Beginning tool sets

Absinthe · Apr 4, 2008

I am just getting started, and looking for recomendation of tools. I have started with Romney's book and picked up a few things here and there.

Well, I have needed the flexiclamp, so I know they are necessary tools for the job they do, however, what are the basic gotta-have sizes?

richard ide · Apr 4, 2008

Could give recommendations if I knew what you wished to do.

Absinthe · Apr 4, 2008

That's fair

Basically, I want to find common cameras that are workable but old and bring them back into service. There is a much bigger story to this, but for now, all I am looking for is what I will need most comonly, and then I will get other stuff onsie-twosie as needed. I am not looking to become the next greatest camera repairman, but for the most part, acl's shutter servicing, tha tsort of thing, on 120, and 620 stuff mostly as well as the odd manual 35 mm and some commonly available lf stuff

richard ide · Apr 5, 2008

First and foremost: Buy the best quality possible as that is the cheapest in the long run. Good tools last forever almost. I like working on small items over a tray with sides. Sometimes things are hard to find on the floor.

Set of jewellers screwdrivers
Small pliers including fine needle nose.
Couple of heavy, wide rubber bands for unscrewing lenses etc.
Toothpicks and Q-tips
Small containers to hold parts in the same order you remove them.

The list could go on and on; you know what you need
Try to find a company that sells watchmaking tools.
Google Lee Valley Tools for watchmakers cases for container idea.

John Koehrer · Apr 5, 2008

Flexiclamps are not really need unless you plan on dealing with M series leicas.
Some cameras like the minolta SRT's you can use a piece of rubber tubing with the end cut flat to remove the collar surrounding the shutter release. You can get the flexiclamp but it's only a buck for a foot of tubing.
Go to Microtools.com & get the #2 crosspoint screwdriver tips(& spares), handle, & some straight blades. I use straight tips from .8mm up to 3mm. the smaller one are for set screws found in lenses and some shutter speed dials or rewind knobs.
A Spanner handle with pointed and flat tips, a multitester(analog) digital will give more accurate readings but the analog will allow you to test capacitors for leakage.
Don't bother trying to use cheapy jewelers screwdriver sets, the tips are not the correct angle and are usually too brittle. The tips you need are called "crosspoint" and the angle of the tip is slightly sharper.
The large rubber bands suggested earlier work very well & I also use a set of rubber stoppers(hdw store) for removing decorator rings on lenses. You can also use them for removing the Minolta shutter speed collar. Press down & twist with 'em.

haris · Apr 5, 2008

Look at Dead Link Removed. You probably won't need all that, but you can get general impression what is mostly wanted and used for camera repairing. I mean, if people don't need and buy particular tool, they wouldn't sell it, right?

Christopher Walrath · Apr 5, 2008

A good supplier for micro screws because there are hundreds of differents types, heads, threads, you name it. You can always get a supply by breaking down junk components for parts, but familiarize yourself with the various fasteners as this will save time down the road.

Mike Kennedy · Apr 5, 2008

Get yourself a good magnifying lamp.One with a circular florescent bulb that doesn't cast shadows.I'll post a picture of mine in a bit.

Mike Kennedy · Apr 5, 2008

Magnifying Lamp

here's the one I use.Picked it up at my local office supply shop.

Absinthe · Apr 5, 2008

Thanks! These are the things good to hear. So tel me this, how do I remove the lens cells from a Kodak Reflex II without a flexiclamp?

Christopher Walrath · Apr 6, 2008

Better yet, for me. How do you remove an aperture ring from, say, a Minolta MD lens without loosing the spring and the click ball?

John Koehrer · Apr 6, 2008

Christopher Walrath said:
Better yet, for me. How do you remove an aperture ring from, say, a Minolta MD lens without loosing the spring and the click ball?

Verrrry carefully!
Seriously though, cup the lens so when the ball decides to eject youhave most of the escape path covered And remove the ring very slowly, that way when the bearing comes out it's caught by the edge of the aperture ring.
I'm very sure the lost bearings end up in the same dimension with all the lost socks.

Absinthe · Apr 6, 2008

Do it in a changing bag or at least a plastic garbage bag. Things can go wherever they want and when they are done they are inside.

shootpositive · Jul 28, 2010

I bought a chinese spanner off Amazon for $15 and it totally sux but I've been barely getting by with it.

Now I need a good spanner to unlock a stubborn screw ring on a Nikon 200mm f/4

I love the spanner wrench on micro-tools but maybe there's something mid-range that's a little cheaper.

I don't have $100 to spend on a tool to fix lenses but I would if I had the tool! What a conundrum

Steve Smith · Jul 28, 2010

Christopher Walrath said:
How do you remove an aperture ring from, say, a Minolta MD lens without loosing the spring and the click ball?

For once the incorrect spelling of losing is sort of correct!

John Koehrer said:
I'm very sure the lost bearings end up in the same dimension with all the lost socks.

Yes, but where is that? I have twenty six socks in a drawer at home with not a single pair amongst them!

Steve.

Absinthe · Jul 28, 2010

shootpositive said:
I bought a chinese spanner off Amazon for $15 and it totally sux but I've been barely getting by with it.

Now I need a good spanner to unlock a stubborn screw ring on a Nikon 200mm f/4

I love the spanner wrench on micro-tools but maybe there's something mid-range that's a little cheaper.

I don't have $100 to spend on a tool to fix lenses but I would if I had the tool! What a conundrum

I have had good luck with these:

Dead Link Removed

Beginning tool sets

haris

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