Guys,

I hate to lower the level of discussion on the forum but boy am I fresh to this hobby (Already enjoying it though!), does any use or have recommendations as far as Kodak Molecular Sieves and similar products for ensuring films are allowed to off gas without issue? I have already purchase some good Stil film cans for my best films, but I wonder if the extra measures are worth while? Currently storing my films at 65 degrees F with 45-50% humidity.

I have yet to screen any of my nice features as my Eiki Slimline just arrived, I jumped the gun tonight out of excitement and ran some 10 minute educational films through the projector just to get the hang of it, but I did not clean the projector first which I know was a mistake and I will be doing tomorrow...anyhow the first 10 minute film ran fine (based on my novice eye), I loaded a second film exactly as the manual says and gave it a couple turns on the take up reel and pushed it into forward but all of a sudden the very last rollers jammed up the film. I did not notice if the film was beat up prior but after the jam sadly it was bent and beat up. What are some of the possible causes of this jam? After getting the film out I proceeded to screen it without issue.

I will be preforming a deep cleaning with alcohol per the manual and wiping down the lens and casing. Thanks guys. You are all so helpful and informative, glad I found you.

Michael

1) Ensure film is trimmed with the cutter.
2) Make sure leader has the correct curve and it not damaged in any way.
3) A thick threading leader is always preferred, if not, join on some scrap (in good condition) to protect the valuable film.
4) It is always a good idea to check any newly bought films on a rewind to check for faults such as faulty splices or any tears.

To add to Maurice's valuable advice, I would say you need to lubricate the film before watching it for the first time. Running it on rewinds through a cloth allows you to feel for any problems, like bad splices, torn perforations, or nicks on the edge of the film, which could snag and tear your film. We all learn by experience. In the beginning I used to screen the films without a thorough checking as I assumed they were fine when I bought them. These days I use a vacuum cleaner to clean the film path of any debris, and make sure the gate area is thoroughly cleaned, as dirt builds up there quickly. I do this before each screening. When I lubricate my films I always run the wetted cloth on the outside edges of the film as well when it's on the spool..