Yet another unusual broken rewind knob problem

xkaes · Oct 15, 2022

I have two identical cameras – first photo.

OK, they are not exactly the same. They have different names, but that’s it. Why do I have two of the same camera? Because I got one for free because it has a “broken” rewind knob – second photo – and is useless.

Fortunately, the “seller” kept the rewind knob – which, like many rewind knobs, screws into the rewind spindle –

Here is the rewind knob and spindle from the other camera WITHOUT the problem.

The problem is that the usual ways of opening up the back -- so I can screw it back together -- don’t seem to help in this case. Why? Because this camera has an ON/OFF switch under the rewind knob – see second photo again.

When I remove the plate holding the ON/OFF switch, there is another plate – photo five. In the middle of the center, you can see the chrome tip of the rewind spindle.

Removing this plate reveals the electrical contacts for the switch – see sixth photo.

There is no room on any side to perform the old “bent paper-clip” trick.

Any suggestions on how to open this puppy up?????

Don_ih · Oct 15, 2022

What about using a small drill bit and drilling a hole as low down on the post (that you screw the rewind knob onto) as you can? Then you could slip a bent paper clip into that hole and pull the think up. a single hole through the threads shouldn't cause problems screwing the knob back on.

reddesert · Oct 15, 2022

I think what I'm seeing is that the rewind shaft hasn't fallen all the way into the camera and I can see the tip of it. I'm not really sure what the switch has to do with it, unless that is preventing the shaft from falling in.

Try turning the camera upside-down, so gravity helps you, and reaching in with a small screwdriver, bent wire, or dental-style pick to try to tease the rewind shaft further out so you can grab it.

If you can push the rewind shaft all the way into the camera, you may then be able to pull up on the catch with a crochet hook or similar tool in the usual way. But obviously once you push it in, you're fully committed.

Mamiya_Repair · Oct 15, 2022

The reason why the rewind shaft is not able to be pulled up is because of the detent spring. You can see this spring in your last photo and it is hitting the top shoulder of the rewind shaft. You can either use a dental pick type of tool to push the spring away from the shaft while pulling upward on the shaft or if you can access the spring through the cutout in the top cover pressure can be applied on the spring to move it away from the rewind shaft.

4season · Oct 15, 2022

One surefire way to do it is to remove the top cover, which should give you direct access to the door latch itself. But sometimes said latch can also be accessed from the bottom, or by peeling away the leather covering in that area.

albada · Oct 15, 2022

Mamiya_Repair said:
The reason why the rewind shaft is not able to be pulled up is because of the detent spring. You can see this spring in your last photo and it is hitting the top shoulder of the rewind shaft. You can either use a dental pick type of tool to push the spring away from the shaft while pulling upward on the shaft or if you can access the spring through the cutout in the top cover pressure can be applied on the spring to move it away from the rewind shaft.

Good observation.
A similar suggestion combining suggestions from above: Push away the wire-spring that is touching the rewind shaft while holding the camera upside down. Hopefully the rewind shaft will fall up to where you can thread on the rewind knob.

xkaes · Oct 15, 2022

Don Heisz said:
What about using a small drill bit and drilling a hole as low down on the post (that you screw the rewind knob onto) as you can? Then you could slip a bent paper clip into that hole and pull the think up. a single hole through the threads shouldn't cause problems screwing the knob back on.

Good idea, but it doesn't stick out from the hole. And I can't drill down into the top because it is round -- like a hemisphere.

xkaes · Oct 15, 2022

reddesert said:
I think what I'm seeing is that the rewind shaft hasn't fallen all the way into the camera and I can see the tip of it. I'm not really sure what the switch has to do with it, unless that is preventing the shaft from falling in.

Try turning the camera upside-down, so gravity helps you, and reaching in with a small screwdriver, bent wire, or dental-style pick to try to tease the rewind shaft further out so you can grab it.

If you can push the rewind shaft all the way into the camera, you may then be able to pull up on the catch with a crochet hook or similar tool in the usual way. But obviously once you push it in, you're fully committed.

It's spring driven to pull down, but it has not fall into the film chamber.

Sharktooth · Oct 15, 2022

How about putting a small drop of superglue on the end of a thick toothpick, and then pressing it onto the exposed head of the rewind shaft. There might be enough strength in the glue joint to allow you to pull up on the shaft to open the back.

Once the back is open you could file off the wooden toothpick.

xkaes · Oct 15, 2022

Well I tried that and the spindle fell inside the camera. Is there a PLAN B -- or is this "REMOVE THE TOP" time?

Sharktooth · Oct 15, 2022

Hmmm..... If the spindle dropped down, then there must be some feature on the spindle that pushes up on something in the camera to open the back.

Maybe go down the hole with some hook tool to see if you can pull something up to open the back. Speaking from no experience whatsoever, however. But who doesn't love a challenge!

xkaes · Oct 15, 2022

Yes. Thanks for mentioning this -- as some else did earlier. This will be my next plan of attack. The K.I.S.S. principle.

reddesert · Oct 15, 2022

Yes, now that the shaft is inside the camera, you should be able to poke a hook down into the hole and pull up on a piece that is attached to the door latches, which protrudes slightly into the hole. You sometimes have to feel around to figure out where this piece is. Since you have another similar camera, if you open the back of that one and watch how it works, it should be more apparent (the actual piece that you have to pull up on is sort of hidden, typically).

A tool like a crochet hook that has a little notch is helpful here. I find that a bent paperclip may not be strong enough to pull up without unbending.

xkaes · Oct 16, 2022

I used a bent paper clip and pulled up on the "spot". As you said, it's just a small spot, and on this camera, toward the end of the camera body.

However, I can't simply slide the spindle back through the camera. There is a spring-loaded plate that slide into a notch in the spindle that prevents the spindle from going all the way through. I've got to find/devise a thin tool to depress this plate and allow the spindle to pass through.

But I'm half-way home!

xkaes · Oct 16, 2022

I got everything back into place. I had to use the smallest, thinnest, narrowest flat-head screwdriver that I have -- a very tiny Wiha 0.8x40 -- to push the retaining plate out of position, and then push the spindle through the slot.

The screwdriver kept the retaining plate out of the way until the instant that the spindle pushed the screwdriver upward -- releasing the retaining plate and engaging the spindle.

So now I have a like new Sakar SL-90MD. As far as I know it was the only SLR ever sold under the SAKAR label. It's really a Seagull DF-2ETM -- with SLIGHTLY different leatherette. They both have a Minolta MC lens mount and are reminiscent of the great SRT cameras -- but they use red & green LEDs in the viewfinder instead of a match-needle approach.

THANKS FOR ALL YOUR HELP!!!

Sharktooth · Oct 16, 2022

Well done!

No doubt the path to get there was probably more fun than actually using these puppies to take pictures. Still though, nice victory trophies all the same.

albada · Oct 16, 2022

For the fun of it, after shooting with it, could you post a pic taken with this camera?

Yet another unusual broken rewind knob problem

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