Film cleaning and lubricating

**jcroach** · January 25th, 2006, 03:13 PM

Another newbie question. I'm working with nearly 30 year old home Super 8 movies. Do I need to clean and/or lubricate these before projecting? What equiptment or chemicals do I need to do this? Do I clean and lubricate before each use or just every once in a while? There doesn't appear to be any damage or deterioration to the films, but I want them in the best shape as possibel to survive another 30 years and transfer well to MiniDV and eventually to DVD.

Thanks in advance.

**Alex** · January 25th, 2006, 08:43 PM

That's a tough call to make.

I believe films from that era were well lubricated, both when actually made and then after processing.

I would say less is more for now. Make sure the projector is clean, if it looks like the projector path can be lubed, that might be more important. However I don't know what to recommend to lube it with, definitely not oil.

The most important thing is how does the film sound when it is moving through the projector. With a proper loop the film should be pretty quiet except for the claw that is advancing the film.

I used to use projectors quite a bit before I began transfering my films to video via professional transfer facilities, but back then I was always projecting just processed film so the issue of lubing and cleaning was less of an issue.

Probably the way to go is clean one film reel, and compare how it goes through the projector with one that you just run "as is". See if you notice a difference.

Or better still, Clean HALF of one small film reel, (but remember to wipe off the mung that will accumulate at the last spot that you stopped cleaning at) and see if the projector sounds any different and if the film looks any different at the point in which the cleaning ended.

Maybe you just do intermittent cleaning throughout the entire fifty foot film (making sure to wipe off the accumulated mung at the end frame where the cleaning has stopped), and then see if you notice the difference.

As for what to use, check out the link provided up above for NeuMade, they sell cleaning products.

**megalith6** · January 25th, 2006, 09:02 PM

film lube also here -

http://cgi.ebay.com/NE-35mm-16mm-Sup...QQcmdZViewItem

ric

**Alex** · January 26th, 2006, 02:06 AM

Interesting Lead!

That seller is also selling a bunch of other stuff as well....

http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZjmp61QQhtZ-1

I have no idea if their prices are competitive but they seem to be selling a lot of different items.

**jcroach** · January 26th, 2006, 12:12 PM

Thanks for the advice guys. The only other question I have is, how is the cleaner/lub applied? Do you use a special cleaning reel to reel machine or do you unroll the film by hand and apply it or to you apply it while the film is running through the projector or while it is being rewound?

**megalith6** · January 26th, 2006, 07:32 PM

hi,

the ebay guy is called Jim - he is spoken of highly by Martin Baumgarten

http://members.aol.com/Super8mm/Super8mm.html

i clean my film by using a pair of rewinds 5' apart and gently wiping with clean kerchiefs dampened with lube/cleaner

will be quite keen, though, to get my hands on a film cleaner which holds the film between lubed pads while you are slowly winding it through

try and prop doors / open windows unless you want a headache

Jim's stuff will also clean/lube film paths

bests,

ric

**Alex** · January 28th, 2006, 07:41 AM

Neumade sells the rewind clamps which clamp the reels to the rewinds.

If you create this set up make sure the film cleaner residue has evaporated before reaching the take up reel.