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Anybody have a CIR splicer? What is the knob on the right front for? How do you get a clean splice out of one of these? I inherited it with my new theatre and it was loaded with tape gunk. We cleaned it up, but it still doesn't cut the edges clean and leaves tape "chads" on the film. I found a manual on film-tech, and saw that a new blade is $54 or so. Any suggestions?

http://www.efilmforum.com/archive/index.php/t-3084.html?pda=1

"Ken Layton03-16-2003, 09:40 AM
Splicers by the name of "Dr. Leo Catozzo" and "CIR" are in reality CIRO brand splicers. Sometimes people confuses the name by the Dr. Leo Catozzo or CIR name. Look closely and you'll see the "CIR" is inside a circle, hence CIRO. The nice 16mm version is the model M.3-16mm SPECIAL which has the adjustable registration pins. Models with a second side cutter are the more deluxe models which sell for more money. The second side cutter is for use with fullcoat magnetic sound film. The basic CIRO splicer only has one side cutter (straight blade). Keep your splicer clean and it will last for many years. Ronsonol brand lighter fluid is an excellent splicer cleaner (but don't smoke while cleaning it). If you can get a small pan and fill it with mineral spirits then you can soak the entire cutting head in it then scrub with an old toothbrush and it'll be as good as new.

If you need parts or manuals you can contact the source here in the USA:

J & R Film Company
CIRO Equipment division
1135 North Mansfield Ave.
Hollywood, Calif. 90038
Phone: (323) 467-3107 or toll free 1-877-MOVIOLA
Fax: 323-466-2201
URL: www.moviola.com (note: J&R Film bought Moviola several years ago, so if you need Moviola parts they got'em too).

Some of the CIRO manuals are available to download at the manuals page of www.film-tech.com and those CIRO manuals also cover both the 35mm and 16mm models."
http://www.film-tech.com/warehouse/wareview.php?id=772&category=2
http://www.film-tech.com/warehouse/wareview.php?id=773&category=2

---

John P. Pytlak, Senior Technical Specialist
Customer Technical Services
Entertainment Imaging
Research Labs, Building 69, Room 7525A
Eastman Kodak Company
Rochester, NY 14650-1922
Telephone: +1 585-477-5325 Cell: +1 585-781-4036 Fax: +1 585-722-7243
E-Mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Website: http://www.kodak.com/go/motion

I think you probably have the deluxe version
The knob on the left mioves the two left hand registration pins left to right
The other one drops the regestration pins cloosest to the cutter
The tape chads must be left in the holes of the die or they will not punch out well
also there must be two layers of tape across the plate at all times
The blades can be sharpened on a sharpening stone

Thanks for your help.

I still miss the old overlap splicers... and the scraper blades... and the airplane glue...

sort of...


... yes, John... I know it's not airplane glue! ... and yours worked best for us, too.

Geez... I'm getting old!

Scott Hicks' American Cinema Equipment (www.cinequip.com) in Portland, Oregon sells the blades and handles for these splicers for a lot cheaper prices than everyone else.

Scott Hicks is my main supplier. I don't know why I didn't think of calling him in the first place. It was probably just because the splicer was the last thing to use on this long adventure. For those of you looking for a fair, honest, supplier, Scott is an excellent choice.

GORDON'S info is right on the money... I use 3 layers of tape on the plate because it works best with the one I have...

JACK, I liked "Ethyloid" film cement the best (when you could still get it) 'cause it dried the fastest and made the strongest splices, but I sure don't miss the old lap cement splicers... Things finally got to the point I was remaking every splice in an incoming film because you couldn't trust how well the last guy had made them... Sometimes it took hours!... Don't miss that at all...

PS <> We're all getting old!... ;-}

[This message has been edited by outaframe (edited May 14, 2005).]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, helvetica">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by rodeojack:
<B>I still miss the old overlap splicers... and the scraper blades... and the airplane glue...

sort of...


... yes, John... I know it's not airplane glue! ... and yours worked best for us, too.

Geez... I'm getting old! </B><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Geeze Jack, I thought I was the only one here old enough to remember wet splices.

The "chads" are from dull blades.

---

Bob Allen
The Old Showman

If I understand this right, I am supposed to put three layers of regular splicing tape over the plate where my film will later be spliced? Over the holes and all? And this will fix my hanging chads?

It will help a lot as well as better edges
but the holes in the plate should never be cleaned out

That's correct: try two layers first and if that does the trick you're all set... If not, add another layer... The microscopic edges of the sprocket holes in that tape on the plate sort of grab the cut-outs from the film splicing operation and then they build up and fall out of the bottom...

I'll go with that, too. Their prices are reasonable & they are good at getting emergency parts to you quickly.

Hadden Theatre Supply is also a good choice.