Rolleiflex 3.5 B Cocking Ring broken

neotil1 · Dec 15, 2022

My newly purchased (defective) Rolleiflex 3.5 B has a damaged cocking ring

The closing tooth broke off and was flying around in the shutter. So much for a simple CLA!

Are there cheap cameras that use the same cocking ring that I could cannibalize? Is anyone parting out their camera and has one left over?
Or am I entirely screwed?

Thanks in advance!

EDIT: Would a Contaflex work as a donor camera for example? The shutter seems to be very similar but I'm obviously not knowledgable enough to know if the cocking ring is the same. Can someone chime in?

OAPOli · Dec 15, 2022

I think that's called the "drive cam". It's possible that most synchro-compur shutters use the same part? I looked at contaflex repair video it it looks like it has the same drive cam. You can contact B. Rogers @Mamiya_Repair here, he has shutter parts available. There is also a repair manual at learncamerarepair.com

Dan Daniel · Dec 15, 2022

I think that there are a couple of variants over the years, but the odds are that any later synchro-compur will have the part. You want one that allows for easy movement to 1/500; the synchro-compur shutters that cannot be moved to 1/500 if cocked have a different internal system and no part like this.

A 3.5 Rollei shutter is a '00' size. I think that the part you need will need to be from an '00' shutter block, but I could be wrong.

There is a guy in Germany who has a large supply of Rollei parts. He may be able to help you-

Magicflexcamera Camera shop

Based in Germany we rebuilding and sell the best preserved Rolleiflex camera sets, single cameras, as well as accessories and many other related items to Rolleiflex TLR

magicflexcamera.com

gone · Dec 15, 2022

This will fix it. It's a marine quality epoxy that we sometimes used to repair transmission cases on Toyotas. Seems to set up better (quicker) w/ an incandescent bulb up close to furnish a little heat while curing, not sure of the fumes, so an oven may not be a good idea.

If it breaks when repaired w/ this, it will break somewhere else, not at the repaired place. Read the first 5 star review here to get an idea of what it can do. JB Weld might do it too, but this is as good as it gets. I'm sure you can get it in a smaller size somewhere. We bought it directly off the shelf from marine stores.

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Rrrgcy · Dec 16, 2022

Once you steel epoxy it back, if you could get me English imperial dimensioning of the entire part, I’ll machine a few. But if metric threaded I don’t tool metric.. Just curious, is it a low carbon steel, aluminum, Zamak? I could case or full through heat treat… if you can tell if its been hardened that’d help, as well. It seems not hardened given the condition.

neotil1 · Dec 16, 2022

Thanks to all of you for the help!

I originally checked the repair manual and they had a detailed diagram on this part, but didn't label it... I thought they called it a cocking ring but "drive cam" sounds a lot more familiar

I will be contacting Magicflexcamera to see if they'll sell me a part. I'm not so sure about metal epoxy, if the part broke during its lifespan, is it going to hold up with a bit of glue?

I might try and read up on what's available in Germany for cheaper; the Devcon stuff looks great but costs 100€.

I'm also still thinking about getting a Contaflex. They're easily available for 10-15€ and seem to have a very similar shutter so I might take the gamble.

Rrrgcy said:
Once you steel epoxy it back, if you could get me English imperial dimensioning of the entire part, I’ll machine a few. But if metric threaded I don’t tool metric.. Just curious, is it a low carbon steel, aluminum, Zamak? I could case or full through heat treat… if you can tell if its been hardened that’d help, as well. It seems not hardened given the condition.

I'm not so sure what you mean by threaded? This part doesn't have any threads. It seems to be steel but I'm really not too knowledgeable on remanufacturing parts and getting their dimensions.

Dan Daniel · Dec 16, 2022

momus said:
This will fix it. It's a marine quality epoxy that we sometimes used to repair transmission cases on Toyotas.

Will that epoxy work on a piece this small? The whole part is maybe 8mm in diameter. The broken section has a surface area of maybe 1mm by 0.2mm. I think that the broken part is a tab that projects up and is the stopper as the shutter fires- this part spins at a very high speed under the force of the main spring, and slams into a stationary metal tab (my memory could be off here).

It'd be great if it could hold up to that kind of force in such a small area.

OP: you are looking for a Synchro-Compur shutter, #00 size (f/3.5 on TLRs, 50mm on 35mm cameras). Lots of folders used this shutter. Kodak Retinas. Some Ikoflexes. Rolleicord IV and later. The larger #0 shutter for a 2.8 lens like Zeiss Tessars on many folders will have a part too large, I am fairly certain. No guarantee that all the parts from shutter to shutter are the same; small design changes happened all the time and maybe this part was refined over the years. Your part is a central part, what will be found in all of the shutters. Things like rear cocking in a Retina, simple lever cocking in a Rolleicord or folder, etc. are all mechanical issues away from this part and don't affect this particular part.

Rrrgcy · Dec 16, 2022

That’s a wonderful photo of it you have - I believed it was an inch large or more - but now knowing its size, I won’t machine a part that small. As recommended by others, you should first try JB Weld two part epoxy from the small tubes to “steel weld” the part together. Inexpensive. It might be sufficient to hold Up. But taking care to the small dimensions and possible interference from any resulting ooze which will super-harden into blobs might be problematic. I won’t work with extremely small (for me) parts. Going to machine a new multi-feature plastic tripod head part which cracked, for example, in Al or Delrin (the plastic broke and nearly lost my Horseman to the swamp).

That small, I suspect your broken part may have been cast, and if from a zinc manganese Al mix, so very popular at the time, I wonder what other similar stressed parts are known to be the more replaceable parts over time. I don’t know about camera and shutter manufactures, but watchmakers then likely didn’t regularly use small cast parts, who knows, I’d be happy to know your Rollei will hopefully be solved soon. Please let us know the outcome.

removedacct1 · Dec 16, 2022

That appears to be identical to what is used in most Compur shutters on the Retina cameras. I can supply you this part if you're interested.

neotil1 · Dec 16, 2022

Dan Daniel said:
I think that the broken part is a tab that projects up and is the stopper as the shutter fires- this part spins at a very high speed under the force of the main spring, and slams into a stationary metal tab (my memory could be off here).

I think you're correct. The part moved past its stop and therefore the spring was able to come loose, preventing the shutter from cocking properly. I suspect JB Weld or similar products won't last long, if at all as there is indeed quite a bit of tension on the spring.

Rrrgcy said:
That’s a wonderful photo of it you have - I believed it was an inch large or more - but now knowing its size, I won’t machine a part that small.

Ah, I should have included a scale! The somewhat visible square on the cutting mat should be 1cm, so Dan's estimate is pretty much spot on

paulbarden said:
That appears to be identical to what is used in most Compur shutters on the Retina cameras. I can supply you this part if you're interested.

Awesome, that is very kind of you! I'm still going to wait for a response from Magicflexcamera and might try a Contaflex, just for research. They can be had for 15€ including shipping in Germany, so I think it's worth a try!

I appreciate all of your responses a lot and will keep you up to date!

neotil1 · Dec 22, 2022

Great news! The Contaflex I bought seems to have the right part! I don't think I have the time to work on the Flex before Christmas, but I'll keep everyone updated as soon as I reassemble the shutter to see if the part fits!

neotil1 · Jan 15, 2023

Quick update: The "new" part works flawlessly!

BrianShaw · Jan 16, 2023

JPD · Jan 16, 2023

Excellent. Have you put the camera back together yet?

Rolleiflex 3.5 B Cocking Ring broken

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