Mamiya M645 tried out foam replacement

[erian]

I received a Mamiya M645 that is full of small black particles. It looks like the foam inside of the camera has tried out and became fragile and has spread everywhere.

I scanned the Mamiya M645 repair manual and did not find a procedure for the replacement.

Has somebody done this before or knows a good reference for it?

 

[mr rusty]

Y. I've refoamed my Mamiya just using the self adhesive foam materials you can buy on ebay and cutting the strips as required. Getting the old stuff out is not easy - cocktail sticks, and cotton buds with solvent. When installing new foam the trick is to wet the adhesive - it doesn't then grab immediately and you can slide the strip around to where needed. Once it dries, it sticks.

 

[erian]

Y. I've refoamed my Mamiya just using the self adhesive foam materials you can buy on ebay and cutting the strips as required. Getting the old stuff out is not easy - cocktail sticks, and cotton buds with solvent. When installing new foam the trick is to wet the adhesive - it doesn't then grab immediately and you can slide the strip around to where needed. Once it dries, it sticks.

Can you show your result? I have seen people do the seals but not the inside.

 

[mr rusty]

Can you show your result? I have seen people do the seals but not the inside.

Not easily ATM - it's sitting there with a film in it. I can't actually everything I did - I know I did mirror foams and the rear door seal, and remember the mirror foams being fiddly.

 

[StepheKoontz]

I have found purell hand sanitizer (make SURE it doesn't have lotion in it ie "leaves hands soft"!!) works great as a wetting agent. It's basically alcohol gel. You can tell it it's the right type by putting a small glop of it on a non porous surface and it eventually just evaporates leaving no residue.

 

[John Will]

"Has somebody done this before or knows a good reference for it?"

Aki-asahi has replacement foam sets and instructions.

http://www.aki-asahi.com/store/html/Mamiya_M645/Foam/Mamiya_M645_seal.php

 

[jim10219]

I've used Aki-asahi's foam before for other cameras. It's good stuff and I was very pleased with how it was all cut and measured. I've since switched to cutting my own seals from adhesive foam strips. I prefer to use closed cell foam for seals because they tend to last longer and do a better job. I still use open cell foam for mirror bumpers because they're softer and don't make as much noise.

If there are foam bits everywhere inside the camera, you might want to have it CLA'ed. That stuff can gum up the inner workings and damage the camera. And if you're going to send it in for a CLA anyway, might as well let them replace the foam for you.