Foam Seals for a Mamyia C330

[Cluster]

Hello, I have a couple of mamyia c330 tlr cameras that I would like to re-seal. I'm in the Toronto (Canada) area. Does anyone know of a place that would do this kind of work??

 

[adelorenzo]

It's an easy camera to do yourself. I got a seal kit from a German ebay seller that worked very well.

 

[MattKing]

Contact Jon Goodman : http://www.kyphoto.com/classics/sealreplacement.html

He is great to deal with, and he doesn't charge extra for mailing to Canada.

 

[Cluster]

Contact Jon Goodman : http://www.kyphoto.com/classics/sealreplacement.html

He is great to deal with, and he doesn't charge extra for mailing to Canada.

Thanks so much. i checked the website but wasn't able to see an email or contact info on it. do u have any contact info on him?

 

[dabsond]

Contact Jon Goodman : http://www.kyphoto.com/classics/sealreplacement.html

He is great to deal with, and he doesn't charge extra for mailing to Canada.

That's where I got the seal kit for my C220 and others. +1

 

[MattKing]

Thanks so much. i checked the website but wasn't able to see an email or contact info on it. do u have any contact info on him?

It is on the website - in the right hand column of text: Jon_Goodman@yahoo.com

 

[Dali]

I re-sealed my C330 with John's stuff and it worked perfectly. Highly recommended!

 

[sagai]

I have had textile shoe strings for this, works nicely.
The more trouble is to remove the original rotten foam fully.

 

[Cluster]

Thanks so much for all your help!!

 

[Jerevan]

Jon is a Good Man, indeed! Recommended.

 

[ransel]

I have purchased sheets of black foam at a local craft store. It is a couple mm thick, came in about 9x12 inch sheets. I just trimmed strips with either a razed knife or scissors and used double sided tape to stick in place. I have done numerous cameras with this stuff.

 

[Cluster]

I have purchased sheets of black foam at a local craft store. It is a couple mm thick, came in about 9x12 inch sheets. I just trimmed strips with either a razed knife or scissors and used double sided tape to stick in place. I have done numerous cameras with this stuff.

that's a great idea. thanks!!

 

[Ken Nadvornick]

I have purchased sheets of black foam at a local craft store. It is a couple mm thick, came in about 9x12 inch sheets. I just trimmed strips with either a razed knife or scissors and used double sided tape to stick in place. I have done numerous cameras with this stuff.

Are you absolutely certain that none of the components in that black craft foam will outgas into the camera interior over time?

For example, one of the design defects in certain Yashica TLRs was the use of lubricants that, as it turned out, became notorious for outgassing and causing a haze to form on the outer surface of the innermost lens element. Not a fatal flaw, as it could be removed by cleaning. But certainly annoying.

One of the benefits of Jon Goodman's light sealing foam kits is that foam's lack of outgassing behavior. Jon once told me it was selected in part because of that very characteristic.

Ken

 

[ransel]

Ken, I have no idea - never heard of "outgas". I have done several Mamiya TLR's and a couple Olympus XA's over the years, and other cameras I am sure. Don't know if I have ever experienced what you describe. Wonder how long it would take for such a thing to happen...if it was going to happen.

 

[Ken Nadvornick]

Outgassing is when a substance spontaneously gives off native fumes. Drying paint is outgassing when you smell it as drying paint. If a plastic piece of something smells like plastic, it is outgassing. Conversely, there's a reason that plastic food and drink containers never smell like plastic.

When designers select components for a camera, or anything else, they not only look for primary performance, but also secondary effects. Sure, one can use art store black craft foam for light seals and it will work. But good design engineering means looking further.

Will it remain black over time? Or will it fade? Will it wear and begin to inject particulates into the film chamber? Will it work wet? If wet, will it dry completely? And quickly? Will it deform and take a set over time, thus allowing cracks of light to pass? Will it outgas over time? Will the adhesive required to keep it attached outgas over time? Is it chemically compatible with film emulsions? And paper backings, if those are involved? And on and on...

All of these things have a direct bearing on the efficacy of any given component. I realize it's enticing to conclude that something works fine just because a week after substituting it for the real thing it still seems to be performing its primary function, and everything else looks OK.

But one of the reasons cameras have always been so expensive is the additional huge amount of engineering time, effort, and testing that goes into making absolutely certain that each and every one of the thousands of components that make up those cameras can work together harmoniously and correctly. And do so over the long haul.

Ken

 

[ransel]

The reason we have to replace light seals in our 20, 30, 40 year old cameras is because they failed, regardless of the amount of "engineering" employed to begin with.. I have three Olympus XA's from the 80's and had to replace the light seals on all. It was a gooey mess. Every Mamiya TLR I have purchased off ebay (made in the 50's or 60's) had to have the light seals replaced. Now, 10-12 years later, they have not failed - all replaced with craft store foam and double sticky tape. A $.75 sheet of foam from Jo-Anne Fabrics works for me.