How does one disassemble a Cambo SCX, especially standards from rail?

senderoaburrido · Apr 9, 2016

I'm trying to remove the standards from a Cambo SCX's rail, so as to make it easier to transport. I had heard that there is a knob that I should be able to loosen, which would allow me to pop the end cap off. From there the standards can be removed.

On my camera, the knob in question unscrews without popping out completely, leaving the plastic rail cap attached. I cannot continue to turn the knob counter-clockwise, nor will the cap budge. I gave the cap a light hammering with a screwdriver, dampened by an old bike tube, to no avail. I attempted to twist the cap, in case it spins on on the screw's axis. I also tried sliding it up or down.Not sure how else to remove the cap, as it seems pretty rooted.

It's not mentioned in the camera's manual, and there are no videos or illustrative pictures that I could find online. Has anyone taken apart a Cambo SCX before? I'd be quite grateful for some help.

Here's a video of me attempting to remove the cap:

I'm also including pictures of the rail, in case someone might recognise it and provide insight:
http://imgur.com/a/kpQHv

Dr Croubie · Apr 10, 2016

My 8x10 SCX doesn't have that knobbed end-cap at that end, so maybe whoever had it before me destroyed it in the process of taking it off.
The cap at the other end (that says SCX) I can describe though: Peel back the SCX logo and there's a slotted countersunk screw. This tightens up a conical piece inside which expands to friction-fit the cap in.
Maybe not the best description without a pic, but just loosen it and you'll see what I mean. To get the SCX logo off in on piece just use a dull-ish knife or sharp-ish screwdriver, it's fairly crappy sticky holding it on.

Or you could just remove the bellows, swing the standards around 90-degrees and stick it in a wide shallow box if you can't get either endcap off.

Dr Croubie · Apr 10, 2016

Actually, just watching that video again, it's possibly the same style of conical friction-fit thingy. The conical bit is probably just stuck against the edges and needs pushing further back into the rail.
Loosen the knob, but then give a fairly hard whack on the knob towards the rail, that should dislodge it, then you can pull on the plastic bit to take it off (might need to jam a screwdriver/knife in between the cap and rail to get it to move first)

Ian C · Apr 10, 2016

The easy way to make a Cambo SCX or other monorail camera compact for transport is to detach the bellows from one of the frames, open the swing locks on both carriages, swing the standards 90° so that the entire camera can be laid on its side forming almost a flat plane. The bellows can be left compressed and attached to one frame or removed as you choose.

Calumet Photographic used to sell a suitcase-style storage/transport case for the 8” x 10” Cambo SCX and other cameras that was designed for cameras configured this way. The camera can then be reconfigured for use in less than a minute with no tools.

This is great deal easier and more convenient than disassembling the camera for transport and reassembling at the destination.

senderoaburrido · Apr 10, 2016

Dr Croubie said:
Actually, just watching that video again, it's possibly the same style of conical friction-fit thingy. The conical bit is probably just stuck against the edges and needs pushing further back into the rail.
Loosen the knob, but then give a fairly hard whack on the knob towards the rail, that should dislodge it, then you can pull on the plastic bit to take it off (might need to jam a screwdriver/knife in between the cap and rail to get it to move first)

I'll try giving it a light knock inwards, then. As silly as it may be, I would prefer not to remove the sticker on the back. That will be my last resort.

Ian C said:
The easy way to make a Cambo SCX or other monorail camera compact for transport is to detach the bellows from one of the frames, open the swing locks on both carriages, swing the standards 90° so that the entire camera can be laid on its side forming almost a flat plane. The bellows can be left compressed and attached to one frame or removed as you choose.

Calumet Photographic used to sell a suitcase-style storage/transport case for the 8” x 10” Cambo SCX and other cameras that was designed for cameras configured this way. The camera can then be reconfigured for use in less than a minute with no tools.

This is great deal easier and more convenient than disassembling the camera for transport and reassembling at the destination.

This is what I've been doing so far. I get the heebie-jeebies, thinking that the standards could still be bent in a suitcase, maybe hitting a hard bump in the sidewalk.

The real goal here is to make the camera bike-portable. It's my primary transportation in-city, and it beats the alternative of spending 700$+ CAD on a camera with a smaller profile. In order to do this, it needs to fit in my backpack. The backpack is rather large, like a medium sized hiking backpack. Still, as of right now it just doesn't quite fit with the standards turned to be parallel with the rail.

Edit/update: Wacking the knob inwards did nothing. I gave it a fair smack with the hand, with no result.

John Koehrer · Apr 10, 2016

You may putting a drop or two of alcohol on the label & working around the edge with a straight pin.
It should come off cleanly, then you can glue it back.

senderoaburrido · Apr 15, 2016

I would prefer not to knock it off it isn't supposed to come off. Someone must know how to remove it. There should be a way. All the other Cambo monorails can do it.

shutterfinger · Apr 15, 2016

The cap is stuck due to over tightening, heat, or someone glued it in place. You sound unwilling to do what is necessary to get it off despite the standard repair shop techniques stated in this thread.
Send me the camera and I WILL remove it for you with a 99% chance of no damage to the camera.

senderoaburrido · Apr 15, 2016

What you are saying is very different from the above poster. The way they mention I may glue it back on implies that it is meant to be glued on. I have no issue removing it if it is meant to come off, but it seems no one is 100% sure that is what is supposed to happen. If a component is stuck and needs a little force, I'm okay with that. I just don't want to move forward on popping all sorts of little pieces off as a process of trial and error. Not everything that is broken can be glued back into place. Besides, I have already tried removing it using careful hammering, with absolutely no movement.

shutterfinger · Apr 15, 2016

1. one end of that rail is designed to come off. extension rail was made for the camera. extra long bellows were made for the camera. extra standards were made for that camera model.
2. one end is flat with a label and one end has a screw that remains attached when fully loose. if no end was designed to be removed both would be flat with no screw visible.
3. post #2 "And this particular part is just too tight and needs to be pried off with a screwdriver." With the screw fully loose place the tip of a 2mm wide flat screwdriver between the rail and the cap. GENTLY pry outward on the cap from one side then the other in small increments until it pops off. Sometimes it takes 2 screwdrivers on opposite sides of the rail putting pressure on both screwdrivers simultaneously. This is where the comment in post #9 comes into play.
4. If you can't get over your inhibitions and do it then take/send it to someone that can or live with it as is. You might be surprised, it most likely will pop off easy with the screwdrivers.

My Legend has the center of the rail threaded to accept an extension rail or a cap. Unlikely yours has an expandable clamp holding the cap on. It may have ribs on the cap that mate with groves in the end of the rail.

Dr Croubie · Apr 16, 2016

Agreeing with the above:
- Both ends are designed to come off. If they're not budging, you have to just be more forceful.

- Both ends have the same type of conical-expansion-friction-fit thingy holding them in place.

- The end with the visible screw, the screw is obviously loose enough. If whacking it in towards the rail doesn't loosen the conical bit, then chances are that it's already loose. So get a screwdriver, butterknife, whatever in between the cap and rail and start levering.

- The end with the SCX-logo cap over the countersunk screw is also meant to come off. The label is not 'glued on', mine looks more like double-sided tacky tape. It came off with nothing but fingernails. It went back on fine too, no extra glue required. I just peeled it back and re-stuck it 5 times to see what would happen. Nothing, it still sticks flat and looks as good as when I got it. Peel the logo off, unscrew the countersunk screw to loosen the conical bit. Then get a screwdriver, butterknife, whatever in between the cap and rail and start levering.

I can understand about not wanting to ruin a nice camera, but keep in mind that these things were build to takes years of professional abuse. These ain't no precision hasselblad leaf-shuttered lens, these are hunks of solid steel, a few whacks with a hammer, screwdriver, or crowbar aren't going to hurt it one iota.
Some kind of abuse, whether glue, heat, or knocking, has already happened to make this cap not come off. Fight fire with fire.

senderoaburrido · Apr 17, 2016

Yeah, I'm just very afraid of ruining something I can't fix. I just went at the knob-end cap with two screwdrivers wedged beneath. Applied gentle leverage until the plastic started marking stressing, near-snap sounds. It didn't move an inch.

Here's a picture of the sticker you mentioned. I can't see the lip of the sticker. It looks and feels like an integrated piece of plastic, but I trust that your SCX 8x10 has the same rail. I don't see why it wouldn't.

I sent Cambo an email as well.

Dr Croubie · Apr 17, 2016

It's starting to sound like that end with the screw is glued in (which it shouldn't be), or it's been left in extreme heat and it's melted enough to stick to the metal enough then.

That picture shows the sticker, it's the square bit with the rounded corners directly around the logo. Just run your fingernail around it and it should start to peel off, if not then a sharp knife should do the trick.
It's not so much a sticker in that it's not ridiculously slim, it's 0.35mm thick (just measured with precision calipers) and made with some hefty plastic/foil.

shutterfinger · Apr 17, 2016

Looking at you video I can see the cap move after you have loosened the screw and are wiggling it so it should come off. Try putting the screwdrivers on opposite sides of the screw and pry out on the screw with it loosened.

senderoaburrido · Apr 18, 2016

shutterfinger said:
Looking at you video I can see the cap move after you have loosened the screw and are wiggling it so it should come off. Try putting the screwdrivers on opposite sides of the screw and pry out on the screw with it loosened.

This is exactly what I did for my last post. If I hadn't loosened that screw, I would not have even been able to insert the screwdrivers in. Nonetheless, it did not budge despite starting to sound like it was going to snap or buckle.

Dr Croubie · Apr 18, 2016

Just to be sure, you're trying to get the screwdriver in between the square/octagonal plastic cap and the metal rail, yes?
Not between the plastic cap and the screw?

I'd definitely suggest peeling the scx sticker off and going in through the other end first before breaking anything. Worst case a missing sticker is nowhere near as bad as a missing end.

But then, my end was missing before I got it, you can see it here: (there was a url link here which no longer exists)
Hasn't harmed it one bit, it still takes perfectly good pictures...

senderoaburrido · Apr 18, 2016

Cambo got back to me. You guys were exactly right. There is a cone in there, and it should pop out. Clearly it is jammed. I guess I should try giving it some more love taps with a hammer. I wonder if I should put some wd-40 in there or something. Is there a specific grease that I should regrease moving parts with after? I would like to be able to assemble/disassemble this camera regularly.

If I placed it next to my radiator, maybe the plastic would expand enough to loosen?

shutterfinger · Apr 18, 2016

Water Displacement #40 http://wd40.com/cool-stuff/history might help lubricate initially but it will dry out and leave a sticky residue that will build up with repeated usage. Therefore it is not a good product to use on cameras regularly.
Hammering on the end will likely jam cone 303105 in tighter. Penetrating oil may help. Using the screwdrivers between the end cap 303034 and the rail 303048 and applying pressure on one side then the opposite side might walk it out. If you place it next to a heat source long enough it might melt or deform the plastic to the point of having to cut it out, slightly warmed might help.

Alan Gales · Apr 18, 2016

PB Blaster is the best stuff that I have ever used. I have never tried it on plastic though.

http://www.amazon.com/Blaster-16-PB-Penetrating-Catalyst-oz/dp/B000I2079E

senderoaburrido · Apr 18, 2016

I got it! Slowly eased it out, very, very carefully. Plastic looks like it survived. No cracks or stress marks. Now, should I oil it on the inside a bit so it comes out more easily next time? It's not oiled at all. I know plastics and most lubricants are both petroleum products. I hope that they aren't mutually soluble or anything.

shutterfinger · Apr 18, 2016

Congratulations! I would not use any lubricant on it. Do Not over tighten it when installing. Someone over tightened it which is what caused it to be stuck. Just snug it to the point where it just doesn't move and it should be fine.
Paraffin or wax would be better lubricants than oil if you decide to use a lubricant.

senderoaburrido · Apr 18, 2016

The issue seems to be that the runner or sprue nub that was left over from the molding process causes friction with the cavity it's set in. I might try sanding it ever-so-slightly.

Now the conundrum is to find a case that I can fit this stuff in to keep it safe. I can transport the monorail sans case, but the standards could benefit from some protection.

shutterfinger · Apr 18, 2016

Use a file to dress the nut.
I have my Legend in one of these hard cases http://www.ebay.com/itm/Large-Hard-...168288?hash=item58d0fa0520:g:-28AAOSw5ZBWQbI8
Search ebay for Hard Case for more options.

Alan Gales · Apr 19, 2016

senderoaburrido said:
The issue seems to be that the runner or sprue nub that was left over from the molding process causes friction with the cavity it's set in. I might try sanding it ever-so-slightly.

Now the conundrum is to find a case that I can fit this stuff in to keep it safe. I can transport the monorail sans case, but the standards could benefit from some protection.

That's great! I'm glad you finally got it.

Alan Gales · Apr 19, 2016

APUGuser19 said:
Working on cameras can be harrowing. the simplest things can turn into a real production. And the hardest things can fly right by like a breeze. You never know.

I just hate it when small springs fly right by like a breeze!

How does one disassemble a Cambo SCX, especially standards from rail?

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