MINOX BL meter repair?

Minox · Oct 28, 2022

I have used quite a few cutters in the past. The one that gave me headaches was the Minox (Acmel made, if I'm not wrong) one, too finnicky for my taste.

The best was the Zipslit, which was a pull thru device. I also cut from bulk, and I perfectly understand your meaning, so the Zipslit was great. It is not made anymore, but I have changed the blades a couple of years ago and it works like a charm.

However, the Li's cutter is in a different league. When it comes to a pull thru cutter, one may inadvertently pull the film too fast or somehow make a mistake and the strips come out warped. It happened to me a couple of times in the past, and it is not a joy.

But this cutter (Jimmy's) can be fixed onto a bench or work surface, can be attached a crank handle and suddenly you have a much more exact, solid, no wobbly device, and the strips always come out right as rain.

I have tried once to pull thru film using Jimmy;s cutter. It works, if you pull kind of slow and continue. But the film may chip or warp, and 9/10 cases one has to throw away the film. It wasn't devised to work like that.

Both cutters very good, but to each its own merits.

Patrick Robert James · Oct 28, 2022

Minox said:
I have used quite a few cutters in the past. The one that gave me headaches was the Minox (Acmel made, if I'm not wrong) one, too finnicky for my taste.

The best was the Zipslit, which was a pull thru device. I also cut from bulk, and I perfectly understand your meaning, so the Zipslit was great. It is not made anymore, but I have changed the blades a couple of years ago and it works like a charm.

However, the Li's cutter is in a different league. When it comes to a pull thru cutter, one may inadvertently pull the film too fast or somehow make a mistake and the strips come out warped. It happened to me a couple of times in the past, and it is not a joy.

But this cutter (Jimmy's) can be fixed onto a bench or work surface, can be attached a crank handle and suddenly you have a much more exact, solid, no wobbly device, and the strips always come out right as rain.

I have tried once to pull thru film using Jimmy;s cutter. It works, if you pull kind of slow and continue. But the film may chip or warp, and 9/10 cases one has to throw away the film. It wasn't devised to work like that.

Both cutters very good, but to each its own merits.

I appreciate the response Julian. I wonder if the Jimmy Li can be attached to a drive mechanism. Too bad I don't have a machine shop... I guess I'll stick to the blade cutter. Maybe I'll get the Jimmy LI one, or the Goat one.

I only get chips on my film edges when the razor blades get dull. I line my slitter with 120 backing paper from Ilford which is very slippery and use a rubber band to press the top down. Usually works perfectly and I can go about as fast as I want. Usually about three seconds for a 36 exp. roll length. I use a string to judge the length. I can cut a ton of film in a short time that way. I occasionally get a scratch from something stuck in the works so I figured the Jimmy Li would be the best. Shame it can't be used fast...

I should have bought one of those zip slits a long time ago but I didn't start using the Minox until just before the pandemic started. I've had it since the mid 90s too. Kept thinking "one day."

Minox · Oct 28, 2022

Patrick, I would be very surprised if some mechanics could not be put together to get Jimmy's cutter to roll. I am not (at all) knowledgeable in such matters, but even I can see how a slow voltage small motor and simple couplings can be rigged to the cutter's knob in order to make it more...productive, so to speak. A foot pedal would not go amiss, so to leave both hands free to whatever they are needed to do. An automatic cut off for a number of spins of the rollers would take care of the correct length of the negative, a small blade to cut the film (automatic also)...I stop here .

I remember discussing this matter (albeit briefly) with Jimmy, when he was designing the first model of the cutter. We dismissed the idea, because there was no point in industrializing the device, just keeping it simple, sturdy and reliable was the way to go.

Who knows, perhaps in the near future someone (if not Jimmy himself) will take this challenge head on. The question is how many will be comfortable to operate such a device in complete drakness? I mean you know, electrical wiring, gears, cutting rollers...

AgX · Oct 28, 2022

Minox said:
I meant modifying the distance between rollers, so it can accommodate a different thickness of the film negatives.
...
I am talking about the screws which are embedded into the milled end of the rollers.

These screws are to fix the sprockets to the rollers.

ic-racer · Oct 28, 2022

Oh yes, if one put a motor on the J-Li cutter, one could cut the worlds supply of Minox film in hours
This is my cheat-sheet showing how to get four 36 exposure loads from a single 36 exposure 35mm roll.
I found it easier to load first in to 35mm cartridges, rather than cutting the bulk film on its spool.

AgX · Oct 29, 2022

Minox said:
When it comes to a pull thru cutter, one may inadvertently pull the film too fast or somehow make a mistake and the strips come out warped. It happened to me a couple of times in the past, and it is not a joy.

But this cutter (Jimmy's) can be fixed onto a bench or work surface, can be attached a crank handle and suddenly you have a much more exact, solid, no wobbly device, and the strips always come out right as rain.

Interesting observation. It does not depend on pull-of crank-function, but on film-guidance design, but likely a good guidance is more easy to achieve in a crank-design.
Good to learn of your observation.

guangong · Oct 29, 2022

How much Minox film do you guys shoot that requires a motorized film slitter? Seems like a lot of ingenuity for a nonexistent problem.
That being said, I have made small rulers for lengths of Minox and Minolta 16, but every time I load my Leitz and Zeiss cassettes I must still check my notes for how many turns for 36 exposures. I would like to attribute this to age, but it has always been the case with me.

ic-racer · Oct 29, 2022

The original Minolta film strips (I have some still) were about 24" long. Before cutting Minolta strips I put a clamp on my benchtop 2 feet from the wall, so I can measure it out in the dark.
For Minox, it turns out the strips are about 1/2 the length of a 36 exposure 35mm load.

Minox · Oct 29, 2022

Film length for Minox factory loaded cassettes. I usually cut 40 exp per 1 x Minox roll, which is the max length I am willing to run through my cameras.

Minox · May 13, 2023

Just to update this: I have sent a couple of Minox BL cameras to MS Hobbies of London, to have the meters repaired. To my (very) pleasant surprise, the cameras came back with their meters serviced, both working as they should.

No idea if these were repaired or changed with working ones or parts, but the BL's are now perfectly usable. Just thought to let the OP (and others interested) know this.

qqphot · Jan 16, 2024

Minox said:
Just to update this: I have sent a couple of Minox BL cameras to MS Hobbies of London, to have the meters repaired. To my (very) pleasant surprise, the cameras came back with their meters serviced, both working as they should.

No idea if these were repaired or changed with working ones or parts, but the BL's are now perfectly usable. Just thought to let the OP (and others interested) know this.

Does anyone even know the trick to extracting the B or BL meter from its housing? I can't even guess at it.

Minox · Jan 16, 2024

You mean taking the meter module out for repair, or just taking it out no matter what? I had a couple of B's with broken meters, sent it to Don and he shortened the camera, by swapping the long meter housing with a shorter one (IIIs). Much better solution this shorter end, than having the long one but hollow, I guess.

qqphot · Jan 16, 2024

I mean removing the meter mechanism from its housing for repair. I could just put a IIIs shell on it easily enough myself, but I want to experiment a bit with the galvanometer mechanism as I think it's off its pivots and might be able to be put back. I'm also contemplating the design of a modern electronic replacement for the selenium cell, so I want to measure the available space inside.

I've seen reference to some discussion that there is glue that has to be heated to release some part of it, but I don't want to go randomly baking the whole thing wthout knowing where the glue is located or what and where to pull when it's softened. I've seen photos of the meters disassembled from the case so it appears it can be done!

tjwspm · Jan 18, 2024

Minox said:
Just to update this: I have sent a couple of Minox BL cameras to MS Hobbies of London, to have the meters repaired. To my (very) pleasant surprise, the cameras came back with their meters serviced, both working as they should.

No idea if these were repaired or changed with working ones or parts, but the BL's are now perfectly usable. Just thought to let the OP (and others interested) know this.

Which battery do you use in the BL? I use a hearing aid battery type 675 (Ansmann) PR44 1.45V.

The light meter basically works with it, but I experience that the needle hangs. When I tap on the camera, the needle moves to the right place.
During the battery test, the needle is exactly at the left end of the gray area, i.e. to the right of the black mark. So okay.
But I'm wondering if it could be the battery.

qqphot · Jan 18, 2024

tjwspm said:
Which battery do you use in the BL? I use a hearing aid battery type 675 (Ansmann) PR44 1.45V.

The light meter basically works with it, but I experience that the needle hangs. When I tap on the camera, the needle moves to the right place.
During the battery test, the needle is exactly at the left end of the gray area, i.e. to the right of the black mark. So okay.
But I'm wondering if it could be the battery.

This makes me think a particle of some material may have become lodged between the magnet and the coil of the galvanometer.

Minox · Jan 18, 2024

tjwspm said:
Which battery do you use in the BL? I use a hearing aid battery type 675 (Ansmann) PR44 1.45V.

The light meter basically works with it, but I experience that the needle hangs. When I tap on the camera, the needle moves to the right place.
During the battery test, the needle is exactly at the left end of the gray area, i.e. to the right of the black mark. So okay.
But I'm wondering if it could be the battery.

This article of mine: https://juliantanase.com/mr44-battery-adapter-for-your-minox-bl/

tjwspm · Jan 19, 2024

Thanks, a very comprehensive article on exactly the topic!

Can I understand the last paragraph to mean that you have had good experiences with the MH 44 adapter and are using it? At 40 euros it's not exactly cheap.

Does the circuit regulate the voltage so that it is always 1.35V? How long does this adpter/battery combination last in the BL?

Minox · Jan 19, 2024

You are right. Cost wise, true, it's not cheap. But put this way: no headache in using your camera. And you buy it just once.

It does indeed regulate the voltage to a safe 1.35V. I have been using this (and only this) adapter in my BL's, with very good results so far. Battery has been put in the camera last year, May I think, and still going strong with camera usage for a couple of films every month or so.

Hope this helps !

tjwspm · Jan 19, 2024

Yes, that always helps best. There is nothing like personal experience that someone has had over a longer period of time. “Unboxing” or initial testing often turns out to be unreliable speculation.
Thanks again!

MINOX BL meter repair?

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