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I'd second replacing the belt. All ( I used to own several different models of Kodascope projectors- All Eastman Kodak manufacture) and they all had speed controls in the form of a rheostat. Because of this feature, I could replace the usually missing belt with a rubber belt which had sufficient tension to run the machine. Where it ran in the pulleys didn't matter due to the speed control. And since silent films weren't all shot at a fixed speed, the speed control becomes even more desirable..Of course, the closer you can get to the original size and cross profile of the old belt to help maintain originality , the better. Some sewing machine drive belts use the same v profile, if you can find one of the correct size. If your flims have the odor of mothballs, you have Diacetate based film, which was developed by Kodak around 1911 , but as George points out, wouldn't stand up to the intense heat of carbon arc lamps and constant projection use of theatrical projection. It was developed mainly for projection with incandescent lamp machines used in the home or school which generate much , much less heat, not to mention smoke and poisonous gasses than carbon arc lamps do. I suspect that your machine has a notification on it that states " For Use With Slow Burning Film Only". That's diacetate film. Kodak also made a prismatic color home movie film which will project well in monochrome, but if you have the lens mounted filter , will project in pastel colors. Diacetate shrinks, but it doesn't decompose or suffer from vinegar syndrome. It was definately used for 16 and 35 mm filmstock. I'm not so sure about 9.5, 28 mm, etc. I have encountered some film from India which was 16 mm , but of nitrate base and was decomposing.. Unknown manufacturer. I don't believe nitrate was ever used for 16 mm stock in the US due to fire regulations. Kodak ( Kodascope ) and Universal ( Show At Home ) both had very large 16 mm rental libraries of silent and sound- on- disc feature and short subjects which were available for rental and use in the livingroom- all issued on diacetate film. This is the reason which we have more early motion pictures available to us as these prints don't decompose and are restorable - even to be enlarged to 35mm filmstock for theatrical presentation and archival preservation. Sorry to have got off on a tangent, but it's a passion of mine! Bob Hodge Sr. Engineer Belfer Audio Archive Syracuse University >>> [log in to unmask] 6/14/2005 2:11:21 PM >>> From: Patent Tactics, George Brock-Nannestad RA Friedman wrote: noticed the primary > motor drive belt was flaking. Upon closer examination, I could see fibrous > material that looked like woven cotton and immediately panicked: Asbestos! ----- this is quite unreasonable. Asbestos is a marvellous material when handled correctly, i.e. if blue asbestos, do not crush while breathing in. It all depends on the length of small fibers given off when crushing. But there are so many sources of small fibres anyway that running a flaking belt would not contribute significantly. > > I emailed Eastman Kodak to find out if they had any information in their > corporate archives. I was given a polite "no" and given the age of the > product, I should politely forget about it. I wrote back and told them this > was not acceptable. Since the company had not changed hands and the product > was still in use by me, I feel an answer is in order. I requested that they > direct me to the next level of management. > > I've received no answer. Any suggestions? ----- if you are scared, use another belt. The reason nitrate film survived for so long, even though it was highly inflammable and (if the stock was not manufactured correctly) prone to self- destruction, was that it had mechanical properties far surpassing the di- acetate and tri-acetate that "safety-mongerers" tried to sell. But people took precautions. Your 16 +mm film is likely to be an acetate, because the forces developed in 16 mm did not require the high strength. Whew, you are safe there. Kind regards, George