Magnasync Moviola Rewinds

[Gillian Donaldson-Selby]

Hello

 

I have numpty questions regarding shafts for Magnasync Moviola rewinds – type WA. I bought 3 of them off eBay. One arrived with a multi-reel (non-hinged) shaft, the others without shafts. Otherwise, they seem to be in good working order. Please, can anyone tell me:

Is it possible to buy single and multi-reel shafts for these rewinds?

If not, is there any way to manufacture shafts for the rewinds? A 5/16” or 8mm shaft will fit, but it seems that it will need a specific retaining ring to ‘lock’ it into the rewind.

Any help is greatly appreciated!

Gillian

[Mark Dunn]

I've been after a set of rewinds for years, and you've just discovered why I'm still waiting- there's always a bit missing.

I've only seen one or two complete sets since the 80s and actually managed to rent out my pic-sync last year to a documentarist who set up what must be the first full bench since the early 90s. But she had to find her own rewinds and squawk-box,  though I've subsequently got one of those.

If you could put up some pictures some ideas might be forthcoming.

Edited May 18 by Mark Dunn

[Gillian Donaldson-Selby]

I've attached photos showing the shaft and the bent shaft with the retaining ring/shaft collar. It seems that for the shaft to lock into the rewind, the little metal bit underneath the collar needs to fit into the rewind 'socket' - otherwise it just spins. (If anyone has one of these, please let me know if my assumption is correct.) My thinking is that as most of the shaft is fairly straight I might cut off sections and fit collars and universal shafts - though I need to solve the problem of keeping the shaft locked in. Like your documentarist, I'm setting up an editing bench with my pic-sync (yet to be serviced).

Universal coupler - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0DSHB3B72?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1

(I read online that guitar amplifier heads can be used for squawk boxes?)

[Mark Dunn]

It doesn't look like the ones I've seen, I think they were Neumade and Acmade. 

Acmades have the universal joint to allow for misalignment but not the little key. If it slides in the slot it occurs to me you may be able to lock it into the gearbox (on the left) with two grub-screw collars like the one you have, one for the key and one for the shaft.

[Mark Dunn]

The first reel is turned by the key, the others by spring pressure from the collars in between the reels. Are you planning to work with mag film? Interesting. 

My usual business is Steenbecks but I'm pretty familiar with the pic-sync.

Pretty sure that's not the original setup and it's been bodged together after it was damaged. Keep looking for a better set!

Edited May 18 by Mark Dunn

[Mark Dunn]

Sorry for multiple posts but you can only edit for a few minutes.

As you know there's no preamp on a pic-sync- the output is a couple of mV- so it needs much more amplification than on a line input. Don't know about the guitar amp, I just waited for an ebay seller who didn't know what a squawk box was, or even use the words, so I got it cheap. Anything with 'film' in the listing gets called 'rare' and is priced accordingly.

Oh, and these aren't numpty questions anymore. No-one under about 65 can answer them.

Edited May 18 by Mark Dunn

[Perry Paolantonio]

I'm surprised you have a hard time finding these things, Mark. Here in the states they're all over the place. We have a giant box of them (which we keep for spare parts, mostly bought at auction for next to nothing, or given to us). There are tons of these things on ebay, though they often ask too much for them.

@Gillian Donaldson-Selby: The shaft is a standard 5/16 keyed shaft (11/64" key I think). You can buy a length of this shaft at McMaster-Carr for not much money and it can be cut to length with a hack saw with minimal effort. It looks like the key itself sits outside the collar (which you can also get at McMaster if you need to replace that. But you're going to have to pull it the whole thing apart to confirm how it attaches on the inside and if you need anything else.

The good news is that these things are pretty simple and all use standard shaft sizes so making it work shouldn't be hard. You might need to bust out a file to ease the edges though, and for getting the key into the keyway, you'll want a vise that you can use to squeeze it in at the exact location. Not difficult to do at all and even a cheap benchtop vise will work fine for this. 

[Charlie Peich]

From a Moviola catalog......maybe 1975........

 

 

 

[Charlie Peich]

A couple more of the shafts.......

 

[Mark Dunn]

16 hours ago, Perry Paolantonio said:

There are tons of these things on ebay, though they often ask too much for them.

That's the problem.

16 hours ago, Perry Paolantonio said:

McMaster-Carr

OP is in the metric UK where these things seem harder to find and more expensive. If you can find a US supplier who will post to the UK they seem to charge  a vast amount, and there's 20% import VAT as well.

But OP, if you can persuade the key back inside the fitting in the housing you only need the one collar as it should clamp the key into the slot.

[Perry Paolantonio]

6 hours ago, Mark Dunn said:

OP is in the metric UK where these things seem harder to find and more expensive. If you can find a US supplier who will post to the UK they seem to charge  a vast amount, and there's 20% import VAT as well.

Then use an 8mm keyed slot. it's a difference of like 0.1mm between that and 5/16" so they're effectively interchangeable in a relatively low-precision situation like this. It should work and they're readily available anywhere you can get mechanical stuff. Even Amazon. 

Edited May 19 by Perry Paolantonio

[Gillian Donaldson-Selby]

Thanks to everyone who replied to my post and for the advice and images. I believe I now understand what is required to replace the missing parts - which is great as the rewinds really are very nice. 

A few thoughts of my own 🙂

It is possible to get imperial-sized fittings here in the UK - a lot of engineering shops still use inches. All the same, I am going to go with an 8mm metric keyed shaft

The original shaft had a thread at the end for a screw to prevent the shaft coming loose from the rewind. As I probably won't find a matching shaft, I'll use a second collar and key

Yes - I am planning to work with mag film! (I know it's probably crazy, but that's what I used to work with, many years ago)