Do-it-yourself CLA for FTb

Alex Thorne

Member
Joined
Mar 14, 2008
Messages
16
Format
35mm
Hi,

My local camera guy said it wasn't worth having my FTb QL CLA'd because the light meter is broken. I was thinking about doing it myself.

Specifically, I need to replace the light seals, and I'd also like to open the camera up and clean and lube.

What do I need to know? What stuff do I need and where can I get it?

Thanks
 

John Koehrer

Subscriber
Joined
Apr 3, 2004
Messages
8,277
Location
Aurora, Il
Format
Multi Format
Light seals are easy.
But.
There's a geared coupling inside the camera that needs to be set on re-assembly. If the meter's dead the first thing I would check is the condition of the battery box for corrosion. If it's corroded at all it's very likely that the connecting wire is also bad. It could also be a dirty switch, bad cds cell, cold solder joint or the meter coil could be bad.

I'm working from dead & dying brain cells here so be careful!

1)Important!----set the shutter speed to B and ASA to 100. This is a reference point that you have to know for reassembly.
2)Remove the wind lever, There's a spanner beneath the cap & 2 or 3 washers beneath that. Watch the sequence when you pull them off.
3)Remove the shutter speed dial(spanner) & lift off
4)Pull the rewind knob. Put something in the R/W fork inside the camera body & it simply unscrews. I think there's a spanner nut under the knob.
5)Remove the screws around the perimeter of the top cover & the cover should pop off. Watch for a wire connected to the hot shoe, if it's there it may have to be unsoldered,

Tool you may need:
An adjustable spanner wrench.
Jewelers screwdrivers.
Tweezers.
Soldering Iron(?).
Take a look at the micro tools website. It's not gonna be cheap.
 
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