haunted (!) argus c3

[SteveinAlaska]

Ok you load a roll of film in it. Set it on a shelf and the film door will pop open!! Rather surprising late in the evening while sitting at the computer.
The camera was bought at an estate auction a while ago. I bought it because it was in the original box with a product brochure. After I got it home I found a repair invoice dated March 24,1955 from the O.W.Ray Corp.,160 Eleventh Avenue, New York city. It appears the camera was sold to Shontz at 6 The Maples in Roslyn N.Y. They did a repair and adjust at no charge to this camera. The neat thing about this is the serial number on the invoice matches the camera number. This dates the camera to a 1954 model.
1st question- Would anyone on this site or located in New York state have anymore info on these companies?
2nd question- Can I make a simple fix to this door to keep it closed other than leaving it in the half case? If I do,then the flash gun doesn't fit (yes,I have that,too). I know you fix an Argus with a hammer and pliers, so how big the hammer?:rolleyes: Perhaps I need to find a witch doctor that can shake bones and wave the chicken feathers about to make a fix on this!! A thank you to anyone who can help on this.

 

[DWThomas]

If it's like my circa '57 vintage C3, the latch for the door is a chrome plated metal springy thingie with an embossed button on it, riveted to the end of the body. I'd guess it could be pried up a bit to increase the spring tension. Said latch thingie should have an upturned edge, a sort of tab, about a half inch wide and 1/32 or so inches high that engages a slot in the "keeper" attached to the back. The other possibility might be the keeper (riveted to the back door and folded around the end of the door) might be sprung out so the edge of the latch doesn't engage it well. Either way, it's a pretty simple interface.

Hard to believe it could get damaged enough by wear to abrade the hook portion of the latch away.

Outward pressure on the door from the pressure plate should be trivial, but there is a curved spring that holds the film casette in place that's pretty stiff.

Hmmm -- maybe the door is bent/bowed a bit?

Just some random thoughts ...

DaveT

 

[Steve Smith]

Sometimes the chrome catch goes the wrong side of the bit that it is supposed to catch onto but the friction is enough to make you think it is closed. Or at least, this happens with mine!



Steve.

 

[narsuitus]

One of my Argus C3 cameras does the same thing. I was never able to adjust the latch to fix the problem. Instead, after I load the camera with film, I simply apply gaffers tape to keep it closed.

 

[Claire Senft]

Are you getting ghost images?

 

[Xylo]

Sometimes the chrome catch goes the wrong side of the bit that it is supposed to catch onto but the friction is enough to make you think it is closed. Or at least, this happens with mine!

Same thing happens to mine. You have to press the spring part down as it's supposed to go under the door latch in order to lock good.
Other option is to use a mailman's rubberband.

 

[erikg]

Are you getting ghost images?

Yeah, by your thread title I thought maybe you were getting images on the film without taking any pictures! That would be cool.

It is a C3, so the handyman's secret weapon wouldn't be totally out of place, but hopefully you can just adjust the latch with a little tweak.