In the interest of getting more old classic cameras back on the street and getting more old geezers (like myself) off the streets I am proposing to start a thread which gives advice to other camera repair hobby types. I think that we are ready for this. (
For people who don't trust their coordination to wave a hot soldering iron around delicate camera circuitry conductive epoxy makes a good substitute. No mixing necessary, it can be applied with a toothpick and is available in the small kits sold to re
Sorry, Charlie, for heavily contradicting. I have used that stuff myself and it may have its advantages when there is no other way. But using it also reqiures basic skills which people who don't trust their coordination are are lacking.
Is there
Pliobond (the real thing) can be had at NetCraft fishing tackle supply. The online link:
http://www.jannsnetcraft.com/rod-building-epoxy/710503.aspx (http://www.jannsnetcraft.com/rod-building-epoxy/710503.aspx%20target=_blank)
when removing tight screws use the screwdriver with the LARGEST blade and FATTEST grip possible.
the larger blade prevents slipping, the fat handle gives you alot more torque. this really makes a difference in my experience...
I have found Pliobond at Ace Hardware here in the USA in three different size containers.
I bought a conductive glue online which appeared to be powered graphite suspended in a liquid that needed to be mixed thoroughly before using and I needed it to a
Hi folks, first can I say I think Mikel's idea is very commendable. Yes, of course using tools incorrectly/improvising can (and will, in inexperienced hands) cause damage.
But, everybody has to learn and starting on a cheap 'dead' camera
Great Stuff foam. When you've had it with that dam old camera, fill it with Great Stuff foam.
http://greatstuff.dow.com/ (http://greatstuff.dow.com/%20target=_blank)
[img]https://kyp.hauslendale.com/classics/forum/clipart/happ
Mikel, thank you for starting this li'l barrel of fun here. Let the classically/politically incorrect stuff fly!
One question, though: I'm interested in that Foamies stuff, but so far I've only heard it mentioned as being available at W
Well, I have no such qualms.
As I implied in my beginning post, I really don't have any interest in politically, economically, or emotionally correct diversions. I have my own opinions on all of that stuff and I don't post them on a ca
Just to clarify a very small point here, my comments were in no way meant to belittle or pick apart your suggestions. I'm simply looking for a way to satisfy my own peculiar requirement (not shopping at a business I consider despicable). I'm simply
David, those foamies are probably at the better art-supply or teacher-supply stores.
I have found them to be too dense, however, to use and door-seals. They don't compress well.
Another DIY tip-- Black yarn makes a good seal in some
I guess foamies and walmart are out of here.
So am I.
Mike
Don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out ...
I use Black knitting wool thread to seal the grooves and the felt from used 35mm cartridges for the door seal near the hinge. I stick them with Fevibond, which is like Pliobond. Any Latex rubber solution would do the job. For holes in the curtains I use
Germany related shopping tips for cleaning things:
- Coleman fuel/white gas is Waschbenzin. Silly enough, in DE you can buy anything sometimes very remotely resembling white spirit under this name, but the DM-Drogeriemarkt has a really clean one in
I have read about the use of black yarn in several forums but always wondered if over a period of several fears the inside of the camera would accumulate a lot of small fibers in the shutter and on the rear lens element. Does anyone here have enough exper
It much depends on yarn used. From personal experience: pay attention and avoid anything with synthetic component in it. It may state pure wool/cotton/whatever on the front and 40% stretch/acrylic/plastic on the back. Natural fiber is indifferent to most
I will confirm that wool yarn works wonderfully in the thin channels just above (and below) the film compartment. I have used this in two cameras and both are working wonderfully.
But note that it should be pure wool, not acrylic or a mixture of
Make your own spanners from sheet brass available at hobby shops. I have also made small brass spanners and screwdrivers to use when there is doubt as to whether a screw has a left hand thread. If I guessed wrong, the brass tool will let go before the
Great Idea. Our local Ace Hardware sells brass sheet stock in varying thicknesses as well. I also found Pliobond and Liquid Electrical Tape (minor bellows repairs) there as well.
Great tip Denny,I am looking for something to use to connect the batteries when building battery packs for various things,flash units etc and that brass sheet would be great to cut strips out of if it be thin enough.Got to check them out.Thanks.Ron G
For batteries: a clip for hanging laundry with a piece of bare wire braid wrapped around each tip makes a great quick-contact for button batteries. Good either for measuring them or to provide electricity to eg. a half-disassembled light meter.
Wid
Regarding using the vacuum cleaner, I was trying to put a tiny screw back in the camera body and when I touched the screwdriver to it, somehow it bounced off the camera, bit the table and bounced again to fall to the carpet on the floor, where it
Re dropping screws and small parts: always work over a large tray or similar. Many screws are non magnetic.
I've found cotton buds (Q tips) excellent for cleaning small lenses, just tease out the end slightly to make it a little larger and softer.
Re magnets: There are times, where you don't want your screws to get magnetized (anything close to an escapement in a watch or shutter), and many of them aren't magnetic anyway (brass...). However, I had, as a general rule, a piece of rare-e
Mareklew: Interesting!
Here's another one:
Verifying the focus of a camera
-------------------------------
I have used a 50 mm lens of an SLR to verify if the focus was corresponding to a camera's distance scale.
I u
To catch any loose parts I put a wash cloth in a pie pan and work over that so that falling parts won't roll too far or bounce. Not my idea, I read it here several years ago.
Regarding the ever-present problem of having little parts go sproinggg! into the fifth dimension, never to be found again, I use the method favored by many repairers-of-things-with-little-teeny-parts: a simple piece of cloth laid over the workbench. (
There are a lot of great tips being shared here. Thanks to all.
After spending too much time looking for a tiny set screw, I now use two 8X10 developing trays with a sheet of paper towel in them. One for clean and one for to be cleaned.
As trays go: I have a number of small development trays, that fit about 7.5x10cm (3x4in) paper that I got for a bargain price (who does 3x4 anyway). When I disassemble things, I just stack trays with small parts in order of disassembly.
As to
I use that frosted Scotch tape as well to verify focus and it was recommended to me to use a magnifying glass as well to be able to read it properly.
I have lost parts as well,I guess it goes with the territory.I use a strip of foam rubber insulation
Regarding the use of Scotch tape for a focusing screen: Please get real.
C'mon, show you're a better tinkerer than that. If you've got what it takes to boldly tear into that camera and take it apart, you can surely take the five or ten mi
I got the tip from some pretty savvy guys there David.It works for me.Ron G
D.N. is right. Makeshift tools for a quick fix? Yes, if it seems the only solution under given circumstances. Other than that, it is low level tinkering, not on par with this forum's standards, no matter how pretty savvy those guys you mention s
David's ground glass recipe is great - in the UK carborundum powder is the thing to use - if it is still available.
One further point; it is much easier to get the accurate focus on a ground glass screen if the ground surface is NOT TOO FINE. Foc
Well, I disagree with you about fine vs. coarse screens--I prefer fine ones--but that's the beauty part: you can grind the screen to whatever fineness of coarseness suits you. Or grind 3 or 4 screens to match your mood. Coarse for weekdays, fine for
Personally I just cut a piece of 1/32nd or 1/64th thick Plexiglas or Lexan and sandpaper one side. Easy to make it too fine or too coarse.
And, as for springs flying off to nowhere, make yourself a big clear plastic box with holes for your h
The discussion on ground glass has come at the perfect time - I've got 15 sheets roughly 7x9cm, and 2mm-ish thick at work that we can't use for anything, and my thoughts fell to ground glass. I've got some wet-and-dry paper and glass cutters fro
Nowt wrong in using a suitable 'Scotch' tape as a substitute for ground glass in my opinion, certainly if the only piece of genuine glass is too small etc.
The comments on grinding your own are interesting, especially in the light of some c
For redoing (engraved) lettering on lens fronts etc. see my thread here:
This will not be lov
Marek--good one. (I haven't finished reading your posting in detail yet but skimmed it and got the gist of it.)
Another tip: for certain kinds of engraving, it's even easier to use ordinary nail polish. I use this to fill in red dots, lines
Yep, David - nail polish will do, but I have yet to find one, that will be white, and not be semitransparent at the same time.
Anyway: a bottle of cheapo nail polish is anywhere about 2? here, whereas a can of humbrol enamel - 1,60?,
There are laquer sticks for this purpose in various colors which can be found at http://www.micro-tools.com/store/SearchByCategory.aspx?CategoryCode=PAI (http://www.micro-tools.com/store/SearchByCategory.aspx?CategoryCode=PAI%20target=_blank) (mos
Another cheap thrill, albeit seldom useful: for a scratched all-plastic focusing screen (scratched on the flat, smooth side, not on the fresnel lens side): buy a *good* protection film for electronic devices' LCD. I highly recommend the Brando Ult
Most sticky seals will clean up with Isopropyl Alcohol or Windex but some brands (Ricoh!) have incredibly hard to remove gunk that is pain to clean up. IA doesn't work. I found this product called Craft Clean-Up (Australia) that does the job very well.
On Isopropyl Alcohol by the way, in Perth, Western Australia, you can by it directly by the litre from Fauldings (Welshpool) for $7 (as opposed to $15 for 200ml in the chemist).
Isopropyl Alcohol goes for $1. for 12 oz. here in the US. Usually available in 50%, 70% and 91% strengths although the 91% is usually higher in price.
Used to be able to get Anhydrous (100%) Isopropyl alcohol here in the US for a buck and a half for 12 oz., but the pharmacy/discount store that sold it went out of business when the owner died. It was great for cleaning things that you weren't sure wh
re: magnets. You can improvise a demagnetizer out of one by fixing it to the spindle of a small motor, so that it's poles will spin around.
Hold it close to the magnetized object for a second, then move slowly away- and it probably isn't magne
The scotch tape thing is an excellent, workable focus point for those who can handle tape.
The cost of isopropyl alcohol is also not worth discussing.