When all else fails, Lubricate?

EASmithV · May 10, 2009

My H16 seems to work properly, but when I put a load of film through it, it sounds like it is running at 8 fps no matter what I set it at... What should I oil it with, if anything?

nickandre · May 10, 2009

Give it a kick. It's just a clock. I would make sure everything is working, though. I thought my bolex was working until I opened it up to discover the takeup spool wasn't spinning and it had built up an accordion of film throughout the compartment, ruining an entire roll.

EASmithV · May 11, 2009

tiberiustibz said:
Give it a kick. It's just a clock. I would make sure everything is working, though. I thought my bolex was working until I opened it up to discover the takeup spool wasn't spinning and it had built up an accordion of film throughout the compartment, ruining an entire roll.

Ouch, I hope you got it fixed...

It didn't sound right to me, but I just developed a few frames from the tail of the roll, and they seem fine... So we'll see...

benjiboy · May 15, 2009

The expression is "When all else fails,read the instructions"

removed account4 · May 15, 2009

why don't you find someone local who repairs them
and take it to him / her instead of trying to self medicate it ?

sometimes folks that try to do things themselves mess things up even more ...

Kino · May 15, 2009

Most likely, your governor is stuck and needs to be cleaned of old, petrified lube and serviced.

I would not advise you disassemble this camera this yourself.

The spring in a H16 can take your head off. If you think I am kidding, just give it a try, but let someone know where you'd like to be buried before you open the case.

You might be able to remove the lenses and carefully slosh some solvent around in the gear train and spring box to try to free the governor, but you run the risk of getting dissolved lube in your viewfinder (assuming it is a reflex camera) OR detaching all your leatherette covering, or fill-in-the-blank...

Check with KEH, maybe they can clean and lube it, otherwise, start "Googling"!

EASmithV · May 19, 2009

benjiboy said:
The expression is "When all else fails,read the instructions"

Instructions? I don't need no darn instructions! Can't let them Chinese get the better of me now, could I... lol.

EASmithV · May 19, 2009

jnanian said:
why don't you find someone local who repairs them
and take it to him / her instead of trying to self medicate it ?

sometimes folks that try to do things themselves mess things up even more ...

Yes, I have a box of cameras that I "fixed". I have since learned from my mistakes... :rolleyes:
Anything smaller than 4x5 is too complex for me to work on (and even then...)

The thing is, I was googling, and came across a copy of the manual. It said that when new the H16 had enough lubrication to go two years without oiling and then after that, apply some "fine chronograph oil to all visible moving parts/spindles".

Trying to get second opinions, don't you know

ic-racer · May 20, 2009

What type of H16? Is it a 'round bottom?' If so, the spring may be weak. The spring for those older ones is not the same as the current Rex-5 spring. As of a few years ago, there was no suitable replacement. You might want to check to see if a replacement spring motor is available.

Here are a few things I did with one of my 'round bottom' cameras to make run better:
a) I disassembled the governor and cleaned some goop out of there.
b) I re-calibrated the speed dial using a clock and the built-in frame counter. (The numbers on the speed dial can be reset to wherever you want them)
c) I believe I did clean an re-lube some other parts of the mechanism, but I don't recall offhand the specifics.

I found these pretty difficult. There are a lot of little tricks you need to know to get the mechanism in-and-out of the case without buggering up the shutter and the indicator dials. Also, getting it back in with all the levers working correctly is not straight-forward.
Once the mechanism is out, separating the two halves to get to the spring motor will allow all the gears and shafts between the two halves to fall out. The drive sprockets can be difficult to remove, and the camera can have difficulty loading if they are out of synch when they are put back. After disassembly all the joints in the the camera body needs to be re-sealed or it will leak light.

From what I recall, the service manual is more like an exploded view, and is not that much help.

EASmithV · May 21, 2009

Yes it is one with a round bottom. While it functions properly, and all speeds sound distinctly different when run with the cover off and no film in, when it has film loaded and the cover on, I cannot tell by ear one speed from another. While this may be just me, I thought that it was more likely that having a load to pull was somehow slowing down the camera a little bit. Am I wrong?

Sirius Glass · May 22, 2009

EASmithV,

Open the back of the camera, select a large aperture, aim the cameres at something bright, then when you change the shutter speeds and trigger the shutter you should seen longer or shorter exposures. If not then it is time for a CLA.

Steve

MurrayMinchin · May 22, 2009

I miss blansky

Murray

k_jupiter · May 22, 2009

MurrayMinchin said:
I miss blansky

Murray

We all miss him and I have no idea what this thread is about except moving pitcher cameras. I advise selling it and getting a Bolex... or a Blansky.

tim in san jose

EASmithV · May 26, 2009

Sirius Glass said:
EASmithV,

Open the back of the camera, select a large aperture, aim the cameres at something bright, then when you change the shutter speeds and trigger the shutter you should seen longer or shorter exposures. If not then it is time for a CLA.

Steve

All the speeds work correctly, I just can't tell if they work correctly while pulling a load of film. It sounds slightly off when doing so.

By the way, my camera shoots 741 frames (about 15 feet) on a single wind. Out of curiosity, does anyone know what the round bottom H16's would shoot when the springs were new?

KenS · May 26, 2009

When all else fails?

Follow the motto of Possum Lodge... Quando omni flunkus moritati

Ken

When all else fails, Lubricate?

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