What we are proud of: Our most beautiful DIY repair projects

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Andreas Thaler

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Nov 19, 2017
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Because I'm currently on training leave at home and my workshop is closed, I also have time to look back on my projects.

There were about 100 in two years when I started with repairing. This excludes my more substantial general contributions to repair issues here.

I don't know if that's a good thing, but I wouldn't do it like that again because it's just too much. Anyway as an autodidact I learned a lot in this short time.


The most moving and challenging project

So I thought it would be interesting to highlight from this group the most beautiful project for me, the project that moved and challenged me the most.

This is without a doubt


The salvation of my beautiful Nikon F3/T

I bought it from a friend in Munich in 2015.

He had obviously never used it, it had no signs of wear, the champagne-colored version.

IMG_7269.jpeg



The only error was in the LCD display in the viewfinder, where a digit was no longer fully displayed.

Over the years the LCD got worse, more digits failed and I was desperate because I didn't want to watch my most beautiful camera lose its function.


Without an LCD

that shows the shutter speeds and the plus/minus balance for manual exposure compensation, an F3 is more or less useless.

So I looked for a workshop that could replace the LCD, sent several inquiries, but only received rejections. „Sorry, no spare parts available“.

My search for an LCD was also unsuccessful.

Until one day I saw an offer on eBay that included several partially dismantled F3s that still had their LCDs. I didn't know whether the LCDs were still OK. I just had to try an exchange!

So I bought - and ventured into replacing the LCD on my F3/T.

IMG_7267.jpeg


A donor for a replacement LCD was found.


And it succeeded!

When I approached the matter after extensive research, I was very nervous. I still had only little experience with the screwdriver and, apart from the service manual, no instructions.

The left part of the F3/T’s top cover had to be dismantled and then the housing for the LCD illuminator and the LCD under the prism had to be opened.

Everything there is tiny, everything is crooked, just the genius work of Japanese engineers 🙃

IMG_7271.jpeg


The housing for the LCD block on the right


As I worked my way forward all I had to do was remove the LCD block from the contacts and insert the replacement LCD from one of the F3s.

IMG_7270.jpeg


The replacement LCD that was supposed to bring my Nikon F3/T back to full life.


When I turned on the camera, tapped the shutter button and saw - M 2000 in rich black digits, I almost fell off my chair with joy!

IMG_7268.jpeg


The most beautiful 2000 I had ever seen!


And this joy continues to this day.





What are you proud of, what was your most beautiful photo related DIY project, or what would it be?

Tell us 🙂
 
Last edited:

AnselMortensen

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Jun 9, 2020
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SFBayArea
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Traditional
Not particularly challenging, but very satisfying.
I bought a beat-up Burke & James 5x7 Rembrandt Portrait camera...it had been painted an ugly olive drab color at some point, covering many dings, dents, scrapes & scratches.

The wood was too beat-up to be a worthwhile restoration project, but the sad camera was still usable, after a few pinholes in the bellows were patched.
I had some Lake Placid Blue instrument lacquer left over from a Stratocaster build, and decided to give the sad camera a makeover.

Behold "Big Blue" !
Now a happy camera, and not intimidating when doing portraits.
 

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dxqcanada

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Joined
Jun 9, 2011
Messages
331
Location
Ontario, Canada
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Multi Format
Graflex Miniature Speed Graphic

Cleaned off years of cigar/cigarette smoke tar residue
Took apart the Compur leaf shutter, cleaned the blades, escapement, and adjusted the timing.
Removed the awesome slotted focal plane shutter, lubed the bearings, reset the spring tension, and cleaned the winding gears.
Cleaned all moving parts, viewfinder, and restored the leather with tincture (no holes in the bellows).


DSC04913_sm.jpg
 

mshchem

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Joined
Nov 26, 2007
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14,639
Location
Iowa City, Iowa USA
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Medium Format
I did a partial rewire of a Thomas safelight, old, didn't even have an earthed cordset. Hard to get my huge fingers to do little things. But it's working, safe ( now has a 3 prong plug).

20240215_142751.jpg
 
OP
OP
Andreas Thaler

Andreas Thaler

Subscriber
Joined
Nov 19, 2017
Messages
4,863
Location
Vienna/Austria
Format
35mm
Graflex Miniature Speed Graphic

Cleaned off years of cigar/cigarette smoke tar residue
Took apart the Compur leaf shutter, cleaned the blades, escapement, and adjusted the timing.
Removed the awesome slotted focal plane shutter, lubed the bearings, reset the spring tension, and cleaned the winding gears.
Cleaned all moving parts, viewfinder, and restored the leather with tincture (no holes in the bellows).


View attachment 363180

A beauty!

Are there instructions for the service or did you have to work it all out yourself?
 
OP
OP
Andreas Thaler

Andreas Thaler

Subscriber
Joined
Nov 19, 2017
Messages
4,863
Location
Vienna/Austria
Format
35mm
Not particularly challenging, but very satisfying.
I bought a beat-up Burke & James 5x7 Rembrandt Portrait camera...it had been painted an ugly olive drab color at some point, covering many dings, dents, scrapes & scratches.

The wood was too beat-up to be a worthwhile restoration project, but the sad camera was still usable, after a few pinholes in the bellows were patched.
I had some Lake Placid Blue instrument lacquer left over from a Stratocaster build, and decided to give the sad camera a makeover.

Behold "Big Blue" !
Now a happy camera, and not intimidating when doing portraits.

When was this camera built?
 

dxqcanada

Member
Joined
Jun 9, 2011
Messages
331
Location
Ontario, Canada
Format
Multi Format
A beauty!

Are there instructions for the service or did you have to work it all out yourself?

When I started this restoration I could not find any service manual, but I did find a couple of videos concerning repairing the larger versions ... so I worked most of it out myself as I took it apart. Luckily, the slotted focal plane shutter curtain was intact ... the leaf shutter is easy if you have read over the Nat Cam course material on The Learn Camera Repair site ... they now have a copy of the service guide.
 

Laurent

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Oct 15, 2004
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France
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lovely projects here!
 

Dan Daniel

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Jul 4, 2009
Messages
2,883
Location
upstate New York
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Medium Format
Well, not the best photos. And not the best final results. Kodak Medalist II turned black. CeraKote ceramic coating. Unfortunately the guy who did the coating is a gunsmith, not a machinist, so there are issues of tolerances and such that although I talked with him, he must not have understood. More than anything, had to use a black anodized focus helical set from a Medalist I, not the original parts that no longer worked because of excess material build-up on the thread surfaces. This lack of understanding of fine tolerances showed up in a lot of other places, too. Oh well, live and learn. The person that this is for is going to use in hiking and rock climbing so I went for clean bright in-fill paint on areas needed for camera function. Probably a bit brighter than I'd want for regular street use or such.

Medalist II, overhauled (everything- shutter, rangefinder, wind, focus helical, viewfinder, hinges, etc.). Converted to 120. GripTac covering. Installed a PC flash terminal in place of the Kodak ASA original.
 

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bernard_L

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Joined
Feb 17, 2008
Messages
2,031
Format
Multi Format
Not the most complex repair, but maybe the one I'm the most proud of. Olympus 35S, bought "for parts or repair". Thought it just needed a cleaning of shutter blades. Actually a small part on the main shutter ring was broken. Made a replacement from scrap metal and glued it with high-performance epoxy. Works! Film tested.

Oly35SII_02_annot_S.JPG
Oly35SII_01_S.JPG


Oly35SII_04_S.JPG


Oly35SII_06.JPG
 
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