How to Fix a Kodak Carousel Projector
By Marshal M. Rosenthal
The Kodak Carousel projector uses a mechanical system to advance and display 35-mm slides from its circular tray. Gravity can cause a slide to stick inside of the film gate so that another slide can't be displayed. The projector can be fixed so that the slides advance as they should, although there is always the chance that a slide will again get stuck in the future. Only a few household tools are needed to eject the slide and get the Kodak Carousel projector working again.
Step 1
Turn off the bulb on the projector but leave the fan on. Insert a nickel into the slot inside of the center of the carousel tray and twist it clockwise. Stop twisting when the carousel disengages from the top of the projector.
Step 2
Lift the carousel tray up off the top of the projector and put it aside. Insert the tweezers into the film slot on the top of the projector. Grab hold of a cardboard edge of the 35-mm slide that is stuck inside of the film gate. Pull the 35-mm slide straight out of the film gate. Blow out the film gate with compressed air.
Step 3
Remove the rim at the top of the carousel tray by holding the bottom of the tray in the left hand and twisting the rim counter-clockwise. Put the 35-mm slide that was stuck back into its empty slot inside of the carousel tray. Put the rim back onto the carousel tray and twist it clockwise to close.
Step 4
Jiggle the metal plate at the bottom of the carousel tray back and forth with the right hand until the cut-out slot in the metal plate clicks and locks.
Step 5
Put the carousel tray back onto the top of the projector and jiggle it back and forth until it clicks into position.
References
Tips
- Straighten any bent edges on the cardboard surrounding the 35-mm slide before putting it into the Kodak carousel slide tray.
Warnings
- A stuck slide can be warped from the heat of the projector's bulb if the bulb is not turned off fast enough.
Writer Bio
Marshal M. Rosenthal is a technology maven with more than 15 years of editorial experience. A graduate of Brooks Institute of Photography with a Bachelor of Arts in photographic arts, his editorial work has appeared both domestically as well as internationally in publications such as "Home Theater," "Electronic House," "eGear," "Computer and Video Games" and "Digitrends."