Tool for removing Retina's shutter retaining ring.

[OAPOli]

If you can remove the rear lens you could make a much simpler tool. A piece of steel plate of the right length and thickness to fit in the notches, with a handle brazed or locked onto it. Now I remember that this is what I did. A prior attempt with a regular spanner had marred the notches.

 

[retina_restoration]

Thank you for your prompt answer!

Yes, it's a shame I missed it. It's a search I try from time to time, but with few hopes of finding it; actually It was a surprise to know that recently there were any at all! Obviously my searching method -lack of- is not good enough.

Of course I took for granted that the original tool was not available a long time ago. As far as I know, Retinas wasn't sold in Spain so I suspect that Spanish repairmen had to use ingenuity instead of the original Kodak tool and maybe they made their own tools; if this is the case, they have to be somewhere; this is a line that I would like to research.

While that, I'll try to figure out how to make my own tool, what approach is simplest and best.

Here’s your opportunity: https://ebay.us/m/QiLFuZ

 

[Rumbo181]

Here’s your opportunity: https://ebay.us/m/QiLFuZ

Many thanks, well seen. I'll try to get it.

 

[retina_restoration]

Many thanks, well seen. I'll try to get it.

Good luck.
Update: I just discovered that this is the exact same tool from the same seller that was sold on August 2nd. You may want to ask them why this ended up being re-listed three weeks after it had supposedly sold. IE: was it returned, and if so, why?

 

[F4U]

Good luck.
Update: I just discovered that this is the exact same tool from the same seller that was sold on August 2nd. You may want to ask them why this ended up being re-listed three weeks after it had supposedly sold. IE: was it returned, and if so, why?

Might have been returned because the buyer only needed it once. So me made an excuse and got a refund.

 

[Rumbo181]

Seller contacted, let's see what he replies.

Thank you for your help.

 

[Rumbo181]

Seller answered.

Clarified: it's not the same tool. The proof is this new one is engraved in the shaft with "National Camera Repair ..." while the other don't.

I guess that both tools came from an old repairman shop. I have some manuals and magazines from them, and I know they made shutter analyzers and collimators also, but I didn't know they made small tools as well. Apparently this company/asotiation faded long time ago ...

 

[retina_restoration]

Seller answered.

Clarified: it's not the same tool. The proof is this new one is engraved in the shaft with "National Camera Repair ..." while the other don't.

I guess that both tools came from an old repairman shop. I have some manuals and magazines from them, and I know they made shutter analyzers and collimators also, but I didn't know they made small tools as well. Apparently this company/asotiation faded long time ago ...

OK, I guess that sounds legit. Good luck, I hope you get it.

If you use it for your current projects and decide you don't want to do more, you can be sure to recoup your investment by selling it on fleabay when you're done with it.

 

[Rumbo181]

Thanks

 

[grain elevator]

I bent a piece of 4mm brass rod into a v shape and filed the ends to fit in the notches in the ring. Not terribly difficult.

 

[Rumbo181]

I bent a piece of 4mm brass rod into a v shape and filed the ends to fit in the notches in the ring. Not terribly difficult.

Thanks for sharing your experience. Let's see what happens in the auction.

 

[retina_restoration]

Thanks for sharing your experience. Let's see what happens in the auction.

Rumbo, I'm guessing it's not you who has driven the bidding price up to $350 USD already? Yikes.
Somebody wants that tool real bad.

 

[F4U]

I believe Id get busy with Freecad and design one. Will likely be a fair amount f trial and error prototyping, but it's probably do-able. Of course, for the protruding tangs themselves, those would need to be made of metal.

 

[Rumbo181]

Rumbo, I'm guessing it's not you who has driven the bidding price up to $350 USD already? Yikes.
Somebody wants that tool real bad.

Well, finally I won the auction, but it wasn't me who raised the price.

Initial price for the first tool in eBay was 25$, but this time the seller started with 99$. The action was this way: somebody raised the price to 150$ -something reasonable- but then other bidder come up and started bidding aggressively till reaching 345$. I raised just 5$ but it was my last trench and I thought I was going to be easily surpassed; eventually It didn't happen and I got the auction, first surprised was me.

I don't know why the other person was raising the price so heavily, maybe he read this thread here in Photrio and thought it was a collectible of value - this was the reason why I kept silence until the action was finished - or maybe he thought that the engraving was a proof of an original item and added value. Of course; I have some other theories as well, but at the end of the day it doesn't matter.

Regarding the tool itself, on one side it's way too much than I was considering to pay - and many other projects will have to be on standby by budgeting reasons. On the other side I can use the tool, and I think that one way or another it has a value in itself. and maybe I could consider the price just an "opportunity cost" for a scarce good;

Anyway, @retina_restoration thank you for your support and for letting me know this second auction, and for you all thank you as well for sharing your ideas with me.

 

[BrianShaw]

Given that kind of valuation, I might have to start renting mine...

 

[Rumbo181]

Given that kind of valuation, I might have to start renting mine...

Can be the seed of a business ...

 

[retina_restoration]

Well, finally I won the auction, but it wasn't me who raised the price.

Initial price for the first tool in eBay was 25$, but this time the seller started with 99$. The action was this way: somebody raised the price to 150$ -something reasonable- but then other bidder come up and started bidding aggressively till reaching 345$. I raised just 5$ but it was my last trench and I thought I was going to be easily surpassed; eventually It didn't happen and I got the auction, first surprised was me.

I've never seen one of those sell for more than $200 before, and I thought THAT was an outrageous sum!

 

[mshchem]

I guess it's positive that camera repair equipment is in demand?? Not sure. Seems to me that would indicate a demand for nicely repaired cameras.

 

[retina_restoration]

I guess it's positive that camera repair equipment is in demand?? Not sure. Seems to me that would indicate a demand for nicely repaired cameras.

But the price went stratospheric only because two people apparently wanted that tool really badly. I don’t think that indicates a general trend. The OP bought that tool to repair his two cameras. What happens after that - who knows.

I purchased my “Beljan tool” for $40. Prices on eBay are often a distortion field effect.

 

[Alex Varas]

I was going to bid for it just for having the real stuff but as soon I saw more than 150€ I decided I was just fine with my mod tool.
Congrats for the auction!

 

[an6dk]

I'm bringing to life a couple of folding Kodak Retinas. I've done it before several times, but this time I need to take apart the shutters to do a proper CLA for this particular cameras and fix them. I would need a tool for removing the shutter retaining ring -all of them have Synchro Compur shutters. Do you know where can I get one? I know that Chris Sherlock deals with this point in https://retinarescue.com/retainingringdimensions.html but I'm looking for any solution diffherent from a DIY tool, if I can avoid it. A ready made tool would be ideal.

Any idea? Do you know where can I get one? What's your experience dealing with this matter?

Thanks in Advance

Reviving this thread to post a drawing for the tool I made today in case anyone comes looking for this tool again (this thread was one of the first to come up on my search)