Showmen's Trade Review (Jul-Sep 1949)

E-28 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW, July 23, 1 l'^^~!!^M Maintenance Memos for Projectionists AUGUST, 1949 CARL E. ANDERSON— Owner and Manager, Liberty, Strand and Roxy Theatres, Kalispell, Montana — says: "RCA Service and equipment are certainly tops. Not once in 20 years have we had cause for even a single complaint." To get the benefits of RCA Servicewrite: RCA SERVICE COMPANY, INC., Radio Corporation of America, Camden, N. J. MAKE YOUR THEATRE A sell more dreams at your boxoffi( ■A Send your rough sketches or plans for free estimate & color rendering Amasinq New Kind of POP CORN SEASONING NONE OTHER LIKE IT Make your pop corn the best tasting in town with this great new seasoning. Looks like butter. Tastes like butter. Gives pop corn that rich, buttery goodness. Powerful sales stimulator. Write today. 1*11 send full details without obligation. Low price. Also facts on my super, patented "Volumized" pop corn, as well as complete popping supplies. Write HOWARD C. SMITH, Pres., today. AMERICAN POP CORN CO.Sioux city, i A. Working Theatremen Need, Use and Rely Upon the Every-Week Booking Guide Service SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Examine all projection and sound optical surfaces tor immaculate cleanliness. If all are nor round to be in aosoiutely perfect condition, improve cleaning schedule. Have you set up a regular program for listening to or otnerwise checking each individual loudspeaker unit for its individual volume, quality and freedom rrom noisy operation? Time to re-inspect the sound system's water-pipe connect. on.' Remove it from pipe, examine for freedom from corrosion ana perfect contact, improve it as needed. With no audience present, run sound and operate all volume controls over their full range. Clean, lubricate, adjust, repair or replace any that are not absolutely noiseless in use. Are you careful to keep all lubricant containers hermetically closed? Dust contaminates them and water vapor condensing inside can may rust parts on which oil is used. Do you ever find it necessary to take carbon tetrachloride from a fire extinguisher for cleaning purposes? Order an extra supply; don't risk depleting the extinguisher. Check all tubes that can be read with built-in meters and record readings. Replace any tubes found to have grown seriously or rapidly weaker since last readings were recorded. Using a deep-color gelatine examine the filaments of all tungar-type rectifier tubes while in operation. Replace (or watch) any that show serious sagging of the filament. Inspect all sprockets in all projectors and soundheads. If any teeth are found to be seriously worn or undercut, order replacement sprockets well in advance of need for them. Inspect all gears in all projectors and soundheads. If any show signs of being seriously worn, don't delay ordering new ones until you are close to emergency need for them. Inspect all tension shoes, film guides, idlers and other parts in contact with the film. If any are found worn enough to need replacement soon, order replacements now. Go into auditorium with or without audience and listen to sound critically for distortion, wows, flutter, hum, noise. Find and correct cause for any fault heard. Do you carefully watch your screen during all changeovers and take prompt steps to correct any discrepancy in screen brightness, light color, or other fault patrons can see? Do you carefully listen to monitor during changeovers and take prompt steps to correct any discrepancy in sound volume or quality or other fault that patrons can hear? Inspect film cabinet to see if it is still in perfect condition with all doors closing perfectly. If not, ask for repairs; take no chances with safety or safety regulations. How closely do you watch screen for perfection of focus, even illumination; and absence of jump, weave, or travel ghost? Use opera glasses, or go down into auditorium now ond then. If maintenance of the curtain machine is also part of your responsibility have you set up a regular, routine schedule for inspecting, cleaning, lubricating and adjusting it? Do you keep a running inventory of carbons and spare parts, ordering replacements in step with use to make sure you will always have an adequate supply of everything? Is proje/ction room lighting so bright, or so poorly arranged, that it interferes with your critical observation of the screen? If so, have you asked to have needed changes made? Are you thorougtily familiar with Underwriters' and your own local safety codes, and do you check projection room and fittings occasionally to make sure of perfect conformance? Do you keep in touch with technical developments through trade papers or otherwise, and recommend helpful improvements that happen not to have come to your manager's attention? If your sound system uses pre-focussed exciter lamps insert each of them temporarily into operating position to make sure they all will be ready for instant use whenever needed. If fire drives you out of the projection room — are your emergency port shutter and power cut-off switches located wliere you can operate them without delay while on your way out? Time for another close examination of the condition of the asbestos-covered leads to ALL lamphouses? If replacements will be needed in the near future, order them well In advance. Inspect all motors and motor-generators for cool operation and condition of . bearings, brushes, commutators ond lubrication. Make all indicated repairs and adjustments promptly. Examine all take-ups and their belts or chains; make certain take-up action is smooth and flawless and that belts or chains are in good condition and satisfactorily tout. Time for another inspection of contact blades and contact clips of all power and arc switches? Clean, burnish and adjust as found necessary, or order any needed replacements. Have you set up a standard routine for checking all oil cups, grease cups, oil reservoirs and other lubricating points to make certain none can ever be overlooked or forgotten? Time for another inspection of carbon jaws in ALL lamphouses? If any are found not in perfect condition sand off roughness or make other needed adjustments, or order new ones. Time to re-check the non-synch for quality of sound, signs of weor and condition of lubrication? Judge sound quality by listening to it in the auditorium, not in the monitor. If you have a little-used announcing microphone have you set up a schedule for trying it out occasionally to make sure it and its circuits are still in first-class condition?