Nikon Ais lens repairs...

pixelvandal · Jun 11, 2014

I recently inherited a bunch of Nikon Ais primes from my fater in law. unfortunetly, they all have a touch of fungus in them, and some have stiff focusing rings....
these include the 85mm 1.4, 24mm 2.8, 35mm f2, 50mm f1.4 and the 180mm ED f2.8.
can anyone recommend a place to get these fixed in australia that isnt ridiculously overpriced? obviously this cost varies on the lens, and amount of work needed etc.. can anyone recommend a place to get this done in australia?

are there service manual available to try and attempt this myself with the cheaper short primes?

kind regards.

Paul

Tom1956 · Jun 11, 2014

You CAN do this yourself. I'm in the middle of a 50mm right now. Info can be googled up, and use your mind to fill in the blanks. After 2 or 3 you'll have it down pretty well. Buy an ebay Nikkor with scratched glass for cheap, and experiment.

Xmas · Jun 12, 2014

Yea Tom is correct.
Many of the tools can be improvised
eg
first step
to remove name plate ring you need...
discarded kitchen rubber glove, scissors - make a doughnut ring in rubber to just fit over name plate ring but clear filter threads and optics
find plastic pill or ointment box or lid 51 mm outside diam...
The name plates normally unscrew on filter threads they are not on that tight if the threads are intact.
Note im badly arthritic so easy for you
to be continued

and take photos to publish a how to do

Tom1956 · Jun 12, 2014

Thread Spoiler

OK, So I'm this big Nikkor lens expert all of a sudden. I've got my kitchen table strewn with 1970's lenses that I am fighting tooth-and-nail. First of all, Nikon GLUED these $%^&* screws into the rear lens-mount ring, and they are NOT going to come out. There's always 1 or 2 that are going to have to be drilled out and re-tapped. That means hundreds of dollars in drilling and tapping equipment or drive to a jeweler/watchmaker, which means hundreds of dollars in gasoline, then you have to pay the jeweler twice the value of the lens on fleabay (if you're lucky).
But that's not the worst. The worst is yet to come. ANY LENS AFTER 1974 IS GARBAGE!. That's about the year that the Japanese manufacturers went to the rubber focus grips, which were shrink-wrap applied. These have to be cut off if you expect to fix lubrication issues. Good luck re-gluing them back on after you've cut them to get them off. The ends never will meet up, and he whole job will look like a 4-year-old did it.
I've been struggling for 8 hours now to get 2 of the 4 rear lens-mount screws out of a 50mm 1.4 SC with beautiful glass apart so I can re-lube the focus. These 2 screws are now so chwewed uo only a drill will get that mount ring off. What have I got now?
NOTHING. Moral of the story: if you have a nice Nikkor multicoated lens, you've got a big bunch of nothing. From now on, any post Nippon-Kogaku and Vivitar lens goes in the garbage where it belongs. New policy.

trythis · Jun 12, 2014

Interesting. I opened a 50mm 1.4 af-d to clean off the shutter blades and it took maybe 20 minutes. I was surprised by how easy it was.

sent from phone. excuse my typing.

snapguy · Jun 12, 2014

slur

I believe you mean "Japanese," what you used is a racial slur. I have any number of Nikon lenses going back to the 1960s and into the 2010s. They are fine lenses. It is not easily determined how your ineptitude, or your taking on projects you do not have the ability to finish, is the fault of a particcular manufacturer. Small boys and other mean-spirited urchins take mechanical beasts apart and then gripe that they can't play with them any more.

Tom1956 · Jun 12, 2014

I don't use "racial slurs". It's shorthand, that's all. For Pete's sake I'll be so glad when the racist inquisition is finally over in this country. I'm telling you that these lens mount screws are glued in and no amount of pressure and proper-fitting screwdrivers has budged 2 of the 4 screws. I've opened up countless pieces of camera gear with nary a chewed-up screw, but these are totally impossible. I don't think I've ever seen anything like it. This was supposed to be a 30 minute re-lube job and it turned into a nightmare. I ruin very few pieces I work on, but I've sure ruined this one. Sickening.

Tom1956 · Jun 12, 2014

PS Thanks, snapguy. I had put this solemn warning out to aspiring do-it-yourselfers about the hardcase repair you can bump your head on at any time. Could be your first piece, or 5th, or 50th--never know. And it's heartbreaking. I wrote my post that they would see the angst of even a well-seasoned repairman. Even hoped in the back of my mind someone better than me would chime in and help, bind up and heal my wound. But no. As is the way in this country, we have these little self-appointed thought police sitting behind a billboard on their little motorcycle, ready to light after any speeding "racists". And every time one of you little pieces of fuzz catches an "offender" and brands them, they're ostracised. Now nobody will help me, thanks to you. Wo is me, I guess I just have to go back in my little redneck redstate trailer and get my wife/sister to make me some possum innards for supper.

Nick Merritt · Jun 12, 2014

Slurs or shorthand aside, I totally get Tom1956's frustration. I am very leery of trying to open up any SLR lens; the automatic aperture causes an extra level of complication that can make things a nightmare. But beyond that, I agree that it's entirely too easy to strip screws that are glued in, and I've personally never had any success with the "just unscrew the name ring with a rubber glove" approach -- doesn't work for me. So I stay away from these lenses or have pros work on them. I guess I'd live with a small amount of fungus rather than try taking them apart, and just live with stiff focus.

But for those with better skills and/or more bravery than I, go for it! Maybe I can ask you to work on my lenses if you have the knack!

snapguy · Jun 12, 2014

oink

A pig is a pig with or without the lipstick.

Tom1956 · Jun 12, 2014

Blocked and reported. My first one.

F4user · Jun 12, 2014

Glued screws come off if :
- have perfect fit, perfect tip high quality screwdriver
- have patience
Strong advice: don't use supermarket kit screwdrivers, swiss army knife or other fancy tool. Use only proven industrial tool.
Apply increasing force and keep the screw in tension, even 5-10 minutes if it is necessary. Press the screwdriver down on the screw, if the screwdriver slips for shure another attempt will fail as the head of the screw get damaged .
The glue under that force will start to develop microcracks and finally come off.
If you are unsure about a screw is better to take a break.. one hour, one day...
Never need to cut a focus / zoom rubber ring, just patience. I don't find ANY rubber glued from the factory, only after amateur repairs.

Tom1956 · Jun 12, 2014

I envision a screw removing jig somewhat in the style of a drill-press, where the piece is locked into a jig at the base, and the bit and screwdriver is cranked down to apply downward force to keep the screwdriver head from slipping, while the torque motor begins the counter-clockwise pressure. Wonder if such a thing exists, other than the re-adaptation of an actual drill press.

Tom1956 · Jun 12, 2014

I just now sent an e-mail to Sean, reporting myself and submitting my name for banning for my ":racial offense". There are a number of people in America today sick to death of the Liberal Left and their militant thought police tactics, ambushing unsuspecting "offenders" to the Public Political Correctness.
So, if banned, I will accept it and say goodbye to my photographic friends with gratitude to what you have taught me in my time here, and I hope I've at least given something worthwhile back to pull my weight.
If I want to be insulted by militant Lib whackos, I can read Yahoo News, or watch any of the crap in America being passed off as "news", or listen to the nutcase drivel of their politicians. Pig, indeed.
Sincerely
H Thomas Finley III
Marshville NC.

snapguy · Jun 12, 2014

middle

I r a political moderate.

Xmas · Jun 12, 2014

Hi Tom

Yes the mounting flange screws are glued in at the factory, and the suggested method is to heat the screw to soften the glue, donno if that works, my soldering is not hot enough.

But the last lens I relubed a type 2 series E 5 cm /1.8 was easy.

rubber glove doughnut zinc ointment box for nameplate
three screws after removing nail varnish seal
unscrew both heliciod
de grease
re grease
reassemble &thread three screws
set infinity tighten three screws
replace name plate

Doing it again 20 mins

Actual time 8 hours!

The actual time cause I deliberately, to minimise wear clearances, used different pair of heliciod starts, not recommended you try that, cause they are paired with this lens. Best to mark them with file...

Sneakily I did not remove the mounting flange instead using large darning needle to realign the lens cell keys with the mount keyways. Needs three hands, and takes 15 of 20 mins.

I've looked at the rubber rungs on my AI lenses and they should lift off though mine may not be factory fitted.

Fungus is best treated with ladies hand cream, it has a special ingredient! Apply with clean finger and remove with cotton waste.

But Im stuck with a lens ring on an EGerman lens which has penned threads, I've drilled out the area but the ring still won't move. Im thinking how to do.

BrianShaw · Jun 12, 2014

Tom1956 said:
... This was supposed to be a 30 minute re-lube job and it turned into a nightmare. ...

That is EXACTLY why I just pay the small amount it costs to have a professional repair shop do that work for me.

BrianShaw · Jun 12, 2014

Tom1956 said:
I just now sent an e-mail to Sean, reporting myself and submitting my name for banning ...

Before you go, Tom.. I understand how you reported yourself, please help me understand how you blocked yourself from yourself. I didn't know one could put themself on their own ignore list.

John Koehrer · Jun 12, 2014

Tom, did you go off your meds?

It may be possible that in reading many of your past posts some people may have thought you knew
everything and wouldn't appreciate any help offered.

Xmas generally has it right though, heating the screw should break down the glue.

None of which helps the OP getting to his fungal problem besides Xmas. Remove the decorator
plate, unscrew three screws and invert the lens. The front group should just drop out.
Usually fungus is inside the front and/or rear groups so should both be accessible without taking the
lens mount off.

BTW Tom, you're the one bitching about politics and both parties have gone overboard on PC.

Xmas · Jun 12, 2014

snapguy said:
I believe you mean "Japanese," what you used is a racial slur. I have any number of Nikon lenses going back to the 1960s and into the 2010s. They are fine lenses. It is not easily determined how your ineptitude, or your taking on projects you do not have the ability to finish, is the fault of a particcular manufacturer. Small boys and other mean-spirited urchins take mechanical beasts apart and then gripe that they can't play with them any more.

Don't know about that if you call me a Brit for British id assume it was an abbreviation it also might be prejorative but you would need to use context for that.

Calling my exposure meter a crap Brit meter is opinion.

Some equipment is difficult to maintain eg using glue as Nikon have done is bad form in my book the more normal thing to do is use a thread sealant, designed to secure screws and other threaded fasteners.

You seem to compare Tom with 'small boys' and 'mean spirited urchins' is that intentional?

Xmas · Jun 12, 2014

John Koehrer said:
None of which helps the OP getting to his fungal problem besides Xmas. Remove the decorator
plate, unscrew three screws and invert the lens. The front group should just drop out.
Usually fungus is inside the front and/or rear groups so should both be accessible without taking the
lens mount off.

Alas no with the type II E undoing the three screws just released the focus ring with the distance scale. Which you can lift off.
You then can undo (ie unscrew) the inner heliciod to remove the whole optic and iris assembly as a unit.
A pro repair guy would just add grease in situ and not undo...
Cause getting it back is difficult.
I always disassemble and degrease to remove any grit.
This is why I don't get a pro repair job.
There are a different three screws which may well release the front lens optics but I did not disturb. Other than using day glow nail lacquer on their surface.

Noel

John_Nikon_F · Jun 12, 2014

Cross-point screws are easy to destroy without the proper screwdriver. Learned the hard way when I did my last 85/1.8 K-type AI conversion. Destroyed one of the mount screws using a #0 Phillips screwdriver. Wound up using a tapered screw extractor to remove it. Bought the proper screwdriver from one of the repair shops I frequent. Now, lens mount screws are no big deal, even if they are crosspoint. With the slotted screws, take a 3.5mm slotted screwdriver and grind it down until it fits the screw exactly. Even if threadlocking compound was used, which most Nikkors have if they haven't been worked on previously, the screws come out VERY easily.

The focusing rings come off in various methods, some require rolling the grip off the ring, others have a two-piece ring (read the Nikkor-S/SC and early K-type 50/1.4's) that needs to be split using a rubber band on the front part of the ring, and others have set screws that are accessible under the filter ring (Nikkor-H/HC 50/2, and possibly the K-type and AI versions as well).

-J

Newt_on_Swings · Jun 13, 2014

Good screw drivers and downward pressure is a must. Thread locker such as red loctite needs heat to break the bond. A soldering iron held of the head of screw will do it. I actually have one lens I took apart from my super ikonta that has fungus that I can't reach as There is a tiny set screw that is worn away. I tried going in from the back but couldn't reach the lens elements I needed too. I don't think there is any way to get it out as I had to file down a flat head screw driver to get the other 2 out. Really tiny stuff is always a headache.

Xmas · Jun 13, 2014

Well my soldering iron did not have enough wattage to soften the glue.

I've used locktight compounds but never had one as stubborn before.

When I reassemble I use nail lacquer after the screw is home.

If you use high quality tools you have a greater risk of damaging screw heads.

F4user · Jun 13, 2014

Newt_on_Swings said:
Good screw drivers and downward pressure is a must. Thread locker such as red loctite needs heat to break the bond. A soldering iron held of the head of screw will do it. I actually have one lens I took apart from my super ikonta that has fungus that I can't reach as There is a tiny set screw that is worn away. I tried going in from the back but couldn't reach the lens elements I needed too. I don't think there is any way to get it out as I had to file down a flat head screw driver to get the other 2 out. Really tiny stuff is always a headache.

Lens need service so I don't think Nikon used Red Loctite. Nikon repairmans don't drill screwheads.
I found that thread locker is like Blue Loctite >>> medium strength ... > servisable.

Nikon Ais lens repairs...

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency