Folks Of Interest Prized possessions

This is the sign that was on Joe Wilhelm's shop for his entire career. He built customs, hot rods, and super modifieds in this building...

 

2014 Stroker McGurk Award

 

Not quit the story as my hat...

My 1956 gas mask I have had autographed by almost every current and several legends of Top Fuel and Nitro Funny Car-
Bruce Larson, Don & Tony Schumacher, Antron Brown, Ron Capps, "Fast" Jack Beckman, Doug Kalitta, John & Courtney Force, Robert Hight, Cruz Pedregon, J.R. Todd, Rhom Tobler, Leah Pruett, Clay Millican, Bob Vandergriff....

 

All the lessons my father taught me and all the memories I have with him!



Lots of lessons and memories with mom too but not many of them are car related.

 

This old guy is still around in our current garage drawer as a memento from those early film editing days with my dad. It was from 1957, a Craig movie splicer with a top plate 8mm bottom plate/cutter and a 16mm bottom track. It was a nightmare to use correctly, but it was the only available item to cut and edit films. My dad taught me how to use it and edit his films, as well as our own 16mm films.

Hello,

When my dad started his movie making projects, he had this ancient 8mm/16mm film cutter to splice all of his films together to show on one big 12-14 inch steel reel. He was tirelessly working on his tiny film project by himself. My brother and I felt sorry for him, but it was his thing to do in our neighborhood and in the social circles they were part of during this time period. He loved filming and doing things with the cameras in his collection.

But, one day he asked me if I wanted to learn how to edit a 16mm film to make a longer film out of those little plastic 3-4 inch reels. His goal was to splice all of those small reels into several 8-9 inch metal reels. That way, the film lasts longer and there is no need for constantly changing and threading the small film reels.

In the beginning he was using the above Craig Master 6 Movie Splicer for all of his little reels. He would roll out the film, look up at the bright dining room overhead light and try to get the good cutting point for splicing. Then put it in the slots and cut. That was the process and when both sides of a cut were prepared, the glue and final drying took place. While that was drying, he pulled out another small reel for other edits and cuts.
The final goal was to put the multiple small 3-4 inch plastic reels onto a 8-9 inch steel reel spliced into a longer movie and put on those onto larger 12-14" reels for the big projector. All of the movie projector /AV experience helped in elementary school through college. It made me the “go to” guy if something happened to the projector in any class or lecture hall.

The 1959-61 editing machine we had was a 4 inch screen and it was difficult to cut and paste to make a complete film. In those days, cut and paste was actually cut the film right on the holes, then sand or rough up the edge that is going to match the other films edge. Then using a photo glue, paste the two edges together. So, if we had 5 different days on one reel, but interspersed with my dad’s filming stuff, there was a lot of cutting and pasting going on during the editing phase.

A similar set up of a larger film rewinder and view screen for more accurate editing/cutting, etc. from 16mm color/b/w films, I worked with in my early teens.

Kalart-Craig 16mm movie film splicer with a screen. At least, the film was able to move back and forth to see where was the best spot to edit and make the cut. Looking at the tiny screen was better than looking at a half inch film into the bright light bulb overhead. This cool machine was a time saver and made editing fun. I took the job and it paid off handsomely. It was the last remaining editing stuff for portable editing on the go. The editing machine with the 4 inch screen unit has gone to movie making heaven years ago.

In today's comparisons, it would be watching a movie on a cell phone vs watching it on the big screen TV on the wall. The little 16 mm film was bigger than the 8 mm (twice the size). But, it was only 5/8 ths of an inch without any help in viewing. That is a thumbnail compared to the projection movie on the roll down movie screen.

But, this little guy still hangs around in our garage drawer gathering dust, today.

The purple paper shows the 16mm track and perforations for alignment.

It is an old tool with a ton of teenage memories, sitting alone at the dining room table with reels of 16mm movie film spread out ready for editing. Oh yes, there were lots of drag racing films to edit as well as my dad’s family films. He liked to film parades in Los Angeles and Long Beach down Ocean Blvd. Also, any family event or extended family events. His films were on the editing list when I was finished with the drag racing stuff. But, it had to be finished, since that portion of the family film editing paid for the hot rod/drag racing portion of these valuable “tools of the trade.”

Jnaki

Along with the support our dad gave his two sons in any endeavor, this portion has lasted all of these years. When I look at that small Craig Film Editor in the drawer, it instantly brings back memories of me sitting at that dining table cutting, sanding, gluing, drying and finally making a film on the large metal reels. At first, it was the 8” metal reels, then those reels into larger 14-16” steel reels for a longer movie presentation.

The end benefits are present with those reels and film now digitally preserved for all to see on the HAMB. (also, J Naki on a You Tube channel.) and those that have the HD digital versions, too.

Thanks, dad…

I used to do the same thing with the 16mm movie editor. I put the old metal reel into the left side, threaded the holes so they matched. Then slowly as surely, cranked the right hand to make the movie progress. The faster I cranked, the faster the image moved. But, if I wanted details, I used the crank to go frame by frame. Forward and backwards to check out the frame by frame details, missed the first time.
The good thing was being able to see the actual film moving frame by frame forward or back to get the right spot for editing. The tiny screen was lit up for a better vision and more accuracy.

The film cutter and adjustment tool is the split, silver plate in front of and below the screen. The film is put on the track with the holes aligning. Then the other side of the silver plate is brought down to cut the film in place. A liquid glue is placed on the roughed up tiny edge and the waiting for the other similarity prepared edge. Once the glued sides are on top of each other, the silver drop down door is lowered to seal the deal. For as minimal the glue is to the surface, it still holds up through heavy loop usage.

But, if you have the digital edition of the old movie, you can show it frame by frame on your laptop or home computer to get a clear or at least in more of a focused shot. In between the capture of your shot, lies a better, in focus photo still. All in a progression of the action. So, go frame by frame to see your results.

You can always use your digital camera or if you must, a phone camera and take a short film clip of the car portion. Then as it is place on your laptop or home computer, it can be viewed frame by frame. YRMV