Home Movies (Feb-Dec 1939)

THE EXPERIMENTAL Tripod Level In shooting pictures in wooded or hill}? sections of the country, I used to find it difficult to determine if my camera, when used with a tripod, was setting level. I have since put a new gadget on my tripod head which corrects this trouble. From the hardware department of a local store I purchased a small metal level which I attached to my tripod head as shown in my sketch. As the level I purchased enabled me to determine dead level in all directions, it was unnecessary for me to attach two. As other amateurs may find difficulty in obtaining the same size level that I did, I wish to add that the use of two levels, placed at right angles on the tripod head, will give the required results. — Ray S. Rieschl. Single 8 Adapter Owners of Keystone double eight movie cameras who wish to use single eight millimeter film, may do so without having a special gate installed in their cameras to accommodate this narrower film. The only expense required is the purchase of the necessary single 8mm camera spools. Thread your camera in the usual way with single 8mm film and with a single 8mm spool on the takeup spindle. Make sure intermittent claw engages Opportunity! • A prominent manufacturer of amateur motion picture equipment has announced his desire to purchase, on a royalty basis, the right to manufacture and market worthwhile gadgets suggested by our readers and published each month in HOME MOVIES. Beginning this month, we shall submit to this manufacturer, the names and addresses of all amateurs whose ideas are published in these columns. There may be gold in that idea of yours! So get busy — perfect it — then send us a letter describing if together with a photograph or sketch. Should it be of interest to the manufacturer, he will communicate with you direct. the perforation of the film. Then take a piece of single 8mm film about 3 inches long, fold back sharply at about inch at either end, and place it in the film gate alongside the threaded film. Before closing the cover, start camera motor to make sure film will run through the mechanism smoothly. I find this system permits use of the more economical single 8mm. film without trouble of any kind. — Rocco Rotundo. Focusing Idea One of the drawbacks to more frequent home projection of movie films is the amount of time and trouble required in setting up projector, assembling the screen, and finally checking up on sharp focus before starting the show. To remedy this focusing problem, I have spliced three or four frames taken from miscellaneous old titles into the middle of my leader, so that I can check on my focus in advance of running my films. The film is threaded so that one of these frames rests in the projector gate. I flash on the projection lamp long enough to adjust the lens, then start my show. — Darwin Wilson. Film Spooling Aid Users of positive film who load their own camera spools in a safelighted darkroom will find threading of narrow camera spools will be much easier if edge of the film slot in the core is painted with a thin white stripe, and also if a white stripe is painted on the side of the spool indicating position of the slot. The white lines are easy to see in the dim glow of a red safelight. — Oscar Nelson. Film Clip A simple means of keeping reels of exposed film from unwinding can easily be made from the spring of an old alarm clock, usually available from your son’s or little brother’s toy box. Cut pieces of the spring in lengths corresponding to the circumference of your roll of film. This can be determined by measuring the roll with a length of string. These sections of clock spring retain their natural curl and may be sprung into place over the film, preventing it from unwinding. To eliminate possibility of scratching, file oft rough edges of spring and bend up the ends slightly. ard H. Butcher. 8mm Film Slitter An accurate tool for slitting double 8mm film into single 8mm widths may easily be constructed from simple materials by any amateur. As shown in the accompanying sketch, the only materials required are two hardwood blocks, two bolts, two wood screws, and a safety razor blade. The lower block is grooved the exact width of double 8mm film and about 1/32" deep. The upper block is partly cut away, as shown, to permit fastening razor blade in exact center of the groove. The upper block is bolted securely to the base and the holes, through which the bolts are fitted, are made slightly larger to permit adjustment of the razor blade. There are no moving parts. To slit double 8mm film, simply cut a narrow “V” about 2" long in the film to permit threading it into the groove, then pull the film through. Before slitting a full roll of film, make a few tests with pieces of scrap film — 16mm film will do — to make sure film is slit exactly in the center. Any difference can be adjusted by loosening bolts and moving top block as required. — Herbert C. Fischer. PAGE 288 HOME MOVIES FOR JULY