Martin SCX600 dichro belt

[Bradfo69]

Anyone ever replace the belt that spins the color wheel in a Martin SCX600? I have two I just got recently with broken belts. I got the new belts in and am preparing for surgery but, Martin hasn't made this particular repair very easy. Before I disassemble the thing the hard way, just thought I'd ask if there is a trick.

Thanks!

[WookieBoy]

Not done it on that particular unit, but have on most others Martin have made since the Pro1220 scanner... They never have made it easy I'm afraid, and still generally don't as far as I can tell...
The usual method is to fit the belt onto the dicro wheel first and stretch it as far as you can onto the motor spindle, then spin it and the motor to get the belt to jump onto the spindle at the motor end...
If the unit has a sprung tensioner at the motor end like some of the higher end units, it makes things a bit easier... But not much.
I'm always scared the belt will snap or be cut by the sharp-ish edges of the spindle wheels when it's under so much strain... But so far haven't actually snapped one fitting it... And I've done over a hundred by now I'd have thought... :-/

[Bradfo69]

THIS is a MotherFu**er!! The second one will be easier but good grief!! I hope I remember where all these screws go! I've got two sort of burned dichros where the coating is flaked off - one green, one pink. Those are easy to replace but I don't know hoe easy to source. May have to buy the whole wheel.

Instructions on the web are pretty hard to find as well but, I'm getting there.

[Bradfo69]

One done. What a PITA! You appreciate why these are like $800 lights though. I need to see about two dichros but other than that, it's been cleaned, reconditioned and lives.


Oh, and there is NO way possible to do what wookie described with an SCX600. The assembly HAS to come out and the dichro wheel removed from the spindle.

[Bradfo69]

Second one done. MUCH easier. Still a bit of an uindertaking but probably half the time.

[WookieBoy]

Bugger... :-(

Sorry man, like I said, I've never actually been inside any of the SCX range... Sounds like a crappy job!

Dichroics can be picked up on FeaBay or from your Martin dealer... Which used to be Bandit Lites if I remember correctly, though I think Martin are allowed to trade in the US again now... Shouldn't need to buy a whole wheel.

Whichever way you get them, the new dichro's are unlikely to match the old ones though... Martin are notoriously bad at getting the colours the same between batches! It won't be far off, but you'll notice if you stick them close together... :-(

[ragerlazer]

Dichro's can also be purchased from LightParts in Texas.

[Bradfo69]

That's who I got the belts from in the first place. Plus a couple replacement handles.

I think I pissed them off though. Minimum order is $20. My order came to like $18.50. They asked if I wanted to just make it $20 or add something else to the order. I said why don't you throw in a replacement bulb since you can always use a spare. I figured maybe a few bucks. They charged me $30 more for a bulb! I quick checked and discovered I could get them all day long on the internet for as little as $5 and called them before it shipped and said, remove the bulb from the order and just charge me the $20. They did it but, the manager gave me a lot of attitude on the phone. I almost told them to shove the whole order at that point with the way he treated me.

There was probably less that 5 or 6 minutes between the time they charged the original order and my call about removing the bulb so, it's not like they had already boxed it up and had it ready to mail.

[swamidog]

they're just annoyed about not being able to sell a 5$ item for 30$.

That's who I got the belts from in the first place. Plus a couple replacement handles.

I think I pissed them off though. Minimum order is $20. My order came to like $18.50. They asked if I wanted to just make it $20 or add something else to the order. I said why don't you throw in a replacement bulb since you can always use a spare. I figured maybe a few bucks. They charged me $30 more for a bulb! I quick checked and discovered I could get them all day long on the internet for as little as $5 and called them before it shipped and said, remove the bulb from the order and just charge me the $20. They did it but, the manager gave me a lot of attitude on the phone. I almost told them to shove the whole order at that point with the way he treated me.

There was probably less that 5 or 6 minutes between the time they charged the original order and my call about removing the bulb so, it's not like they had already boxed it up and had it ready to mail.

[Bradfo69]

You got it! His exact comment, "Your killing me dude." I almost asked who was killing who here?