Ballad of the roached out Tourist II

[Rick A]

This used to be one of my favorite shooters, util a couple of years ago when the really sweet Flash Kodamatic shutter seized up. No amount of cleaning helped, so I tossed it in a drawer thinking one day I'll pay to have it repaired. Well, that will never happen, cost versus value thing. The other day I came across a Flash Kodon shutter that was in another drawer, I don't remember where it came from, but it had been modified (by someone else) for pinhole. There's no aperture, and a metal disk with about .018 (+=) hole in it glued to the shutter body. Hmmm.... Okay, JB Weld time (as that's the only way of attaching) and the new pinhole shutter is mounted to the Tourist II. Here I should add, I had modified this body to accept 120 film on the feed side, no need to mod the take up just keep a 620 spool in it. Took it out for a test drive this afternoon with a strip of print paper for a negative. Set shutter to T or B, it even has a cable release socket.
I reconed this to be about F 240 so I metered ISO 12 shutter set at T,( didn't use a cable release).for the paper and adjusted accordingly. 8.5 mins exposure time. Got a bit of blur from the dog running past the tripod in the dining room.

 

[E. von Hoegh]

What does "roached out" mean?

 

[Rick A]

Rusted and seized up. The camera came to me with issues, I cleaned it and used it for a few months before catastrophic failure.

 

[Sirius Glass]

It sounds like the cameras were worth much more before you worked on them.

 

[E. von Hoegh]

Rusted and seized up. The camera came to me with issues, I cleaned it and used it for a few months before catastrophic failure.

I was given a Rolleiflex Standa

It sounds like the cameras were worth much more before you worked on them.

Not to mention watching the "hystory" channel...

 

[Rick A]

It sounds like the cameras were worth much more before you worked on them.

It was an auction camera that "works" when I bought it. The seller refunded me half because it really didn't, and the aperture blades had rust issues. I got some good use before it finally gave up the ghost. It was completely rusted fast when I pulled it from the drawer the other day. Now I'll have some fun with it again. I was going to build an 8x10 pinhole camera utilizing the modified Kodet, now I won't.

 

[shutterfinger]

Put the rusted up shutter or other rusted parts in cider vinegar for 15 to 30 minutes, flush with water, wipe dry and apply a thin coat of oil. Rub shutter or aperture blades with extra fine powdered graphite to prevent rerusting.
Rust will start to reform in 30 minutes if not treated with oil or graphite.

 

[Rick A]

Thanks for the input shutterfinger. FWIW, I'm done here. I've had enough of peoples private jokes and bullshit. I thought I would maybe inspire others to rescue beat to death cameras, but

 

[Cholentpot]

Thanks for the input shutterfinger. FWIW, I'm done here. I've had enough of peoples private jokes and bullshit. I thought I would maybe inspire others to rescue beat to death cameras, but

Woah woah dude!

It's your darn camera and you can do whatever the heck you want with it. I have a drawer of cameras I've screwed up myself. The only way to learn is to do.

Keep messing with junk, don't let anyone harsh your fun. Some folks here were born without a funny bone back the last time the 20's came around.

 

[E. von Hoegh]

I was given a Rolleiflex Standard that had been submerged, then dried out in the sun,but not disassembled & cleaned, then left alone for some years. Soaking the shutter in an ammonia based solvent freed it enough to disassemble and clean, it's now accurate enough, the rest of the camera came through ok.

Not to mention watching the "hystory" channel...

 

[ciniframe]

I've had/have several Tourist cameras. Strangely to only shutter that works (for now) without issues is the most complex one, the Synchro Rapid 800 with a 101mm f4.5 Anastar mounted in it. That idea of only modifying the feed chamber is a good Idea, I have several empty 620 spools for take up. I've had some problems of uneven sharpness on my negatives. My theory is that when unfolding the bellows is sucks the film away from the pressure plate. I think the solution is only wind on when the camera is already open.

 

[paul ron]

Good story. Ive got a few of those tossed aside cameras Ive been meaning to get around to one day. Its always a treat to get em working, even if the camera doesnt want to be fixed. Frankin cameras get built like that too.

Nice to see someone having fun.