prices on these odd occasions!
I am certain Tom must get this feeling regularly having been in this hobby for an eternity now, without ever selling out.