Mamiya Six (folder) wobble

[OAPOli]

I'm restoring a Mamiya Six and noticed it has a wobbly front standard. Use the arrows to see the movement between the three attached pics. Middle is rest position.

In the rest position, the pin shown above (centre) fits in the right-hand pocket of the channel. Pocket seems too big for the pin, which may lead to play. It may have been filed, there is a burr and exposed brass. On the other strut the pocket/pin fit is worse.

For those with a Mamiya Six, how tight is the front standard and how does the pin and pocket fit? In principle one could solder material in there but given that everything is riveted together I might have to leave it at that. Maybe it's unrelated to the wobble. Haven't tested with film yet.

 

[RalphLambrecht]

I cannot speak from experience, only from an engineering point of view. soldering some extra material in there can only be a temporary measure. The only meaningful repair here are replacement parts!

 

[Melvin J Bramley]

I'm restoring a Mamiya Six and noticed it has a wobbly front standard. Use the arrows to see the movement between the three attached pics. Middle is rest position.

View attachment 369812

In the rest position, the pin shown above (centre) fits in the right-hand pocket of the channel. Pocket seems too big for the pin, which may lead to play. It may have been filed, there is a burr and exposed brass. On the other strut the pocket/pin fit is worse.

For those with a Mamiya Six, how tight is the front standard and how does the pin and pocket fit? In principle one could solder material in there but given that everything is riveted together I might have to leave it at that. Maybe it's unrelated to the wobble. Haven't tested with film yet.

You have Mamiyas answer to the Rolleiflex SL66 !!

Jokes aside, I have two Mamiya 6 folders . The older one is like yours and has a fair amount of movement on the front element.
The newer Mamiya 6 Automat is rock solid.
Just run a roll of film through it and see what happens. I doubt it will effect image quality .
I'm finding these folders quirky at best , my TLR's of similar vintage produce much better results.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

The front standard on my Mamiya-Six folder is rock solid.

 

[OAPOli]

Thanks @Melvin J Bramley

It's a Mamiya Six IV. There is also lateral play in the lens mount. Likely wear in all the pivots and I don't think that's fixable. Hopefully the rest position is sufficiently parallel to the film, and the bellows don't leak!

 

[Kino]

I don't have a Mamiya Six, but looking at the photos, I have to wonder if there wasn't a sleeve on that pin at one time. The slots don't seem THAT worn and the pin certainly looks undersized for that slot.

 

[henryvk]

I can't find any reference pictures online but I'm having a hard time getting myself to believe that pin is supposed to just hang there.

Someone who owns a Six IV please clear this up!

 

[OAPOli]

@henryvk the pins hangs in the right hand pocket; pic was taken before complete opening.

@Kino the pin has a nice fit in the straight section of the groove and I doubt there was a sleeve

The pin/groove issue might be a red herring. I would certainly appreciate if other IV users could check!

 

[Melvin J Bramley]

The pin does not just hang there, the bellows need to be fully extended so the two sets of lens elements are in the correct position.

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