What did you fix today? (part 2)

Mr Flibble · Sep 21, 2020

Friday and Saturday was spent fixing another TP-style roller blind shutter, in this case an A.Mattioli "Simple&Double" shutter for another H.Martine travel camera (9x12 Tailboard)

This one has an extra capping curtain to keep the shutter closed when winding it up.

View attachment 255418

Spent a couple of hours last Sunday, building a complete and working Filmo 70-D from two parts cameras.
Switched out the shutter, buttons, film gate and sprocket wheels from a 70-HR, turning this from a double-perforation to single-perf 16mm camera.

Now, to give it a uniform color.

Pentode · Sep 21, 2020

Kino said:
So, you just sit them in the sun to begin with? What's your technique? I have a few Westons I'd like to rejuvenate if possible.

Well, this whole process is new to me and I've read a fair amount of conflicting information (of course... it's the internet!) but the consensus seems to be that you want to start out in subdued room light for a couple of weeks then move up to indirect window light for another couple and then even more direct light but in a North-facing window or one that doesn't get direct sun for a few more weeks. You want bright light for the final part of the process but you don't want to go so far as to have the cell in direct sun.

Now, will this actually work? I don't know yet, but I have nothing to lose. I've read some reports that it brought Weston meters back to life and others that it got them better than they were but still not all the way there. For me, for now, it's just an experiment. I've also read that selenium cells are best preserved by keeping them AWAY from light. I'm pretty sure somebody's right, but I don't know who.

The first thing I had to do in the case of both meters was to take them apart, clean all the electrical contacts and the selenium cells and see if I could get them to respond to light at all. In both cases I got lucky but I don't believe that's always the case. Some selenium cells are well and truly dead. That's something that just about every source agreed upon; not every cell can be saved.

There's a fellow in England, Ian Partridge, who has replacement selenium cells for Weston meters but he doesn't sell them, he only uses them in his meter restorations, which he charges $230 plus shipping for. He has a very solid reputation but that's more than I would pay for a selenium meter under any circumstances. If a Weston meter was an absolutely essential part of my process I suppose I'd happily pay it, but I'm perfectly happy with just about any meter as long as it's reasonably consistent so if this doesn't work I'll just retire the meters and use something else.

Kino · Sep 21, 2020

Pentode said:
Well, this whole process is new to me and I've read a fair amount of conflicting information (of course... it's the internet!) but the consensus seems to be that you want to start out in subdued room light for a couple of weeks then move up to indirect window light for another couple and then even more direct light but in a North-facing window or one that doesn't get direct sun for a few more weeks. You want bright light for the final part of the process but you don't want to go so far as to have the cell in direct sun.

Now, will this actually work? I don't know yet, but I have nothing to lose. I've read some reports that it brought Weston meters back to life and others that it got them better than they were but still not all the way there. For me, for now, it's just an experiment. I've also read that selenium cells are best preserved by keeping them AWAY from light. I'm pretty sure somebody's right, but I don't know who.

The first thing I had to do in the case of both meters was to take them apart, clean all the electrical contacts and the selenium cells and see if I could get them to respond to light at all. In both cases I got lucky but I don't believe that's always the case. Some selenium cells are well and truly dead. That's something that just about every source agreed upon; not every cell can be saved.

There's a fellow in England, Ian Partridge, who has replacement selenium cells for Weston meters but he doesn't sell them, he only uses them in his meter restorations, which he charges $230 plus shipping for. He has a very solid reputation but that's more than I would pay for a selenium meter under any circumstances. If a Weston meter was an absolutely essential part of my process I suppose I'd happily pay it, but I'm perfectly happy with just about any meter as long as it's reasonably consistent so if this doesn't work I'll just retire the meters and use something else.

Thanks! Your observations pretty much agree with what I have heard about the conflicting advice to keep the cells away from light, but then use light to rejuvenate them! Confusing...

I also agree with the sentiment that, while I like the Weston meters, there are too many very good light meters going for pennies on the dollar to invest heavily in an old meter.

Thanks.

Ron (Netherlands) · Sep 21, 2020

Mr Flibble said:
Friday and Saturday was spent fixing another TP-style roller blind shutter, in this case an A.Mattioli "Simple&Double" shutter for another H.Martine travel camera (9x12 Tailboard)

This one has an extra capping curtain to keep the shutter closed when winding it up.

Great work, which shutter cloth do you use ? self made?

Pentode · Sep 21, 2020

Kino said:
I also agree with the sentiment that, while I like the Weston meters, there are too many very good light meters going for pennies on the dollar to invest heavily in an old meter.

I got lucky a few years back. I was able to get the cell replaced in my grandfather's Weston meter, which he bought in the late forties. It was done by a local, NYC repair shop around 10 or maybe 15 years ago when the cells weren't so hard to find. From a functionality perspective, I'd much rather have a working Weston Master IV but, from a sentimental perspective, I'm glad it was my grandfather's Master I that got repaired. ...and it's still pretty accurate.

But yes; Great Cds meters can be had for a song now and one can actually get them repaired. Not to mention the remarkable accuracy of some of the cell phone meter apps!

Mr Flibble · Sep 22, 2020

Ron (Netherlands) said:
Great work, which shutter cloth do you use ? self made?

I bought a large sheet from Aki-Asahi a few years back to replace the curtain in a Popular Pressman. I think it's rubberized silk, but they don't sell it in that size anymore.

Ron (Netherlands) · Sep 22, 2020

Mr Flibble said:
I bought a large sheet from Aki-Asahi a few years back to replace the curtain in a Popular Pressman. I think it's rubberized silk, but they don't sell it in that size anymore.

dank Rick! ik heb ook nog wat liggen, maar raak er snel doorheen

Mr Flibble · Sep 23, 2020

Ron (Netherlands) said:
dank Rick! ik heb ook nog wat liggen, maar raak er snel doorheen

Ze hebben nog wel een Rubber+Nylon variant in groot formaat. Maar die wordt niet voor iedere reparatie aangeraden. :\

Resurrected Filmo 70-D parts camera

Now in Olive Drab.

Kino · Sep 23, 2020

I shot quite a bit of film with the DR-70 16mm camera back in the 1980's and it is capable of great images with some care.

Ron (Netherlands) · Sep 23, 2020

Mr Flibble said:
Ze hebben nog wel een Rubber+Nylon variant in groot formaat. Maar die wordt niet voor iedere reparatie aangeraden. :\

Resurrected Filmo 70-D parts camera

Now in Olive Drab.

Great restoration; WWII era?

Mr Flibble · Sep 24, 2020

With the "PH-430-B" on the nomenclature plate it would make this roughly Korean War Era
With the parts I had available from the 70-HR I did need to convert it to run single-perforation film to get around some broken teeth in the double-perf mechanism.

I *might* feed some Fomapan R100 though one of my Filmos or Eyemos one of these days.

PFGS · Sep 27, 2020

Fixed a Canon FD 85mm f1.8 SSC with perfect glass that had sat in the junk drawer since I bought it 10 years ago, due to an unusably oily and sluggish aperture. First time I got brave enough to disassemble an aperture down to the individual blades. Putting those weightless flakes of metal back in order was actually not that bad, and the sound of their perfect mobility was deeply satisfying.

Mr Flibble · Sep 28, 2020

Cleaned the internal haze out of a 32.5mm f/2.8 Tessar in RoBoT-screwmount

Started work on repairing some 1900s plate holders, replacing the cloth bookbinding tape on the dark slides.

Mr Flibble · Sep 30, 2020

Before I figured out how to take the dark slides out without the use of a mallet

Removing the old cloth tape, the paper-like cover material was no longer light-tight.

First one down. Needs a bit of lacquer along the edges of the tape to prevent it from curling. And the whole thing could probably do with a thin coating of of mat black paint.

One down.....Eleven to go.

removed account4 · Sep 30, 2020

had a double shot of expressio ( got my fix of caffeine )...

Donald Qualls · Sep 30, 2020

jnantz said:
had a double shot of expressio ( got my fix of caffeine )...

I don't even note the caffeine here. Two cups of coffee before work, four bottles of (diet) soda during work, more coffee and less soda on weekends. And that doesn't even count coffee (or beer) used as developer...

Lucid · Oct 1, 2020

Finally finished polishing and waxing my drum dryer so I can glaze some prints. I spent some time removing knots in the canvas too.

Wax on, wax off.

eli griggs · Oct 1, 2020

My Wagon.

I bought a 50mm 1:4 C T* about five or six days ago, person to person and had dinner out, and I've just come down with a bug, light flu I believe, however, I started the tear-down the day before yesterday, and started feeling the effects of the bug, just as the going got interesting.

Sleep most of that night, yesterday and today, 'til 4pm and have that lens in my table, waiting until I feel fully awake, no fever, later this week.

The lens, along with several camera's will have to stay in place, and with a Tom that loves jumping up on things, I count myself lucky, that he seems to be respecting my work space.

This is my first Hasselblad lens clean, lubricate, repair experience, and I was already in the "go slow" frame of mind, but having to stop mid-job sure does suck.

By-the-way, this is cleaning of some fungus in otherwise good glass, and barrel interior, removal of a tiny insect between lenses/elements, and cleaning of the shutter assembly because of slow speed gum-up.

Relube, and reassembly should be good, but I could use a diagram of the lens blown up, and repair manual if anyone has a copy or link to share

IMO.
Cheers.

awty · Oct 7, 2020

My new iiif I bought with shutter issues arrived today. Was hoping the shutter curtains not opening would be something simple, like a piece of film stuck. Took the case off and after a bit of manipulation managed to get the curtains to open. After a lot more it opened a little further, then finally got them working again, but unfortunately the curtains are shot and will need to be replaced. Rest of the camera is in really good condition.

awty · Oct 7, 2020

Mr Flibble said:
Before I figured out how to take the dark slides out without the use of a mallet

Removing the old cloth tape, the paper-like cover material was no longer light-tight.

First one down. Needs a bit of lacquer along the edges of the tape to prevent it from curling. And the whole thing could probably do with a thin coating of of mat black paint.

One down.....Eleven to go.

I patched some up using liquid rubber, unfortunately the chemicals reacted to the film if left in the film holder for more than a few days. Should of done it your way.

Mr Flibble · Oct 8, 2020

And you don't really need to do it at all, really. As long as the linnen of the cloth tape is still good and hold the slats together properly when the slide is lying flat it will still keep the dark in.

I'm about to finish refurbishing the second plate holder. With a couple of adapters I can now attempt shooting some of those 9x12 microscopy plates I've got in the fridge.
I suppose I should to invest in some 5x7" film sheaths for these holders. Or make some adapters so I can use 4x5" sheet film.

John Earley · Oct 10, 2020

Removed the top cover on a Nikkormat FTn to smooth out a dent. Resoldered the flash leads. Also machined a new tripod mounting plate for one of my 8x10 view cameras.

Nikkormat repair by JOHN EARLEY, on Flickr

awty · Oct 10, 2020

John Earley said:
Removed the top cover on a Nikkormat FTn to smooth out a dent. Resoldered the flash leads. Also machined a new tripod mounting plate for one of my 8x10 view cameras.

Nikkormat repair by JOHN EARLEY, on Flickr

Nice work, I removed the mirror prism from one and used it to replace the eye level prism on a F. Was cheaper to buy a good quality Nikkkormat than a F prism.

awty · Oct 10, 2020

Mr Flibble said:
And you don't really need to do it at all, really. As long as the linnen of the cloth tape is still good and hold the slats together properly when the slide is lying flat it will still keep the dark in.

I'm about to finish refurbishing the second plate holder. With a couple of adapters I can now attempt shooting some of those 9x12 microscopy plates I've got in the fridge.
.

Thats what I thought, but was getting light leaks.
Next time I think I will do it your way. Looks neater to.

awty · Oct 10, 2020

Thought I would try patching the holes on the shutter with some very light micro fabric. Didnt work kept catching. Worth a try.

What did you fix today? (part 2)

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