What did you fix today? (part 2)

[fdonadio]

Has "prints" been given as an answered to the OP's question yet?

I don't know, but "film" could also be a good answer.

You gave me some ideas about new threads... Like "what did you stop today?"


Cheers,
Flavio

 

[frank]

Or, "What did you give up for Lent?" My answer is "abstinence."

 

[Peter Schrager]

Anyone here like to repair a power supply for a Minolta enlarger. .??? Not to work for free
Never realized how many amazing people here
It's with respect I say this..and it's great for film photography to keep these cameras humming

 

[removed account4]

bunch of tent poles

 

[ron917]

I paid $30 a Nikon F3HP locally in "as is" condition. It has a dent in one corner of the top plate, but otherwise it is in significantly better cosmetic condition than my old, well used F3HP - even the foams are good.

The "as-is" F3HP appeared mechanically sound, but the electronics did not function. Figured I could use it for parts, making my older one look better and keep it running if necessary.

Turns out it had an old leaky battery. A little bit of corrosion cleanup plus new batteries and I have a 2nd fully functional F3!

Now I'm not sure which one is the user and which is the spare parts camera.

 

[John_Nikon_F]

I paid $30 a Nikon F3HP locally in "as is" condition. It has a dent in one corner of the top plate, but otherwise it is in significantly better cosmetic condition than my old, well used F3HP - even the foams are good.

The "as-is" F3HP appeared mechanically sound, but the electronics did not function. Figured I could use it for parts, making my older one look better and keep it running if necessary.

Turns out it had an old leaky battery. A little bit of corrosion cleanup plus new batteries and I have a 2nd fully functional F3!

Now I'm not sure which one is the user and which is the spare parts camera.

That's like me with my latest Nikomat FTn. Bought it as a parts camera for the black Nikkormat FTn with 50/2 Nikkor-HC. Turns out, the Nikomat works better than the Nikkormat. Removed the parts necessary to make the Nikomat useable from the Nikkormat body and now have another fully functional camera. Looks very battle scarred, but works nicely.

What I'd do is pick up a 50/2 AI (or Nikkor-H/HC with AI ring), pop that on your beater. Keep it in a CF-22 case under the passenger seat. Then, troll eBay for an undamaged top cover for the cleaner F3HP and swap that onto it.

In my case, I pilfered the FT2-style cosmetic pieces and the rewind knob/shaft assembly from my black Nikkormat FTn with the erratic meter and moved them over to my "parts" Nikomat FTn. Since the foam is good, I can start using it after purchase of a new 625 battery.

 

[ron917]

What I'd do is pick up a 50/2 AI (or Nikkor-H/HC with AI ring), pop that on your beater. Keep it in a CF-22 case under the passenger seat. Then, troll eBay for an undamaged top cover for the cleaner F3HP and swap that onto it.

That's a good idea, John. Although I do have a couple of other 35mm SLRs that are candidates for a keeping in the car.

Although I think the dent is fixable, once I get the top cover off, with some appropriate shaped pieces of hardwood and a plastic hammer. The impact didn't even damage the paint, and it certainly doesn't affect the function in any way. It's not at the top of my camera project list - I have a couple of medium format project cameras that I consider higher priority.

 

[John_Nikon_F]

That's a good idea, John. Although I do have a couple of other 35mm SLRs that are candidates for a keeping in the car.

Although I think the dent is fixable, once I get the top cover off, with some appropriate shaped pieces of hardwood and a plastic hammer. The impact didn't even damage the paint, and it certainly doesn't affect the function in any way. It's not at the top of my camera project list - I have a couple of medium format project cameras that I consider higher priority.

Ron,

True. If it's in a spot that's fairly flat, you can sometimes bend it straight just using your hands. Unfortunately, not the case with the Nikomat. That camera will need a top cover swap.

 

[John_Nikon_F]

Yesterday's project... Cosmetically fixing the Nikomat FTn. Picked up a second black Nikomat FTn, which arrived yesterday in the mail. Checked it out, and it worked, but meter wasn't that great (very erratic if you moved the shutter speed ring, but smooth with the aperture ring). Slow speeds were almost dead when I first tried it, but fired the shutter a few times, and they came back.

Anyway, when I got home from doing a trip over to Glazer's Camera for some batteries and film, I started tearing both bodies down. Swapped top covers. Since I didn't have my soldering iron handy, the sync terminals are disconnected on both bodies, but at least everything's together. Photos of the second body can be seen in my for sale thread. I wound up converting it over to a Nikkormat FTn.

Pics of the resultant Nikomat FTn:





Much better. There are three dings on the front of the prism cover, and a minor impression where the leatherette is, thanks to a flash unit that must've been bumped forward.

-J

 

[Truzi]

I "fixed" the viewfinder on my grandfather's Keystone K-8 wind-up 8mm movie camera. Everything else seemed to work, except I could not see through the viewfinder at all - not even with a flashlight. It was almost whitish, as if covered with a lot of smokey debris.

I was worried about removing the bezel to clean it, but tried anyway, and found more parts than I expected. It turns out the eyepiece was simply blocked by a piece of metal. Apparently this piece slides over the opening if you have the camera upside-down - blocking your view so you know you're doing something wrong. Cleaned it up a bit with some cotton swabs, and it now slides nicely.

A roll of Fomapan R sits on my desk ready to be loaded - but I'll wait until I have the ability to develop it.

Next I will try to find the short in my father's M-28 Super 8 camera. The handle gets warm, and I'm hoping the short is in the handle (battery compartment), as that should be an easy fix as soon as I figure out how not to destroy it via dis-assembly.

 

[anfenglin]

Just finished fixing the indexing return mechanism on a Nikkormat FT2. Child's play.

I need to do that too, could you give me a hint to find a manual for it or maybe help me directly?
Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Theo Sulphate]

Earlier this year I bought this for only $5 - it's a Polaroid EE100 Special, whose 3000ER setting allows for non-flash interior shots in dim light.

It had dozens of pinholes in the bellows which I've hopefully fixed with liquid tape. I pretty much had to paint the entire inside of the bellows. My guess is that I won't be able to fold up the camera - or if I did it would break the liquid tape seal. That's ok, I don't mind keeping it open as long as it stays light-tight.

 

[canvassy]

I just successfully fixed a Minolta SRT-201

The issue was the readout in the viewfinder. The little black piece that shows the shutter speeds was unglued and floating around inside the view finder. It was in two pieces, the black piece with the shutter speeds, and a clear piece. Both were floating around, and it really obscured the view.

I successfully took the top plate off, removed the prism, and took out the two pieces that were floating around.

Putting the top cover back, the little string that goes around the gears under the winding level came off. It took me a while, but I was able to figure out how to re-wind it around everything.

Got the top cover back on and everything put together. All shutter speeds work.

Putting lens on, I noticed the little meter coupling point on the front of the lens mount isn't springy anymore. Shouldn't be an issue, I'm not planning on using a battery in the camera and I *think* it's just for coupling to the meter. Everything else seems to work.

This was my first successful repair, took me about two hours, but I did it

 

[BMbikerider]

Not photographic but I fixed a 'bodge' job on my 1986 BMW K75s motorcycle. A previous owner had re-assembled the timing chain and missed out an important part that gives the chain the correct tension. It still tensioned the chain a little but it eventually gave up the struggle.

 

[pdeeh]

apart from the usual chemical stuff, not today but recently ... I cleaned 40 years-worth of accumulated oil grease and dust gunk off the kitchen fan impeller. ugh.

 

[tokam]

apart from the usual chemical stuff, not today but recently ... I cleaned 40 years-worth of accumulated oil grease and dust gunk off the kitchen fan impeller. ugh.

You're a brave man. Depending on availabilty of replacement parts I would have binned it and replaced with a new shiny unit.

Not photographic but I have an HP notebook currently disassembled. My girls will use their machines on the carpet, bed covers, couch etc and the fan / heatsink assembly was full of fluff. Had to pull this one apart completely to get to the seat of the problem. Unfortunately I pulled too hard on one of the ZIF connector latches and it popped off. Hope I can rectify this or this computer is toast.

 

[fdonadio]

Changed the old, rusty and bent hinges on my trusty old Hakuba hard case. Not a tidy job, but it should be good for the next 25 years... It is at least 25 years old now.

 

[paladin1420]

This week I successfully replaced the light seals on my Canonet ql17 GIII. I am no good at this kind of thing so I am pretty pleased with myself. The new seals also fixed a problem with the door, which had been popping open by itself and I had been keeping it closed with duct tape. I guess the new seals took away the play in the door in addition to fixing the leaks.
As a test I loaded the camera and walked around in full sunlight for a couple of hours, sans duct tape, while I shot a roll of Arista 400. The processed roll shows no light leak at all. Previously, every roll had at least a few frames with problems. My pictures are still crap, but no more leaks
I really like this camera and I'm so happy I fixed it.

 

[Ian Grant]

Finished restoring a 5x4 Johnson V45 enlarger, I bought one in the mid 1970's and used it until buying a 10x8 De Vere 5108 about 11 or 12 years ago and gave it away (to a member here). More recently the same member offered V45 enlarger for free so I thought had it back along with a Durst A600.

It was another V45 but I got my favourite 135mm Componon back, so I restored the enlarger, mainly a cosmetic exercise repainting every part, and I fond an excellent Dallmeyer 6" coated enlarger lens to go with it on ebay factory fitted to a V45 lens board.

Ian

 

[Helios 1984]

I did not find a similar thread for lenses so I hope you will forgive me If I post here.

Earlier this week I fixed a CJZ Tessar 50mm f/2.8 with a sticky iris, the culprit was a loose aperture guide.
Additionally I adjusted the infinity and cleaned some oily gunk.

Then I fixed a Helios 44M-4 with a loose focus ring, it was so loose that it couldn't focus at all.
I cleaned the old soviet grease, re-lubricated the helicoid with some fresh Helimax-XP and re-adjusted the infinity.

and finally I fixed the SMC Pentax-A 50mm f/2 that was given to me by mgb74. The focus was completely stuck, the culprit was a cross threaded helicoid.
I cleaned the old grease, re-lubricated the helicoid with fresh Helimax-XP and re-adjusted the infinity.

 

[onre]

Those late-model Tessars are really nicely engineered.

Today I repaired an Edixa Prismat LTL. First it wouldn't stay cocked. After fixing that, it would cock once and go stuck. After fixing that, it would not return the mirror after release. After fixing that, the escapement turned out stuck. After fixing that, it went stuck again while cocking. After fixing that, it would start squealing like a Canon when fired. After fixing that, the frame counter wouldn't work. Now everything is back together and cleaned, and it works just fine. The shutter is rather accurate for what it is.

After that I repaired a Praktiflex. After cleaning and lubricating I got all times to work. Really nice early 35 mm SLR.

 

[Marcelo Paniagua]

Cleaned an Elmar 90 that was foggy. Fully dissambled the lens head, cleaned all lens and assembled again. Still got some little scratches but probably wont be a problem. Will try it this weekend, probably on Bessa R2 or Leica IIIG.

 

[Ian Grant]

The cases and roller blind springs for 7 Thornton Pickard, Lizar, and Swift, roller blind shutters. I think there's now a total of25 shutters stripped down now just needing new shutter blinds and re-assembly, and 5 or 6 more to start on

These 7 aren't my own so get priority, the backlog of my own is a daunting task, something I started while caring for my mother and packed away when she died and we moved house.

For those that don't know these shutter:

That's a "Between Lensshutter" version TP's own description.

This the more common version sold to add a shutter to most Brass lenses and some are quite large.

Surprisingly they were still being made in the very late 1950s even though Thornton Pickard as a Company ceased in the 1930s. A repair service kept going with ex employees and they made shutters and still traded as Thornton Pickard.

Ian

 

[Truzi]

I used to be the old computer parts graveyard for my family. I finally broke them of that, but it seems I've now become the old camera graveyard.

Fixed the shutter release button on an Argus a-four my aunt gave me today (had to figure out how it was supposed to work first). It even has the flash attachment.
Guess this means I'll have to try it out.

 

[Helios 1984]

I changed the light seals & mirror damper on my Spotmatic II, it was very easy to do with Jon Goodman's material and instructions.