Problems with the Wolverine Film Scanner
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- Опубліковано 22 сер 2017
- This film scanner is less than two months old and has broken down twice. Wolverine Data have twice, kindly sent two free parts to resolve the problem, but there is still clearly a problem as this video demonstrates...
I have been handling Super 8mm film since 1968, 16mm film all through the 1970's and I have 30 years of technical experience in audio and video. In my opinion the motor is just not up to the job. - Фільми й анімація
Hopefully I dodge these issues. I only have about 10 or so 5 inch reels to scan, so nowhere near the amount of film that most users are doing on average. If this unit lasts long enough to get through 10 5 inch reels and it does a good job, I'd say it was about worth the price (especially since it's still more expensive to take them to Costco).
I think it is was worth it.
it's not perfect by any means.
If you scans have jitter in them, stop using the take up reel and let the film drop in to a box.
feel free to keep in touch if you want some advice.
Even tho I do say so, I am quite good at getting half decent results from these machines.
email on my 'about page' or super8rescue@gmail.com
@@Super8Rescue Thanks man. I'll definitely reach out if I need help :)
I had the same problem. I took the clutch apart, shortened the spring, and re-assembled it. Now it's working fine. I think what's going on is that the center hole on the big plastic gear directly attached to the take-up reel motor is wearing and becoming loose. That eventually causes the gear teeth to be the contact point most likely to slip, rather than the clutch, whose spring causes it to be pretty tight. So instead of the clutch slipping, the gear teeth are very noisily slipping. I have asked Wolverine customer support if they sell the gear wheels because eventually everything will be too loose to turn the reel. Those two gear wheels should have been made from metal. It would also help if the clutch were user adjustable as parts wear.
thanks for your comment, I did consider taking the clutch apart but I'm always losing the circlip!
Hi Mike thanks for posting the link to this video on the 8mm forums! Wow, I never looked inside my deck - Somikon HD-XL - but the sound is exactly the same. Great disappointing for us owners. I hope to receive my third deck soon.
The jitter on my deck is caused because the closed gate has not enough pressure to keep the film above the scanning area completely flat and steady, resulting in the Jumping Jack Flash syndrome.
Good luck hunting down your issues!
Cheers
The scanning mechanism seems very robust, it is the take up assembly that seems to be the weak link in the chain. The earlier models had an O ring driven take up, some users found they overheated and the O ring stretched.... My newer version is cog driven and now has a small cooling fan, but still, the weak link is the take up part of the machine, which is most frustrating for a $400 machine
I have a hand full of 50' reels that I have been meaning to get transferred but I have always been afraid of the mail order services. I was curious about how these machines worked. After a little bit of research I decided that the three manufacturers of these low end consumer models seem to all offer the same features (and may even be the exact same product) so when I found a deal on the Hammachar Schlemmer version I decided to give it a try. It hasn't arrived yet but I am hoping to get a head start on some of the pitfalls that can come from these kinds of machines. This is all great advice. Thank you for posting. I do not want to modify anything on the unit and these work arounds seem like they might do the trick.
I would recommend that if you get any frame jitter in your first reel, consider letting the film drop out of the gate, past the film guides, in to a large clean plastic tub of some kind, and then use a hand rewind, if you have one, instead of using the take up motor to rewind.
Don't be alarmed at letting the film snake out in to a tub, as long as it is left alone, it will coil itself naturally and not get caught up>
I have done this with 400ft reels and had no problems.
Jitter was the biggest issue I had, apart from the sometimes very grainy scans, until I did the mod (which is expensive and not for the faint of heart)
Good luck and feel free to shout for help.
You will need software to bring the scan back to a decent frame rate, I have a FB group with the same name as this channel, feel free to find me and join, where I can provide more in depth help than I can here, in regard to sorting out the framerate issue.
My wolverine spat out scans at 30fps, I imagine the one you have chosen will do the same.
It can be easily rectified for free, without video editing software
I have also posted a video for you about how to change the framerate of your scans.
ua-cam.com/video/tcujQIMIcvY/v-deo.html
facebook.com/groups/449899298694564
My next bit of advice would be to invest in some kind of soft brush, to keep the gate area clean in between each reel scan.
If you have to stop a scan part way through, because of a broken edit or torn sprocket hole, you will end up with segments of video on the memory card, the software I have suggested to correct the frame rate, will also join segments of video together, without re encoding, so you have a complete video file.
Do the join first and then the frame rate change.
In the menu of the scanner you might find a 'sharpness' function, I found that if it is set to high, it can cause a strobing effect on the video file, better left set to medium or low.
@@Super8Rescue I mostly want to use this kind of thing as a research tool but also would like to have the option to use the footage in my projects if need be. I have a very an above average knowledge about graphics and video editing (not perfect) and a fairly decent understanding of how it all works. My biggest concern is getting the the clean scan and not breaking the bank while doing it. I also wanted to have the machine in house because I hate paying extra for things on every little project that I am doing. I figure I can use the footage from this as a place holders and if I really want to add it into a project I can get it professionally transferred at the absolute highest quality once I know exactly what we need. The hour wait seems a lot less aggravating than the days or weeks and the added expense that it takes for a professional transfer.
Hi, A few days ago I took delivery of my Wolverine, ex Amazon and have since test run it for about 5-6 hrs, you can figure how much 8mm Std film that is and have been following the trials and tribulations of other Wolverine users with interest. My machine works silently other than the 'tick-tick' or the intermittent movement, and runs as cool as a cucumber, Results are better than other methods I've tried off and on over the years. I don't yet think I've extracted the best from this little wonder.
What I did notice was the pickup was a bit violent causing a 'miss register' of the film in the gate at times but a little light silicone oil applied to the takeup spindle cured the problem. [Just a mite too much friction grip on the takeup]
As for the 'clattering' gear assembly to me it looks like 'hard' mesh of the gears so adjustment, (elongating) of the mounting holes of the drive motor to give some clearance should fix the problem. Slip a piece of tissue paper between the teeth to get the right clearance when tightening down. This will also take the strain off the motor and it will run cooler, quieter and should, hopefully run forever!
Hope this helps to cure the problem.
DVW
Mine works ok with the super 8mm films but it seem to jam on the regular 8mm, i tried different rolls but no luck, any idea of what's to blame?
@@OldVideoToDVDcom-he1hm I have less problems with standard 8 than super 8
I got my wolverine and it hasn't failed me yet. Everything is coming out great.
There is a new motor design that has replaced this peice of junk so hopefully you will be OK
My local library has this machine. It was out of order for months. They sent it back in the same condition. Library patrons are using is in it's noisy condition, I suppose until it doesn't work at all anymore. I used it once and the picture had so much noise in it I went back to using the Reflecta machine. If it was mine, I would toss the Wolverine takeup gearbox and install my own belt driven gearmotor.
i dont use the take up any longer, I just let the film drop in to a large plastic tub and hand rewind with a movie viewer. 99% of problems solved. Sometimes a reel of film can be too tight on the reel and needs a wind back and forth before a scan.
Well - it's just a piece of cheap shit. Mine is about two months old, and denies to run Super8 with mag track on it. I was fully aware, that I would have to transfer sound some other way, but the films with magnet track on then get stuck in the filmgate all the time, making a noise like what You show here, and the film buckling downside in the frame. Silent rolls runs ok, and scan quality is acceptable - not more.
Wolverine Pro does definitely not follos the price. And without dealers in Denmark, I had to buy from B&H in NewYork. Flawless buying on their webshop, but communication afterwards totally impossible. They communicate one-way only. Been the, tryed that, and never again !
Wish, I had seen Your Video here before buying.
But thanks anyway.
Greetings from Denmark !
cheap shit like your comments.
How many feet have you scanned on one of these?
So far I am over 25000 ft and not too angry
Thanks alot, Super8Rescue - I'll try this at once ! Hope to write a more positive review later ;-)
As it turned out in my case, I stopped using the take up.
I now let the film drop out of the gate in to a large plastic tub. This has completely eliminated any jitter and the need for a new motor....
@@Super8Rescue I do the same. My take up reel started to get noisy after only 10 or so reels....
@@Super8Rescue Mine just broke (take up reel will not turn after a "snap" sound inside) after only 202 movings . . . (not 202 reels since splices or broken sprockets get stuck so it can take more than one start to finish a reel) . . . the guarantee is for 200 movings so that doesn't make Wolverine look very good. I'll try a plastic tub like you did as long as the sprocket gear works but it is discouraging. I bought mine new.
@@spinsandneedles I would take the back off, 5 philips screws, and disconnect the take up motor from the power supply board, and stick with a plastic tub as seen in this video of mine linked below.
Skip to 06:44 in the video to see how I use a plastic tub. You will need a hand wound movie viewer or something like that to rewind after scanning.
ua-cam.com/video/glStpZDr8vo/v-deo.html
@@Super8Rescue Thank you for your reply. I will do that. I have a couple of narrow phillips screwdrivers and only managed to remove one screw since the screwdrivers didn't sit as well as needed. I will have to buy a new screwdriver and a tub. I have a tub but space-wise I think a new tall garbage container would work best. I will check out your other videos and hope to be back on the scanning road soon. It's fun to put my collection of 8mm/Super 8 films on YT so that people can see them. BTW I hand-rewind all my films on my Elmo editor since it is simply faster. I've never used the rewind on the Wolverine.
I am having a problem with my film jumping around also. Might have to go back to using the projector on a white poster board and using my Sony 4K camcorder with the shutter setting down. It is a lot faster process.
frame by frame scanning takes time. It is frame by frame. I got round the jumping problem by not using the take up reel and allowing the film to drop directly in to a large plastic tub. I have done this with 400ft reels. I use a film viewer to rewind the film back on to the reel
Any fixes for power issues? I purchased mine in Oct '19 and it worked flawlessly until today. I had transferred about 30 5" reels (even though the counter says 71, for every time you start/stop the unit) over the course of a couple weeks last year. I successfully transferred 1 reel today, powered down to reverse the reels and rewind, and it won't power back up. Of course the 1 year warranty has expired...
My best suggestion would be to head to the film forum and talk to Stan in the digital conversion section. Link below.
If you have facebook, wolverine hawkeye group, stan admins that group.
He knows all about the power circuits of these machines.
Film forum needs a sign up and may take a day to get in, facebook would probably be quicker.
8mmforum.film-tech.com/vbb/
facebook group
facebook.com/groups/2377941742520210
@@Super8Rescue Thanks a lot!
@@lerkey01 good luck, I hope you get it sorted.
Why not just change the motor, it looks like the motor is the problem..i was thinking of buying one, glad i saw this video first.. thanks for the help man.. I'll keep doing it the way i've been doing it ,,..camera and projector..
A new motor was sent to me, identical to the one that failed, then a third gen motor was sent to me, which was much more efficient. That said, it is better to use these machines without using the take up as it causes too much jitter. I now let the film drop in to a plastic tub and the jitter is 99.9% gone. Now the scanner has been modified I get much better results that any projector and camera can produce. I am now able to take individual tiff images of each frame.
So what you are saying is if you buy a new unit, to not even use the take up real and let the film roll off into a clean bucket, sounds logical.
@@Super8Rescue How are you able to take individual tiff images?
@@ebutouy41 I have a modification called Hawkeye which replaces the original circuit board and camera with a new camera and board which connects to a laptop and grab still images of each frame
Is Hawkeye a kit designed for use in the Wolverine? First attempts to search for it came up empty.
I have the same issue with my wolverine pro intermittent fault taking film up . And stops totally. Not happy had it a week shows 93 on counter after 12 50ft rolls that's how many times I've had to restart it ..
Bloody things are more trouble than they're worth..... To get around the take up, use a plastic tube and let the film drop in to that, as I demonstrate in this video from around 3'18
ua-cam.com/video/RHmF6V0lFJc/v-deo.html
As others have said, the culprit is most likely the main plastic gears wearing out, which then transfers the stress to the small internal gears of the motor gearbox. Why they cheaped out on both the gears and the motor/gearbox is beyond me. You can literally get motors with all metal gearboxes for less than 5$, cast gears for the same or less in a serious manufacturing production. For the price one would expect this, but this is what you get when you rely on the usual suspects I suppose.
Things have changed, a completely new take up motor is in use now. That said, I don't use the takeup at all.
@@Super8Rescue I just bought my machine , so it is - hopefully - the latest version, but still started to make graunching noises after only a few reels. I also find the intermittent film drive varies in noise, Sometimes you can barely hear teh 'click-click' - other times it is very loud, despite there being no tension from a take-up reel - as I also use a bin to drop the film into.
@@richardking6066 I think it very much depends on the state of the film, if the film has stretched even a fraction, the claw makes a lot of ticking. I have the same problem, sometimes a reel will pass through the gate with out a sound, other times it's like a train passing through. I have found that a minute adjust of the S8 R8 switch can make a difference but it is a bit hit and miss
Is this the first version , or the pro version. thanks.
FIRST VERSION. 2017.
I face same problem this machine n i think thry should make metal parts insted plastic parts
a new motor is now available, made of metal. get in touch with wolverine is my suggestion. Better still, dont use the take up reel at all, let the film drop in to a box and use a hand viewer to rewind
WOLVERINE FILM 2 DIGITAL MOVIE MAKER words PLEASE RECHEK FILMS PLACE appear on screen .and machine stops NO reference to this in manuals can anyone help ?
They may be able to help you in the film to digital conversion section of this forum
8mmforum.film-tech.com/vbb/
Ugh I don't trust those cheap plastic gears. They are using a garbage low torque motor for the tension and the nice stepper for the advance. Hell, why they arn't using a simple belt system is beyond me.
a belt system? belts melt, cogs don't. simple fix, like me, don't use the take up. sorted
Why does this expensive device have such primitive rollers that the film rubs against ?
cheap chinese. I have replaced my rollers with 3d printed guides that only touch the edge of the film.
I've only had the unit for a day, and I noticed the very plastic-looking rollers. They don't even rotate freely, they're stationary. So I imagine that would be scraping the hell out of the film as it's going through. I've been committing to only doing one run-through of each reel I have.
I bought this scanner from Amazon 3 weeks ago. After transferring about 1,000 ft of film, it started making this exact sound. Then later it stopped. Then it came back.
I sent the piece of "Bull-Crap" back to Amazon. Just a piece of garbage. And even if it didn't have this problem it still would not be worth any where near $300. Damn them. Just a piece of junk.
I would suggest NO one buy this garbage joke.
Mine has been running since june 2017 and still working to this day.