Repairs
Belts
Rubber belts perish whether the machine is used or not — usually faster if it isn't, because it sits under tension in one position for thirty years. I hold or make belts for most common machines. It's a straightforward job and it's what two-thirds of the phone calls turn out to need.
Full service
Strip, clean, replace perished belts, re-grease the gearbox with grease that won't harden, replace the pressure plate felt, check the claw, align the gate, test with a scrap reel for twenty minutes. Most machines that come back to life stay alive for another decade after this.
Claw and shutter
The harder work. A worn claw pulls the film unevenly and shows as a picture that drifts vertically. Sometimes it's adjustment; sometimes the part has to be made, which means the lathe and a fortnight.
Electrical
Switches, lamp holders, motor brushes, transformers. I replace mains leads as a matter of course on anything from before 1975 — the original flex is usually rubber-insulated and crumbling, and that's the genuine hazard in an old projector, not the lamp.
What takes the longest
| Belt only | a week, often less |
| Full service | three to four weeks |
| Claw or shutter work | four to eight weeks |
| Anything needing a part made | quoted individually, and I'll be honest about whether it's worth it |
When it isn't worth it
Some machines aren't worth the labour and I say so. A common Super 8 projector with a seized motor will cost more to repair than a working one costs to buy, and I'd rather tell you that than take the money. Sentimental value is your call, not mine — if it was your father's, say so and we'll do it anyway.