Arri 2B Problem

[Kevin Masuda]

I recently pulled out my old Arri 2B and when I turn the motor on, the camera will not pull the film through. The motors are on and moving but it seems like movement is not moving at all. Is there something I can do on my own, ie lubricant or something? Or will I really have to take this to a tech?

[John Sprung]

With any of the Arri I/II series, you can take the motor off the bottom with four screws. On the bottom of the camera, there should be an idler gear that drives another gear on a shaft that goes up into the camera. If that idler gear isn't there, that's your problem.

 

Try running the motor by itself, to check that the little pinion gear on its shaft really turns. If the motor and idler are OK, try inching with the inching knob, see what turns and what doesn't -- the pulldown cam, shutter, mag drive gear, bottom gear.... The stuff in the body should be all or nothing. If you have some stuff turning and some not, that's trouble.

 

If this camera hasn't been used for a couple years, it really should go out to somebody like Tim Carroll to get tuned up. The lubricants dry out.

 

 

 

-- J.S.

[Kevin Masuda]

Ok I tried hooking up the motor to the Cine 60 flat base and the camera works that way but when attaching the motor to the camera itself, it doesn't work. Am I missing something?

[Tim Carroll]

Am I missing something?

 

Yes, you're missing the idler gear John was talking about. There is a gear sticking out of the bottom of your IIB camera, there is a gear sticking out of the top of your motor, but when you put the motor on the bottom of the camera, those two gears don't touch. There is a third gear that goes in between those two. That is the gear you are missing. Without that gear, your motor never engages (or drives) your camera.

 

On your Cine 60 flat base, there is a gear in the flat base that does the same thing as the idler gear John and I are talking about. That's why, when you hook your motor up to the Cine 60 base, and mount your camera on the Cine 60 base, everything works.

 

Hope that makes it clear.

 

Best,

-Tim

[Kevin Masuda]

That cleared it up. Thanks Tim, I guess I won't be doing any handheld stuff with it.

[John Sprung]

I guess I won't be doing any handheld stuff with it.

 

Don't give up yet. Look very carefully through all the boxes and little compartments in them in all the stuff that came with the camera. You may get lucky and find the little gear. It's about the size of 4-5 nickels stacked up, IIRC. If a thorough search comes up empty, think about buying a replacement gear. Tim may have some idea on prices and sources.

 

 

 

 

-- J.S.

[Kevin Masuda]

Don't give up yet. Look very carefully through all the boxes and little compartments in them in all the stuff that came with the camera. You may get lucky and find the little gear. It's about the size of 4-5 nickels stacked up, IIRC. If a thorough search comes up empty, think about buying a replacement gear. Tim may have some idea on prices and sources.

 

 

 

 

-- J.S.

 

 

Well I can't find the gear. Does anyone have a spare gear or know where I can get one?

 

Kev