Wrench in a pinch.

[M Carter]

Thought I'd share this, as I'm going through a lens repair in the MF thread.

I found that none of the tricks (rubber plug, rubber gloves, rubber bottle opener) could get a retaining ring to budge. This teardown's more of a learning experience and I didn't want to order a spanner and wait a week to get back to this. Two grip heads, two screwdrivers, and a 12" piece of 5/8 boom arm and... spanner!

 

[BrianShaw]

Clever!

 

[summicron1]

if it doesn't work I'll always think it should have.

 

[M Carter]

It worked quite well - yes, a couple pounds of grip gear made it a little nerve wracking, as the ring surrounded a convex lens element and the whole thing was inside a steel barrel with little side clearance - so it was a little dicey lowering it in and getting it set. Breaaaaaaaathe, as my (yoga teacher) wife would say. But a little pressure and a tiny *jerk* and all was good.

 

[Whiteymorange]

and all was good.

It's all good until somebody loses a (glass) eye. ; >)

 

[M Carter]

It's all good until somebody loses a (glass) eye. ; >)

Indeed!

When I think of the crazy rigs I've built from grip heads & pipe in my career... I think this one's a classic!

 

[Jim Jones]

I've used two blades like screwdrivers clamped in a vise, but your system lets one observe the placement of the screwdriver tips in their slots much more accurately.

 

[Logan Becker]

If this is still relevant, just finished a repair on a camera body and to get the SS ring and advance lever off, required a spanner. I looked here: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums...ticles/199396-spanner-wrench-substitutes.html
But if you happen to not find these substitutes a viable solution, the little handles that you stab into the ends of a corncob work almost flawlessly. If different sizes are required use pliers to widen or narrow their spacing. Probably not a workable tool for a lens but someone will likely find a way to prove me wrong

 

[Sirius Glass]

Your inventiveness is wonderful.

 

[paul ron]

need is the mother of invention. nice job with those traction bar parts.

oh let's not forget C clip and E clip pliers. they have them for inside and outside expansion as well as different sizes and for a few bucks more you can get them with changeable tips.

another suggestion... using a straight edge scrap metal. I have a set of custom sizes I cut for specific uses.

.

 

[gorbas]

M Carter, Love it!! Great use of grip heads!