dropping 4x5 Linhof in beach sand!!

[trudee yama]

Hello,

My friend dropped, back first, his 4x5 Linhof camera in beach sand. Short of sending it off to have it cleaned, he was wondering if there were secrets to cleaning off all the sand. He tried masking tape and vacuuming with poor results.

Trudee

 

[Steve Smith]

Wait for it to dry completely then use a vacuum and a soft brush.


Steve.

 

[RalphLambrecht]

Hello,

My friend dropped, back first, his 4x5 Linhof camera in beach sand. Short of sending it off to have it cleaned, he was wondering if there were secrets to cleaning off all the sand. He tried masking tape and vacuuming with poor results.

Trudee

Sorry to hear that. That is the reason that I never take that camera outside. I think it's way too sensitive. I bought a Toyo metal-field for out door work and kept the Linhof for the studio and architecture work. Not too much of a burden since much of the remaining equipment is interchangeable anyway.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

The Technika has become my preferred Hawai'i camera, so it's often in sandy environments. I've posted a couple of examples in the past--

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

As long as there isn't sand in the rangefinder mechanism, I wouldn't expect it to be that difficult to clean, actually. Most of the mechanical parts of a Technika are exposed and easy to access and should be dry, so there isn't any lubricant for sand to cling to, at least in the exposed parts with the exception of the focusing rails. I'd just take apart what can be taken apart without a screwdriver--the groundglass cover, the groundglass panel, the back, the accessory shoe, the lensboard, the rangefinder cam, and the focusing rails--make sure everything is dry, and vacuum and brush it all out, and use canned air in places where the air won't force sand into places like the rangefinder mechanism or the Graflok slides. Some parts like the focusing rails can even be rinsed under water (when removed), dried, and relubricated with Vaseline (I've read that this is Linhof's recommendation, but I use lithium grease).

 

[RalphLambrecht]

The Technika has become my preferred Hawai'i camera, so it's often in sandy environments.

The poster said Linhof, I assumed Technikardan, you thought Technika. I think the Technika is more robust than the Technikardan. I don't know how I would do the images you posted with mine.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

The poster said Linhof, I assumed Technikardan, you thought Technika. I think the Technika is more robust than the Technikardan. I don't know how I would do the images you posted with mine.

Ah, I see. The TK is definitely less protected. Those were both rangefinder shots.