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West Wickham, near Croydon. Mr. Bell Certainly the sound on two musicals I
the proprietor of Sound and Screen ran as test films had extra clarity
Services estimated, over the phone that compared to previous runs.
the cost would be about £100 and this
was very nearly correct, in the event. Bell & Howell discontinued their
When the machine was returned some 16mm film projectors circa 1980/2 so that
two weeks later, by road transport, I found the last of the TQ3 machines must be at
that the machine ran extremely well; it least twelve or fifteen years old.
purred gently like a small-satisfied kitten. It is a wise precaution for any owner or
Meanwhile I had been using my TQ3 prospective buyer of a TQ machine to
Model 1694 and my wife remarked that it remove the rear of the case of the
sounded noisy so when the newly machine, (two screws at each side and
serviced machine was returned I ran three along the bottom) to examine the worm
mine alongside and mine was noisy by gear. This should be slowly rotated by
comparison. In fact it had begun to means of the inching knob. If there is the
sound like a miniature pneumatic drill! slightest suspicion that there is a crack
Quick removal of the rear of the case or hairline fracture the use or possible
revealed that although my worm was purchase should be abandoned until
still in position it was split for half its the machine has been sent for repair.
length and a hairline crack was evident This will obviate the possibility of it
along the other half. ceasing to function in the middle of a show
Another call to Mr. Bell and it was and prevent the possibility of damage to
agreed that my son and I would deliver it other parts of the gear train. If the
in person by car. This proved to be a machine has had the worm gear replaced
messy cross-country run from Reading to the new worm is a mid gray color
West Wickham and I decided to have easily distinguished from the original
it returned by road transport. In his pale cream plastic model.
small workshop Mr. Bell showed us the Now that my own machine has had this
repair / overhaul and is sounding very
new type of replacement worm of which smooth I can use it with every confi-
he had a good stock. The new version is dence.
made in one solid piece in a distinctive gray
material. Apparently he is repairing about
one a week with this problem. The cost of
the worm itself is £29.50 but if a worm This article was originally published in
damages other gears when it the UK magazine ACE, it is reproduced
disintegrates these will need replacement in Reel Deals with the kind permission
as well. of the author Alan Lott.
On receiving the invoice for repairs to my
1694 1 noticed a small charge for fitting
two Zenor diodes for protection of the Parts for Bell & Howell projectors are
motor speed control integrated circuit. available from advertisers listed in Reel
Apparently this protection had not been Deals.
fitted to the first production runs and it
is sensible to fit these two small items
at any time that the machine is sent for
servicing. I noticed also from the invoice
that the sound optics had been cleaned.