The machines nobody else will touch
I repair film projectors. Standard 8, Super 8, 16mm and slide projectors, from the 1950s through to the last ones made in the eighties. One workshop, one person, since 1998.
Most of the trade is postal now. There were four of us doing this within fifty miles when I started; as far as I know there's one other left in the north of England.
Open
Mon–Thu 09:00–16:00
By appointment
Turnaround
3–6 weeks, longer for rare parts
Where
Sidney Works, Sheffield S1
Phone
What comes in
| Complaint | Usually |
|---|---|
| Won't run, motor hums | Perished main belt. The commonest job by a distance |
| Runs, then jams | Hardened grease in the claw mechanism |
| Chews the film | Worn sprocket teeth or a misaligned gate. Stop using it immediately |
| Lamp doesn't light | Switch, holder or transformer. Rarely the bulb, whatever the shop said |
| Picture flickers or wanders | Shutter timing, or a worn claw. A proper job |
| Smells hot | Stop. Unplug it. Ring me before you switch it on again |
What I won't do
I don't transfer film — that's a different trade with different machines, and there are people in Manchester who do it properly. I don't sell projectors, though I sometimes know who has one. And I don't rewire mains leads on machines that are going to a school, because that needs a certificate I don't hold.
If a projector has eaten a reel of film, stop. Every further pass costs you more of the film. Take it off, bag the film separately, and send both. The film matters more than the machine and it can't be replaced.